Setting Your Goals - Easier Said, Easily Done

The basics of setting a goal is an open secret known by top-caliber athletes, successful businessmen and businesswomen and all types of achievers in all the different fields. The basics of setting goals give you short-term and long-term motivation and focus. They help you set focus on the acquisition of required knowledge and help you to plan and organize your resources and your time so that you can get the best out of your life.

Setting clearly defined short term and long term goals will enable you to measure your progress and achieve personal satisfaction once you have successfully met your goals. Charting your progress will also enable you to actually see the stages of completion leading to the actual realization of your goals. This eliminates the feeling of a long and pointless grind towards achieving your goal. Your self-confidence and level of competence will also improve as you will be more aware of your capabilities as you complete or achieve your goals.

The basics of goal settings will involve deciding what you really want to do with your personal life and what short term and long term goals you need to achieve it. Then you have to break down goals into the smaller and manageable targets that you must complete in your way to achieving your lifetime targets. Once you have your list waste no time in tackling your goals.

A good way to have a manageable list is to have a daily and weekly set of goals. By doing this you will be always in the position of going towards you life plan goals. Everyday will give you the opportunity to fulfill a certain goal giving you the feeling of accomplishment.

Here are some pointers that should be taken into consideration in setting goals and achieving them.

Attitude plays a very big role in setting and achieving your goals. You must ask yourself if any part of you or your mind holding you back towards completing your simplest goals? If there are any part of your behavior that is being a hindrance or puts your plans into disarray? If you do have problems in these areas then the immediate thing to do is to address this problem. Solutions may include a visit to a doctor or psychiatrist to control your emotions.

Careers are made by good time management practice. Failing in a career is often attributed to bad time management. Careers require a lot from an individual which often makes the career the life of the individual. Plan how far do you want to go into your career.

Education is key in achieving your goals. If your goals require you to have a certain kind of degree or require a certain specialization or demand a certain skill to be developed, make plans in getting the appropriate education.

Your family should never be left out of your plans. If you are just starting out then you have to decide if you want to be a parent or when you want to be a parent. You also have to know if you really would be a good parent and how well would you relate to extended family members

Personal financial situations also play a major role in achieving your goals. Have a realistic goal on how much you really want to earn. You also must be able to create plans or stages by which you will be able to reach your earning potential.

Physically gifted individuals may be able to achieve sports related goals like being in the National Basketball association or National Football League. Determining your physical capabilities should be one of your priorities. Physical limitations could however be conquered with proper planning.

As the saying goes -'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy', or something to that effect, is by all means true down to the last the letter. Giving yourself a little pleasure: should be included into your plans.

To start achieving your lifetime goals, set a quarter of a century plan, then break it down to 5 year plans then break it down again to 1 year plans, then 6 month plans then monthly plans, then weekly, then daily.

Then create a things-to-do list for the day.

Always review your plans and prepare for contingencies.

The basics of goal settings should not be so difficult once you get to be familiar with them.

Reading Test

THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID

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Nine Great Ways To Change Your Life By Changing Your Motivation Style

Author: Peter Murphy

If you are not as productive as you'd like or tend to procrastinate, you can become motivated by changing your personal style. The trick lies in making the activities you put off more interesting, easier, and less unpleasant.One way to make a job easier is to break it into smaller jobs. If your task is to file your income tax return, you may view it as time consuming and tedious.But if you break it into smaller categories such as gather records, download tax software, and prepare a rough draft,the tasks don't seem as difficult and you are likely to complete them in considerably less time.Some other ways to make those undesirable jobs seem more bearable are to prioritize, use self-discipline, and reward yourself for small accomplishments...Try to do the least desirable tasks early in the day so you'll look forward to having the rest of the day to concentrate on more pleasant jobs. Keep in mind that self-discipline is something you do for yourself, not to punish yourself. Make a schedule and stick to it. Don't forget to reward yourself for each step you take in overcoming procrastination. Positive reinforcement goes a long way in changing negative behaviors.

Here are a few more suggestions as to how you can get motivated and quit procrastinating...

1. Tasks will seem less daunting if you break them into several steps over a few days or weeks. Don't expect yourself to do everything all at once.

2. Don't worry about doing the job perfectly. Once you quit procrastinating, you'll have more time to go back and perfect each particular task. Allowing yourself adequate time to finish a task will give you more time for corrections later.

3. Find a supportive co-worker or friend to help motivate you to get moving.

4. Don't schedule important tasks at a time of day when your energy is low.

5. Reward yourself for reaching critical points in your least favorite jobs. Having something to look forward to is a great motivator.

6. Put the most difficult tasks at the top of your list and work from there.

7. All times of day are not equal. If you are a morning person, then tackle the most difficult tasks when you are at your best earlier in the day. Reserve your most demanding activities for the time when your energy is at its highest. Save the small jobs that require little thought for the time of day when you are at your lowest productivity level. Accomplish your tasks efficiently and you will see an improvement in your time management and motivational skills.

8. Start yourself down the road to success by setting clear, attainable goals. Break tasks into smaller pieces so they will seem less difficult. Get organized and prioritize your activities from most important to least important. Eliminating the harder tasks will leave you feeling good about your work and motivate you to continue.

9. Keep focused on the end result instead of concentrating on how hard it will be to break your old habits. Having a light at the end of the tunnel will make your efforts seem worthwhile and the reward waiting for you will keep you motivated to achieve your goals. Procrastination is unproductive and can even be harmful to your well being if allowed to get out of control. Stop making excuses, organize your thoughts and tasks, and be on your way to get your life under control and get motivated!

About the Author

Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently produced avery popular free report that reveals how to crush procrastination and sustain lasting motivation. Apply now because it is available for a limited time only at: http://www.getmotivatedstaymotivated.com/special.htm

Enjoy Your Life : Change Your Point Of View

"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars."- Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts

If you’ve placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?

In life, you are always filled with choices. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimist’s point of view? And why now?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success; to popularity; to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewife’s disorder but also a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well.

Here’s how optimists are in action and researches that back up why it really pays to be an optimist:

Optimists expect the best

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events, which will last a long time and undermine everything they do, are their own fault.

The truth is optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs is the way they explain their misfortune---it’s the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the 'problem' at hand.

They use 'positive reinterpretation.' In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They won’t say “things will never get better,” “If I failed once, it will happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life.”
Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities.

Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these people often win elections; get voted most congenial and sought for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher

Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

They persevere. They just don’t give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.

Optimists are healthier and live longer

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body's ability to fight disease.

Optimists’ health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be resilient? Like everybody else you are bound to hit lows sometimes but don’t just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. And why not inspire others to remove their dark-colored glasses and see life in the bright side?

STRESS : WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO REDUCE IT

Stress is a natural reaction that affects everyone. It is an evolutionary response that has evolved in order to protect us from danger.When you find yourself in a dangerous situation, Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone or ACTH is released into your bloodstream. This gives you a boost of energy and triggers the flight or fight mechanism.

If you can imagine back in the caveman days, you would be out happily collecting nuts and berries and a saber tooth tiger jumps out on you. As it does, your body instantly releases the ACTH hormone into your blood stream.This provides you with additional energy so you can either fight or run away (flight). Typically, you would do one or the other and the ACTH is worked out of your system.In our modern society, we still encounter stressful situations, but we do not have the opportunity (typically) to fight or flight. Instead, we have to grit our teeth and endure it.This results in the long term build up of ACTH in your system as it doesn't get worked out of your body by the triggering of your fight or flight mechanism.

Stress is not something that you can sadly eliminate from your life. As it is a natural physiological reaction, it cannot be removed totally. You can reduce your sources of stress and change how you react to the stress, but no matter how hard you try you can never truly eliminate it.Even if you were to live in a cave on a mountain top, then you would eliminate a lot of your stresses, but I am sure you will find other things to cause you stress. It is the body's reaction to a situation that is emotionally, mentally or physically stressful.

You can reduce your stress levels by learning to identify what it is that causes you stress.Is it your work? Your family life? Your finances? Something else?Once you have identified your causes of stress you can then start to deal with them.Could you change your job? Maybe change something about your family life? How can you reduce these sources of stress in your life?

There will be things you can do to reduce your stress levels. Sometimes you may have to make some big decisions in order to reduce these stress levels. These could be as big as making big changes in your working or family life.Often you will hear people say, "But I can't make those changes".Usually it is not a case of can't, but a case of won't. Even when you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, you still have a decision, it's just it may not be an easy one to make.

However, it can be made.The decision you have to make is whether you want to make these changes now and to reduce your stress levels, or whether you would prefer to be lying on the operating table in the hospital after a heart attack brought on by your stress levels.I cannot emphasize to you strongly enough how serious stress is and the negative effects it can have on you. Take action today and reduce your stress, and reap the benefits.

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Discover how you can reduce your stress and improve your quality of life through these powerful stress management techniques from Jason E. Johns at www.freemefromstress.com .