In countless hours I have invested in working with clients from all walks of life and studying the most successful people of our time, I have found that there are two primary two distinct approaches to learning.

1. Learn what unsuccessful people do and then don’t do it.

and…

2. Learn what successful people do and then do it.

Both are valuable and provide tremendous insight and I credit the lessons from both perspectives with helping me develop more of my own potential in the different areas of my life. It’s pretty simple. Avoid the behaviors and patterns of the unsuccessful and instead adopt the behaviors of that are most likely to bring a successful outcome.

In this lesson I am going to provide you with what unsuccessful goal setters do to sabotage their results. In my early days of goal setting, I have made most of these errors myself at one time or another.

Have you ever worked hard on a goal that didn’t come to fruition? I bet somewhere you did one or more of these things below. The interesting thing is that people who do not achieve their goals often invest just as much time, energy and effort (or even more time) than the people who DO go on to achieve their goals.

A flawed or incomplete approach will bring about flawed or incomplete results.

If you see yourself in any of these bad habits, don’t worry. At the end of this article, I provide the perfect solution for you to salvage any goal and you can begin applying it immediately to begin advancing and achieving your goals.

How NOT To Set a Goal: 10 Mistakes that Guarantee Failure

1. Be vague. Pick a goal, any goal. Don’t give it much thought, don’t think about it in much detail and only use generalities to describe it. Don’t think about the long term effects on your loved ones, or the long term impact on your life, just pick any bright shiny object and go for it. Don’t spend any time to develop a crystal clear vision for what you want. Just pick anything and get to work.

2. Embark upon a goal that someone else chose for you. Go after things that you don’t truly want because you’re trying to make someone else happy, or because you think it will get or keep their love.

3. Keep everything in your head. That’s right. Trust your memory. Don’t commit anything to paper or activate the most powerful unseen force in human psychology (your subconscious mind) that is only triggered when you translate your thoughts and goals with pen and paper. Just keep hoping that every day you will remember what you’re working towards and why you started it in the first place.

4. Don’t create a plan. Don’t worry about creating a timeline or mapping out the structure of carrying out what needs to be done.

5. Don’t set priorities. Only do the things you feel like doing when you feel like doing them.

6. Don’t carve out time in your daily life for working on the goal. Your life is plenty busy already, right? I guess you’ll just squeeze in your action plan around your already full life and if there’s time left over after all of those other things are done, you’ll get to your goal eventually.

7. Blame others for not achieving your goal or when something is not working. Yep. It’s not your fault that your goal is not achieved. It’s that other person. In the end if you don’t acknowledge and take 100% responsibility for the results, your goal will never be achieved and you’ll always have an excuse for why that is.

8. Try to do it all yourself. You know the saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” After all, you’re a
perfectionist and even though it will take ten times longer, at least everything will be perfect. This means that you will drag out the time it takes for much longer than it needs to be and you’ll probably get very frustrated in the process. When you are frustrated enough, you will inevitably resort to the next two…

9. Worry. Why waste your time visualizing the positive outcomes you want to create when you can dwell in and stock pile all of the things you’re afraid of? Instead spend that valuable time worrying about what you don’t want until it drains your energy and you have nothing left.

10. Give up. Because you failed to take measures that ensure your goal is achieved, you got tired, frustrated and just gave up. Goal setting doesn’t work anyway.

Ooooh, that was painful to write. I know how painful it is to experience. I’ve been there.

Can you see yourself in any of those scenarios?

Have you ever sabotaged your goals?

The good news is that it’s preventable.

Practicing any one of those “NOT to do’s” is enough to derail the most magnificent, achievable goal and I would venture to say that at one time or another we have all engaged in one or more of these behaviors, myself included, that is, until I created a blueprint that guaranteed successful goal achieving.

Those saboteurs are no longer an issue because I have a goal setting blueprint that ensures success every time. Now when I set a goal, I have a guaranteed system for all of the necessary steps, from the selection of the goal to creating the action plan and seeing it through to completion. It’s amazing how much more quickly I can achieve my goals and how much more fun the process is.

“A goal properly set is halfway reached.” -Abraham Lincoln

The best way to set a goal is to follow a proven blueprint. I just released the formula for success that I use to ensure I reach and often exceed my goals. This is the same formula I teach to Fortune 500 CEOs, Olympic athletes, Entrepreneurs and everyday people who just want to get more out of life and develop more of their own potential.

http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop/

I look forward to helping you achieve your goals.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

PS 2012 is a leap year, which means we have one extra day February 29th. Why not utilize that extra day going through the Virtual Goal Setting Workshop and fine tuning your goals for the year

http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop/

No matter who you are and how well versed you are at goal setting, there are a number of experiences we have all encountered at one time or another  when en route to our goals. One of the most common is fear. The bigger your goals are, the greater the fear you are likely to encounter. Looking at fear from the outside, it seems ridiculous to allow the mere possibility of something less than optimal occurring keep us from attempting something, but fear is one emotion that is so powerful, it can lead to delays or even hold even the best and brightest back from achieving their dreams.

Firstly, let’s take a look at the definition of fear.

Fear –noun 1.a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.

Now that we have a general idea what fear is, we can take a closer look at the ways in which it appears in our day to day lives. For some it is a small blip on the radar, for others, it’s a crippling reality, rearing it’s ugly head and acting as a virtual roadblock, standing in between their God given potential.

Since none of us is immune to fear and we will all experience it at one time or another, doesn’t it make sense to demystify it and find ways to harness it to work for us and our greater good, rather than hold us back?

Let’s look at a very simple formula for conquering fear.

Five Steps to Overcoming Fear

1. Catch yourself in the midst of feeling the fear. It is so easy to get caught up in the cycle of telling yourself and others, “I’m so afraid, I’m so afraid, I’m terrified,” etc. Have you ever had this type of dialogue running around in your head on repeat? The more you say this, the more the fear grows. If you can catch this mental chatter while it’s occurring, you can take the next step in directing it. I have seen people use fear as a means of getting attention from their loved ones. Of course if they are anxious or afraid, their loved ones will give them extra attention, therefore though they are not likely aware of it, the fear is serving them as a means of getting love. Become conscious of what you do when fear arises for you.

2. Name your fear. Identify exactly what it is that you are afraid of. Give that big, bad monster a name. For example, in your business are you afraid of failing? Are you afraid of making mistakes or costly decisions? Are you afraid of being an entrepreneur without a safety net? Might that pose a problem in making progress for you? Now let’s look at the flip side. Are you afraid of success? What if you become successful? Are you afraid your success might impact your relationships with family, friends or significant other? These are all very powerful fears that I see quite often when working with my coaching clients.

And here’s another biggie -fear relating to love. Are you afraid of falling in love? Are you afraid of getting close to another person and feeling worried that the relationship might end? Are you afraid it won’t last? Are you afraid of being happy? I have seen people sabotage amazing relationships with amazing people because they were afraid it was too good to be true. Fear of the unknown is a common dilemma, however the faster you can name it and pinpoint what the fear is on the deeper level, the greater your ability to decrease the fear’s power over you. Giving the fear a name instantly decreases it’s power.

3. Get more specific and write it down. Fear of the unknown is a common description but getting even more specific at this stage will allow you to identify and then take the appropriate measures to prevent the fears from becoming a reality. After you name it, write down on a piece of paper more detail of what the fear is about. If the fear was relating to your work, write down the various scenarios that are running through your head. “I’m afraid I will make a mistake and disappoint my parents, my spouse, my children, myself.” If the fear was in the area of love, clarify the fear as best you can. “I’m afraid of falling in love, that if I fall in love, the other person won’t love me back. I’m afraid I may move too fast or I’m afraid of being so close to another person because my first marriage ended in divorce. If this happens, then it means I am a failure at love and will end up alone.” If your fear causes you to hold back, withdraw or give less than your best, it often leads to the creation of the result you DON”T want! What you dwell upon long enough and strong enough becomes your reality. At this stage, you are looking at the negative side long enough to acknowledge the potential downside, which is often nowhere near as bad as we are making it seem. Normally there is a dreadful scenario that replays in your imagination and that preoccupation makes it so. Writing it down on paper is another step in taking your power back. Only then will you be ready for the next steps which is where you create the breakthrough.

4. Take measures to prevent the fears from becoming reality. For many of you, taking the first three steps may be all you needed to get a handle on the fear and put it behind you. The act of dissecting and looking it in the eye so to speak is often all you need to see how the fear became inflated and blown out of proportion. However, if the fear is still prevalent, now is the time to take action to the best of your ability and create a plan for ensuring the fear doesn’t become a reality. You cannot control the wind, but you can control the set of your sail. Consult with capable others such as qualified peers, trusted advisers a coach or mentor. Often having the benefit of an outside perspective can set you on the right path. After consulting qualified advisers, you may decide that the fear is a warning you wish to heed and that you are not willing to take the risk. That is totally okay. It’s your life and you’re the captain of the ship and you live with the consequences either way. If you choose to proceed, there are always measures you can take to stack the odds in your favor. This gives you a constructive place to invest your thought, time and energy in a place other than worry. You are making a commitment to do everything you can to manifest what you desire.

5. Imagine the best case scenario, write it down and redirect your attention there. W. Clement Stone calls this being inverse paranoid, which means you are always expecting the best to happen. The reason your fear felt so big in the first place was because your imagination ran wild with it to some degree. I say once you have crafted your plan and made the decision to proceed, now is the time to invest at least the same energy into dwelling on the positive possibilities. It’s a lot more constructive and fun, isn’t it? Imagine all of the ways things will work out and all the good that will come from venturing beyond your comfort zone and pursuing what you truly desire.

“What you dwell upon long enough and strong enough becomes your reality.” -Jill Koenig

In the end, there are no guarantees. Life is an adventure. The greater the risk, the greater the reward but ultimately the greatest risk is taking no risk at all. If something doesn’t work out the way you had hoped, you can certainly learn from it and apply it to future endeavors. Let whatever happens impact you for the better and expect the best, come what may. In the end, everything moves you toward growth and your greater good, so be open to learning, have fun and make the best of it no matter what.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

Blue Monday? Says Who?

I’m not sure if you heard the news, but a British psychologist
has proclaimed today ‘Blue Monday’ the most depressing day of the year.

It has something to do with factors such as the weather, holiday debt, time since Christmas, failing on new year’s resolutions, etc and it’s supposed to be quite scientific.

Whether today is a blue day for you or not, I am making a
proclamation of my own.

“Today will be whatever you decide it will be.”

That’s right. I said it. It’s quite scientific.

It has everything to do with having meaningful goals, the tools
to advance them and the determination to see them through.

So don’t jump on the ‘most depressing day of the year’ bandwagon, ok?

Instead, follow the link below and watch today’s free video by my friend, Author Noah St John. There is a great exercise that will get you moving in the right direction.

http://www.goalguru.com/recommends/noah

And if you are already having a great day, it just got even better

After you watch the video, be sure to post a comment and tell us what you think.

http://www.goalguru.com/recommends/noah

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

Legend has it he was homesick while separated from his wife and
children, and at that time, wrote some parts of a song and then
stored away the incomplete, half written work in a “song trunk.”

After two years had passed, he dusted off the half written song
and put the finishing touches on it.

He called it the best song he had ever written.

It was a simple song.

54 words.

67 notes.

The songwriter was Irving Berlin.

The song was White Christmas.

It became the most sold song in the world.

To this day, it is an enduring symbol of Christmas, the spirit
of the Holiday season and evokes warm, loving memories for 

millions of people.

It has been recorded countless times by countless artists and
featured in countless movies.

Irving Berlin could neither read or write musical notation but
still managed to compose over 1000 other songs, which are
considered the foundation of our American songbook.

Think about it. What an unlikely scenario.

The biggest selling song in history, the definitive Christmas
song, written by a Russian Jewish immigrant who had no exposure
to the Christmas holiday as a child.

The biggest selling song in history written by someone who
couldn’t read or write musical notation.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you you can’t do something.

What unfinished “song,” idea or project do you have stored away
somewhere, perhaps in a drawer, in a box or even in your own

What dream lives in your heart that you long to share with the
world?

What gifts have you been blessed with that you’re not giving
yet?

Perhaps the time wasn’t right, or you were not quite ready to
step into your own greatness yet.

Perhaps now is the time.

Perhaps 2011 is the year you are meant to bring it to life.

Now is your time.

As we head into 2011, you are given the chance to begin anew…

You.

Any dream.

A New Year brings New Life…

Happy Holidays!

Jill Koenig

Copyright 2010 Jill Koenig

Jill Koenig, the “Goal Guru’ is America’s Top Goals Coach.
Her passion in life is helping you Achieve your Goals and
Unleash your untapped potential. Learn Cutting Edge Goal
Strategies at http://www.GoalGuru.com

Join the discussion on the Official Goal Guru Facebook page:
http://www.goalguru.com/recommends/facebook

Follow me on Twitter:
http://www.goalguru.com/recommends/twitter

I have been a student of success for as long as I can remember.
For decades I have asked the question, “What makes one person
succeed and another person struggle?” Even in my childhood I was
a virtual sponge. I noticed the words, behaviors, and patterns of
the people around me and the results they manifested.

I have committed to a lifelong study of success, to learn what
works and what doesn’t work so that I might duplicate positive
thoughts and habits in my own life and share those lessons and
observations with others. It pays to study success. It also pays
to study failure (your own and other’s) to avoid unnecessary
mistakes and the pain they bring. Mistakes and missteps are
inevitable, and failure often provide as much benefit as success
as long as you are paying attention.

Most high achievers I have studied took 100% responsibility for
their life and made a concerted effort to learn the art of goal
setting. Most goal achievers invest their own time, energy and
financial resources. Many have joined clubs, communities,
organizations and hired a coach or mentor to further instill the
mastery of this crucial life skill.

There are literally hundreds of ways goal setting benefits your
life. I have identified the top ten to serve as a reminder the
many ways you can gain more control over your life and why it is
crucial that you do whatever it takes to learn and master the art
of goal setting.

The 10 Biggest Benefits of Goal Setting

1. Greater Peace of Mind. There is nothing in the world like
going to bed at night knowing you are investing the days of your
life in the areas of your chosen endeavor. Nothing brings you
greater peace of mind than having the certainty that you are
consciously creating your destiny, living a life of your own
design. Goal getters realize that you create your life goal by
goal. If you want a better life, set better goals.

2. Clarity of Purpose. Having carefully chosen goals gives your
life greater meaning. Show me a person who doesn’t know their
passion or purpose in life and I will show you a person who
either has no goals or pursues goals with no personal challenge
or meaning. People who actively and systematically pursue
meaningful goals feel a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment
in life. What you are doing right now is either taking you way
from or towards your dreams. Goals help us navigate throughout
our journey. Our goals are a reflection of who we are.

3. Greater Productivity and Focus. People with goals direct
their day, instead of their day directing them. People with goals
know their desired outcome and are less likely to waste time on
unimportant matters. When you know your outcome, you avoid
distraction. You understand the people and pursuits that feed
your desires and those that do not. You know where to invest your
time and energy. You also learn where NOT to spend your time.

4. Greater Personal Growth. Each time you pursue a new goal
outside your comfort zone, you contribute to your own personal
growth and advancement. Pursuing goals causes you to stretch and
learn about yourself and the world around you. What was once
difficult often becomes easier and you long to conquer new
heights. Nothing in the world will give you a zest for life like
consistent growth.

5. Higher Quality of Life. Quite simply, people who have goals
get more out of life. The more life you give to your goals, the
more your goals give life to you. Having goals means you value
your time and make the most of it. When you know what you want
and have a plan to get there, the journey is a lot more fun than
having no goals and no plans. Having goals makes life easier.
People who set goals are happier and more fulfilled. When you are
happy and fulfilled you take loving care of yourself and have
more of yourself to give to the people you love. Happy, fulfilled
people attract other happy and fulfilled people.

6. You Attract a Higher Quality Peer Group. People who have
goals and are moving towards them are energized and full of life.
When you have goals for your life, you attract other people who
have goals of their own. And we are well aware of the power of
association. You become like the people you hang around.

7. Increased Confidence and Self Esteem. Each time you make a
commitment to a goal and invest the very best of yourself towards
it’s attainment, you gain more confidence and self esteem,
regardless of whether or not you achieve the goal. Your
subconscious mind knows that you gave your all and that
strengthens your confidence muscle. Progressive action always
leads to growth and greater fulfillment. People that do not set
goals never venture outside of their comfort zone. Deep down they
know they are not realizing their potential and feel bad about
themselves. People with goals are fully alive and dare to take
risks that elevate their place in life. Whether they win or lose,
they learn and grow.

8. Contribution to Others. Whether or not you know it, someone
looks up to you. If you have children of your own, they are like
little sponges, absorbing the words you speak and the actions you
take. Your behaviors serve as model to the people around you.
Maybe it’s your sibling, a coworker or even a kid down the
street, someone looks up to you. Every time you set a goal and
act on it, you serve as a shining example of a person who is
moving towards realizing your full potential in life. Whenever
you pursue a goal, you inspire others to do the same.

9. Goals Help You Become a Better Person.  Don’t set goals for
what you can get. Set goals for what they will make of you. Set
goals for who you become along the way. People who set goals and
follow through, develop the skill of overcoming obstacles. People
who follow through on their goals and commitments develop an
inner strength and unshakable character. People who do NOT set
goals never discover how great they can become. They never awaken
their dormant gifts and talents. Whenever you set and commit to a
goal and follow through on your commitment, you strengthen your
character and personal integrity.

And finally what is perhaps the biggest benefit of setting and
pursuing goals…

10. For the benefit each individual goal will bring to your
life. As you begin to master the art of goal setting, every goal
you set brings it’s own unique positive result or benefit to your
life. When I work with private coaching clients, before they set
a goal, I ask them to determine 10 deeply compelling, personal
reasons why they must achieve the goal they are considering
setting. When you do this, you give yourself all the clarity and
motivation you need to fuel you beyond obstacles, all the way
through to the goal’s completion. If you cannot identify the
benefits in advance, you probably would not bother setting the
goal the first place. You can visualize your outcome by reveling
in the results before they occur.

So if you have not given yourself the gift of learning the art
of goal setting, perhaps it’s time.

If not now, when?

Once you master the art of setting and achieving a goal, you can
have anything you want in life… anything.

I invite you to join the only global community designed with the
purpose of helping you design your life, one goal at a time. If
you do not like the results you are currently getting, you can
change that. From the comfort of your home or office, you can
join people from around the world who are creating a better
life.

Click here to learn how to master the setting and achieving of
your goals  http://www.GoalU.com

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

Dear Jill is a new series we have created to answer the questions that come in to our inbox and in working with clients so that you can benefit from the lessons others experience en route to their goals.

Bring us your biggest questions or most pressing issues by either commenting below or emailing us through our contact form on the top of this site. Allow the questions of others to serve you and allow your questions to serve others. It takes all of us to make each of us.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill

(raw footage from my climb of Eagle Tower)

I recently spent some time in Door County, Wisconsin on a relaxing little weekend getaway.

Have you ever felt stuck or lacked motivation on any given day?

Have you ever found yourself making a commitment and when the time came to follow through and do what you said you were going to do, you failed to follow through just because you didn’t feel like it?

One of the primary distinctions I have discovered between people who habitually achieve their goals and create the results they desire is that successful people follow through whether they feel like it or not.

Successful people follow through whether they feel like it or not.

Imagine scheduling your wedding and the minister failed to show up to your ceremony because he/she didn’t feel like it.

Imagine your kids not doing their homework because they didn’t have the motivation, they don’t feel like doing it.

It sounds preposterous that we can be so moody and fickle when it comes to our goals in life, but for many individuals, this is how they habitually operate.

The key to following though and getting things done is to have a plan and follow through on it long after the mood has left you. That is true commitment.

So it’s a gloomy day, you have a goal to exercise but you don’t feel like it. Do it anyways.

Whenever you set a goal, write it down, set a deadline and make a list of 10 compelling reasons why you MUST achieve this goal.

You need to determine your motivation up front when you first set the goal.

Every time you follow through whether you feel like it at the moment or not, you build your self confidence, commitment and resilience muscles. You condition yourself to becoming a goal achiever, instead of a goal setter.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

Can You Create a New Habit in 21 Days?

“Fake it ’til you make it.” We’ve all heard the cliche for approaching something that seems out of reach. There may be some method to the madness of that approach.

But have you ever given much thought to what it takes to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be when it comes to eliminating old habits and forming new ones?

Success is habitual.

We have all witnessed those who seemingly achieve amazing feats over and over. Think of Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan. What allows one person to be an automatic peak performer every day without fail while others experience failure after failure? Most likely, the achievers have created and practiced success systems, habits and rituals that serve rather than detract from their goals.

If everything affects everything, which is, of course, true, then it pays to take a holistic look at the current habits and patterns in ALL areas of your life, at work, at home and at play.

You cannot change what you don’t acknowledge so it pays to get real and be brutally honest with yourself so you can finally align your habits with your dreams.

How to Create New and Empowering Habits

1. Identify your current habits, the good, the bad and the ugly. You have probably practiced many of the same habits throughout your life without realizing it. Keep a pen and paper handy throughout the day to capture habits as you become aware of them. From the moment you wake up to the moment your eyes close at night, most of your thoughts, words and actions are habitual. Write them down on paper. If you get stuck, ask others around you what habits they notice in you. This might take a few days.

2. Once you have identified your dominant habits, identify the source of those habits. Most of your habits were programmed into you at a very early age without you even realizing it. Many of your habits come from observing your dominant parent or caregiver. If you are habitually late, perhaps this trait was modeled for you by someone you admire. Not always but often enough. From the brand of car you drive to the brands of food you purchase, many of these habits were modeled for you and you practice them subconsciously.

Here are some common negative habits:
reading the newspaper first thing in the morning
vegging out, watching tv all evening
going to bed too late
hitting the snooze button every morning
cleaning obsessively
exercising excessively or not exercising at all
eating fast food frequently
saving money or not saving money
excessive credit card debt
choosing toxic relationships
not reading self-improvement books
not setting goals
procrastination
having many started projects and none finished
impulsiveness
dishonesty
infidelity
hoarding
negative self talk
criticism of others
complaining
depression
worry
blame
smoking
overeating
sugar addiction
skipping breakfast
workaholic
alcoholic
overcommitting to things because you can’t say no
etc.

Often you can look at your parents, examine their habits and see them in yourself. <gasp> I know I do on both the positive side and the negative side. They’re there alright. This exercise is not to judge others or yourself. It is simply to identify. This is especially important if you have children because your current habits are likely to be modeled by those who look up to you. What habits and traits do you want to instill in them?

3. Next to each habit you identified, decide which of these habits are empowering and which habits are disempowering. An empowering habit serves your greater good. It usually serves the greater good of the people around you too, those whom you love and care about. A disempowering habit does not serve your greater good, in fact, it likely detracts from your life.  Disempowering habits are roadblocks to your dreams.

Next to each empowering habit, draw a smiley face :)  Next to each disempowering habit, draw a frown :(   There is no neutral.
4.  The best way to eliminate an old disempowering habit is to replace it with a new more empowering one.  Next to each disempowering habit, write down a description of the opposite habit you want to replace it with. 

For example, if you come home after a long day’s work and turn on the television vegging out mindlessly for hours while your belly magically grows, perhaps an evening walk with your mate is what’s called for. Perhaps instead of reading the newspaper each morning and being bombarded with negative news and advertisements, perhaps you will opt to replace it with reading a chapter of a personal development book or listening to an audio while you prepare for the day. Instead of surfing the net, perhaps you want to write a few pages of that book you’ve been putting off. If you’ve been hoarding to the point you barely have a path to walk through, perhaps some purging and organizing is in order. If you habitually criticize your mate, perhaps you can create a new habit of focusing on what’s great about them. If you were a habitual procrastinator, you could become a habitual action taker.

5. Prioritize which habits you want to tackle first based on their importance to your life. Write #1 next to the #1 most important habit you want to focus on, #2 for the next most important habit and so on. To begin, focus your time and attention only on the habit you have determined is most important that will have the greatest positive effect on your life. I’m not going to tell you to turn your entire life upside down overnight by tackling them all at once. Some can do this successfully because they seek a complete life makeover. Others who are easily overwhelmed and lack confidence will sabotage themselves and fare much better by focusing on one habit at a time.

6. Imagine a role model or someone you admire. What habits and rituals do they consistently practice to achieve the results they do? Now here’s the bigger question: What beliefs underlie those habits? Model the habits of those whom you admire. Model the habits hight achievers. Focus on the beliefs underneath that support those empowering habits. Fake it ’til you make it is ok to begin but it only gets you so far. Many copy the action steps in an effort to duplicate a formula, and complain when things don’t work out. They only went through the motions. The real magic happens when you in embrace the underlying Principles, beliefs and mindset that produced the success.

Sometimes creating a new habit can lead to a new belief.
Sometimes creating a new belief can lead to a new habit.

Ultimately, they must be congruent to move you in the direction of your Goal.

7. Celebrate your existing empowering habits and the new habits you seek to create. Imagine the positive effect on your life and the people you love. Revel in the ways you will impact the people around you for the better. Imagine your life in one month, 6 months, 1 year, 5-10 years from now. What will your life be like because you adopted these new and empowering habits and beliefs. Pretty remarkable I would think.
                                                                                                                            
When your current thoughts and habits are congruent with your Goals and dreams, you will begin to move towards them more quickly and with seemingly less effort.

You know you have successfully created a new habit when the practice of it is automatic and effortless.

How long does it take to break an old habit or form a new habit? It varies. Most experts assert you it takes 21 days. I believe it could take an hour, a week, months or years. The greater your desire and commitment, the faster the change will occur. Practicing the new desired habit consecutively (every single day without fail) increases the speed in which you will see results.

When the identity shift occurs inside you, you are well on your way. When you no longer think of yourself as a smoker, but a non smoker. When you no longer view yourself as overweight, but rather a healthy vibrant person who lives a healthy lifestyle. When you no longer think of yourself as a complainer, rather an person who finds the good in every person and situtation-automatically. That is when you will have successfully created the new empowering habit.

After you have accomplished successfully creating your #1 top priority habit, move on to # 2, then #3 and son on.

When your identity is congruent with the beliefs, thoughts and actions necessary to carry out your Goal, you have become the person necessary to achieve your Goal.

Resolve to do whatever it takes to improve the quality of your life.
Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

http://www.GoalGuru.com

Jill Koenig, The Goal Guru, is America’s Top Goal Strategist. A self-made millionaire by age 30, she has dedicated her life to teaching the principles of Goal Setting, Productivity and Self Improvement to individuals, entrepreneurs as well as Fortune 500 companies. She is a highly sought after Author, Peak Performance Coach and Motivational Speaker. To learn how to achieve your Goals at TURBO speed, visit: http://www.GoalGuru.com