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	<title>GoalBlog.com &#187; Goal Setting</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.goalguru.com/blog/category/goal-setting/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog</link>
	<description>Goal Guru, Goal Blog, Goal Tips, Goal Setting, Goal Achieving, Time Management and Life Balance for Superachievers</description>
	<pubDate>Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:16:13 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>How NOT to Set a Goal</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-not-to-set-a-goal/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-not-to-set-a-goal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:58:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[commitment]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[peak performance]]></category>

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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=301</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[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&#8217;t do it.
and&#8230;
2. Learn what successful people do and then [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-307" title="image_pen_and_paper" src="http://www.goalguru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/image_pen_and_paper-300x200.jpg" alt="image_pen_and_paper" width="300" height="200" /></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>1. Learn what unsuccessful people do and then don&#8217;t do it.</em></strong></p>
<p>and&#8230;</p>
<p><em><strong>2. Learn what successful people do and then do it.</strong></em></p>
<p>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&#8217;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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Have you ever worked hard on a goal that didn&#8217;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.</p>
<p>A flawed or incomplete approach will bring about flawed or incomplete results.</p>
<p>If you see yourself in any of these bad habits, don&#8217;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.</p>
<p><strong>How NOT To Set a Goal: 10 Mistakes that Guarantee Failure</strong></p>
<p><strong>1. Be vague.</strong> Pick a goal, any goal. Don&#8217;t give it much thought, don&#8217;t think about it in much detail and only use generalities to describe it. Don&#8217;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&#8217;t spend any time to develop a crystal clear vision for what you want. Just pick anything and get to work.</p>
<p><strong>2. Embark upon a goal that someone else chose for you.</strong> Go after things that you don&#8217;t truly want because you&#8217;re trying to make someone else happy, or because you think it will get or keep their love.</p>
<p><strong>3. Keep everything in your head.</strong> That&#8217;s right. Trust your memory. Don&#8217;t commit anything to paper or<span id="more-301"></span> 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&#8217;re working towards and why you started it in the first place.</p>
<p><strong>4. Don&#8217;t create a plan.</strong> Don&#8217;t worry about creating a timeline or mapping out the structure of carrying out what needs to be done.</p>
<p><strong>5. Don&#8217;t set priorities.</strong> Only do the things you feel like doing when you feel like doing them.</p>
<p><strong>6. Don&#8217;t carve out time in your daily life for working on the goal.</strong> Your life is plenty busy already, right? I guess you&#8217;ll just squeeze in your action plan around your already full life and if there&#8217;s time left over after all of those other things are done, you&#8217;ll get to your goal eventually.</p>
<p><strong>7. Blame others for not achieving your goal or when something is not working.</strong> Yep. It&#8217;s not your fault that your goal is not achieved. It&#8217;s that other person. In the end if you don&#8217;t acknowledge and take 100% responsibility for the results, your goal will never be achieved and you&#8217;ll always have an excuse for why that is.</p>
<p><strong>8. Try to do it all yourself.</strong> You know the saying, &#8220;If you want something done right, do it yourself.&#8221; After all, you&#8217;re a<br />
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&#8217;ll probably get very frustrated in the process. When you are frustrated enough, you will inevitably resort to the next two&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>9. Worry.</strong> 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&#8217;re afraid of? Instead spend that valuable time worrying about what you don&#8217;t want until it drains your energy and you have nothing left.</p>
<p><strong>10. Give up.</strong> Because you failed to take measures that ensure your goal is achieved, you got tired, frustrated and just gave up. Goal setting doesn&#8217;t work anyway.</p>
<p>Ooooh, that was painful to write. I know how painful it is to experience. I&#8217;ve been there.</p>
<p>Can you see yourself in any of those scenarios?</p>
<p>Have you ever sabotaged your goals?</p>
<p>The good news is that it&#8217;s preventable.</p>
<p>Practicing any one of those &#8220;NOT to do&#8217;s&#8221; 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.</p>
<p>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&#8217;s amazing how much more quickly I can achieve my goals and how much more fun the process is.</p>
<p><em><strong>&#8220;A goal properly set is halfway reached.&#8221; -Abraham Lincoln</strong></em></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><a href="http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop" target="_blank">http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop</a>/</p>
<p>I look forward to helping you achieve your goals.</p>
<p>Live Your Dreams,</p>
<p>Jill Koenig</p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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 <img src='http://www.goalguru.com/blog/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop/" target="_blank">http://goalguru.com/virtualgoalsettingworkshop/</a></span></span></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Goal Setting: Should I Share My Goals With Others?</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-should-i-share-my-goals-with-others/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-should-i-share-my-goals-with-others/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:46:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[goal achieving]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[habits]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[motivation]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[success]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=292</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the most common questions I get on the subject of Goal Setting is whether or not you should share your goal with others. The short answer is... it depends. I think the better questions is actually, "With whom should I share my Goals?" There are clearly times when it is in your best interest to tell people and more specifically, there are times when you should share your goals with...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_295" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-full wp-image-295" title="graphic_goal_setting_teamwork1" src="http://www.goalguru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/graphic_goal_setting_teamwork1.jpg" alt="graphic_goal_setting_teamwork1" width="300" height="225" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Sharing your goals provides valuable feedback</p></div>
<p>One of the most common questions I get on the subject of Goal Setting is whether or not you should share your goal with others.</p>
<p>The short answer is&#8230; it depends.</p>
<p>I think the better questions is actually, &#8220;With whom should I share my Goals?&#8221;</p>
<p>There are clearly times when it is in your best interest to tell  people  and more specifically, there are times when you should share  your goals  with certain people.</p>
<p>For most of us, our goals and dreams are our most personal and sacred  &#8216;possessions.&#8217; However not everyone will treat them as such. Factor in  that we all have different sensitivity levels when it comes to how we  will be impacted if and when we receive negative feedback, criticism or  even worse, the inevitable reaction from a harsh and heavy dream  crusher.</p>
<p>Do I share every goal I set with anyone and everyone? Nope. But I do  have some guidelines and recommendations for you to help you determine  the appropriate people to share your goals with.</p>
<p>If you share your goals with no one, then you deprive yourself of the   often valuable input and help that other people can offer.</p>
<p><strong>Ten People With Whom You Should Consider Sharing Your Goals:</strong></p>
<p><strong>1. People who have goals of their own</strong> and more importantly, people who are <em>actively engaged in</em> advancing goals of their own. A person with no goals is probably not  going to be able to relate to yours or offer much in the way of positive  feedback and encouragement. They may lack the skills and ability to  give your goals the value they deserve.</p>
<p><strong>2. People who are <span id="more-292"></span>engaged in the same area of your goal</strong>.  This person is  someone who may have something constructive to offer in  the way of experience and feedback regarding your goal. Share your goal  only if you  respect their opinion on the particular area of your goal.  For example,  if you are an entrepreneur, a person who works in a 9-5  corporate  environment might not be able to relate to your vision. But  someone who  works in a similar endeavor, probably has something to  offer.</p>
<p><strong>3. Connectors</strong>. These are people who are natural  connectors of people.  They live to help people bridge the gaps between  you and someone who has  the means and ability to assist you. They have a  large network and  enjoy introducing people they think should know each  other. They don&#8217;t  need to have a particular affinity in the area of  your goal, but they  may be able to make an introduction to someone who  does.</p>
<p><strong>4. Your Goal Buddy</strong>. A goal buddy is someone who will  act as your  accountability partner as you work towards your goal. You  will tell them  specific actions you are committed to taking and when,  and you follow up  with them at regular scheduled intervals to report  your progress. Their  role is to help you do what you said you were  going to do.</p>
<p><strong>5. Your Goals Coach</strong>. If you tell no one else,  your Coach should be the  person who knows everything about you and  your goal. They can help you avoid common roadblocks and can help you  achieve it much faster than if  you went about it all by your lonesome.  Your Coach will be able to spot patterns and limiting beliefs that may  be holding you back that would  take years to uncover by yourself. A  Coach will keep you focused and on  track.</p>
<p><strong>6. The Listener</strong>.  This is a safe person who may not have much to say  about your goal one  way or another, but they are a neutral sounding  board with whom you  can practice talking about your goal. Sometimes all  they do is ask  questions without judging your goal one way or another  and this can be  extremely helpful at helping you flush out your ideas  and plans.</p>
<p><strong>7. Your spouse/partner/significant other</strong>.  I&#8217;m going to preface this by  saying that this is the most sensitive  area for most people. For some,  your spouse is your greatest critic (I  hope not), and for others, your  spouse is your greatest encourager. If  you are sensitive to the feedback  you may get, I recommend sharing your  goal but keeping it short and  sweet and ask for what you need when you  share the goal, &#8220;Honey it&#8217;s  really important for me to share with you  one of my deepest desires and  I&#8217;m a little sensitive about it so please  be gentle after I tell you. I  just want you to listen because this  goal is so important to me.&#8221; Ask  for the specific kind of support you  need, whether that&#8217;s extra time  alone to work on it, feedback,  encouragement and so on. If your  significant other does not support  your goals, and if that nurturing  environment is lacking, I recommend  you make it a top priority to take a  closer look into that issue and  resolve it as soon as possible. You  must create a safe and loving  environment between you and your partner, even when you disagree.</p>
<p><strong>8. The Critic</strong>.  We all know someone who looks at everything with a  critical eye. If  there is someone like this in your life, you know who  this person is.  The cup is always half empty and they are often  pessimistic. They are  the one who can find something wrong with  everything and they freely  tell you what it is, whether you ask or not.  You may be asking, &#8220;Why on  Earth would I want to tell someone whom I  know will most certainly  pick my goal apart?&#8221; That&#8217;s exactly why you may  want to share your goal  with that person. They will expose anything  that even slightly  resembles a flaw or weakness. This not for the faint  at heart and if  you know you are extremely sensitive about your goal,  you may want to  avoid telling the critic. If you can work with the  feedback and not get  tripped up by it or not take it personally, give it  a whirl.</p>
<p><strong>9. The Encourager</strong>.  The encourager is someone who thinks everything is a  miracle,  including you. They are an endless stream of wind beneath your  wings.  Even though they may have concerns, they address them with   compassionate encouragement, kindness and tenderness. They lift you with   every word they speak and make you feel great about yourself, even  when  you make mistakes in life. They want your goal for you as much as  you  do. For me, this source of constant light was my mom. She often did  not  understand my ambitions, but by golly, she was my greatest  supporter and  cheerleader and she made me feel like I could do anything  (thanks Mom).</p>
<p><strong>10. Your Social Media Circle</strong>: Last year on my <a title="goal setting" href="http://www.facebook.com/goalsetting" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>,  I publicly  declared a goal of my own, that I would jog 365 miles in  365 days. Each  time I completed a run, it posted to my Facebook page  and with that,  received a lot of encouragement, strengthened  connections with people  with an interest in health and fitness (which  is always good) and this  year we have a number of people joining us in  the challenge. I have seen  people go on a specific diet and post  pictures of each meal they eat as  a means of public accountability.  They know their friends will ask them  if they veer off track and for  many people this is a powerful form of  motivation. Others post their  weight and measurements.</p>
<p>When thinking about sharing your goals  with someone, ask yourself, &#8220;Does it serve me to share my goal? Does it  serve my goal to share it with this person?&#8221;</p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: arial; color: black; font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Finally,  whenever someone tells you their goals, be the person who treats the  person and their goal with great compassion, care and respect.  Regardless of whether or not it is a goal that you like or would ever  pursue for yourself, even if you think the goal is impossible, remember  it is that person&#8217;s goal and they thought enough of you and entrusted  you with it enough to share it.</p>
<p><em><strong>&#8220;You can criticize or encourage. One kills, the other gives life.&#8221; Jill Koenig</strong></em></p>
<p>Which type of feedback do you think is most empowering?</p>
<p>Your  support and encouragement might mean the world to them. Your input  might be the difference between whether or not they pursue the goal and  achieve it. Especially when it comes to your children, your spouse and  your loved ones, be the wind beneath their wings, not the dream crusher  who blasts it to pieces. If they pursue it and fail to achieve it, they  will certainly learn some valuable lessons that they can apply to future  endeavors. That is priceless and much more valuable than if they never  attempted it at all.</p>
<p>Never impose your own fears, limiting beliefs  or limitations on someone else. And if you&#8217;re the one on the receiving  end, do not allow other people&#8217;s limitations to become your own.</p>
<p>If  you have nothing else to offer, you can always offer kindness and  encouragement. It costs nothing to give and it&#8217;s one of the most  compassionate, loving, long lasting gifts you can give to another.</p>
<p>Live Your Dreams,</p>
<p>Jill Koenig</p>
<p>Share your thoughts below: Do you share your goals with others?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>A Bird&#8217;s Eye View: Goal Setting Lessons from Mother Nature</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/a-birds-eye-view-goal-setting-lessons-from-mother-nature/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/a-birds-eye-view-goal-setting-lessons-from-mother-nature/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:38:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=247</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was working at home today and looked out the window and saw a huge hawk sitting on my deck.  I watched him for a few minutes and it occurred to me I was witnessing a very important life lesson.

Usually when I see hawks they are either high up in the sky or sitting high [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I was working at home today and looked out the window and saw a huge hawk sitting on my deck.  I watched him for a few minutes and it occurred to me I was witnessing a very important life lesson.</p>
<p><object width="480" height="289" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/PEacI3F6CZM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PEacI3F6CZM?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
<p>Usually when I see hawks they are either high up in the sky or sitting high upon a tree branch where they can see the land below which is where their food source is. Today is a record day of high winds in Chicago and the hawk sought refuge on my deck where my house shelters him from the wind gusts.</p>
<p>I thought about the habits of this hawk. Sometimes he is flying and sometimes he is sitting on a perch but he always has a clear perspective on his goals (his food). He is never walking around wandering on the ground looking for food. He might become food for something else! He knows how to position himself to see what he needs to see. Even in high winds, he can spread his wings to float, almost still while the winds around him blow by. He has this big picture perspective of his menu and when he sees what he wants and decides to go for it, he swoops down and usually gets it.</p>
<p>In today&#8217;s busy pace of life, with all of the responsibilities we juggle, we must remember to take the time to stop and look at the big picture of our life and our goals. When we do this, we can often see a better perspective than when we are engaged in the day to day activities. And just like the hawk, when you decide upon a goal, focus all of your energy and attention into getting it and give it your all.</p>
<p>Live Your Dreams,</p>
<p>Jill</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Banish Self Sabotage and Breakthrough the Terror Barrier</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/banish-self-sabotage-and-breakthrough-the-terror-barrier/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/banish-self-sabotage-and-breakthrough-the-terror-barrier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:05:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>

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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=244</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Have you ever sabotaged yourself just as you were about to achieve a very important goal? This most often manifests istelf via procrastiantion, avoidance, perfectionism, and many other ways. It is a very common phenomenon. Here's how to recognize it when it's happening and breakthrough to achieve your goal]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span class="UIStory_Message">Have you ever sabotaged yourself just as you were about to achieve a very important goal? This most often manifests istelf via procrastiantion, avoidance, perfectionism, and many other ways. It is a very common phenomenon. Here&#8217;s how to recognize it when it&#8217;s happening and breakthrough to achieve your goal </span></p>
<p><span class="UIStory_Message"><br />
</span><object width="480" height="385" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/qZZv6qmnMrs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qZZv6qmnMrs?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Goal Setting: How to Unleash Your Reticular Activating System</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-how-to-unleash-your-reticular-activating-system/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-how-to-unleash-your-reticular-activating-system/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:21:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[New Years Resolutions]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[discipline]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[focus]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[ras]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[reticular activating system]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=238</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Your Reticular Activating System acts as a heat seeking missile which allows your subconscious mind to work on your goal whether you realize it or not.
Write your Goals on paper bridges the gap between your imagination and the real world. As you create and advance your plan it takes your ideas from the intangible to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="425" height="344" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/MQWXwYHGCnc&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MQWXwYHGCnc&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
<p>Your Reticular Activating System acts as a heat seeking missile which allows your subconscious mind to work on your goal whether you realize it or not.</p>
<p>Write your Goals on paper bridges the gap between your imagination and the real world. As you create and advance your plan it takes your ideas from the intangible to the tangible.</p>
<p>We train in creating plans for achieving your Goals inside <a title="Goal Setting University" href="http://www.goalguru.com/university/home.html">Goal University</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Goal Setting: Tapping into Your Burning Desire</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-tapping-into-your-burning-desire/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-tapping-into-your-burning-desire/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:23:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[commitment]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[persistence]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=234</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="425" height="344" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/MdxEGQCXUK4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MdxEGQCXUK4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
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		<item>
		<title>How to Reach the Next Level&#8230;Give Me One More</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-to-reach-the-next-levelgive-me-one-more/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-to-reach-the-next-levelgive-me-one-more/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:57:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[Goal University]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[conditioning]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[how to]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[personal development]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[self growth]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=228</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="480" height="295" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/vsiCws0olWI&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vsiCws0olWI&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Goal Setting: Ten Lessons I Learned While Climbing to the Top</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-ten-lessons-i-learned-while-climbing-to-the-top/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-ten-lessons-i-learned-while-climbing-to-the-top/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:52:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[commitment]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[conditioning]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[achievement]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[breakthrough goal]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[climb]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[door county]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[eagle tower]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[fear]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[focus]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[overcoming fear]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[peninsula state park]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[persistence]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[stretch]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[the top]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[wisconsin]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=220</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The only way to grow your courage muscle is to use it. The only way to overcome a fear is to face it. Sometimes when you are afraid to do something that you know you are capable of, it means you MUST do it. I could spend my entire life avoiding things that scare me but then I would never grow. I would miss out on so many delicious experiences. When muscles and skills are not used, they atrophy, the fade, they shrink. You increase and grow your capacity whenever you pursue your potential.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><object width="480" height="295" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCFOfmJvRwQ&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vCFOfmJvRwQ&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object></p>
<p>(raw footage from my climb of Eagle Tower)</p>
<p>I recently spent some time in Door County, Wisconsin on a relaxing little weekend getaway.</p>
<div></div>
<div>On my last day there, I set out with a girlfriend to explore Peninsula State Park, a beautiful nature preserve located on a bluff high above the waters of Green Bay.</div>
<div></div>
<div>As we went through the park, we stumbled upon Eagle Tower. Eagle Tower is a 75 foot wooden tower built in 1914 that sits on a cliff above Green Bay, exactly 250 feet above the water.</div>
<div></div>
<div>For whatever reason, I was attracted to the tower. I quickly assessed it and decided to climb it. I figured if it&#8217;s been here since 1914 and it&#8217;s open to the public, it must be relatively safe, right? So I grabbed my video camera and began my ascent.</div>
<div>
<div></div>
<div>Upon first glance it seems like it would be a breeze to climb to the top, that is, until you get started, then you realize the tower is one big wobbly staircase.</div>
</div>
<div></div>
<div>Now I&#8217;m from the city so this is not the first staircase I have conquered. My home is three levels and I climb those stairs every single day. The art school I attended was 14 stories high and I loved using the stairs. It is however quite daunting when you realize that the individual stairs of Eagle Tower go straight up and have no backing, no walls. So this means you get to feel the wind in your face, you cannot avoid seeing the height you are climbing to while the landmarks below you shrink with each step you take.</div>
<div></div>
<div>I was so happy to be climbing Eagle Tower and was especially excited to be sharing the experience with my dear friend. After all, we are stronger together&#8230; that is until I lost her, and then I had to be strong by myself.</div>
<div>Can you relate?  My friend turned back after about 20 feet up. She didn&#8217;t just turn back, she got a little cranky with me, told me climbing this thing just wasn&#8217;t important to her and just like that, she was gone. She was back on the ground. Little did I know that climbing this pile of wood would become a deeply moving spiritual experience that I could draw from for the rest of my life&#8230;</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>The Ten Lessons I Learned While Climbing to the Top</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>1. There will be times you will have to go on without your support system</strong>. The people you want to be there with you will not always be there with you. Be willing to go forward anyway.</div>
<p><span id="more-220"></span></p>
<div>It occurred to me at that moment that I had a choice. I could turn back to keep my friend company or I could just keep going.  Since she was already cranky, I might risk her being angry with me for going without her. Or I could just go forward and do what I said I was going to do. I would have truly preferred to climb it with her and share the experience, but I decided to continue climbing even if it meant I was solo. After all, the tower wasn&#8217;t going anywhere and I could tell her all about it when I came down and perhaps she would want to climb it later after watching me do it. Quite an optimistic thought.</div>
<div></div>
<div>But that didn&#8217;t happen. She totally disengaged from me and the experience. She went to the car and made some phone calls. What&#8217;s important to note is that no matter how much I truly believe she would have benefited from this experience, my journey is not her journey. Each person chooses their own path and sometimes you have to let them go and then do what you need to do for yourself.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Which taught me this:</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>2. The higher you climb, the scarier it gets and the less company you will have.</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div>Sometimes people turn on you and project THEIR fear onto you through anger, disassociation, abandonment and so on. Sometimes they even attack you because you are doing something they want, but are afraid to do. But the reality is, when someone does this, it&#8217;s not about you at all. I wanted her to have this experience.  But the truth is, this climb was not about her or anyone else and I shouldn&#8217;t make it about her. It was about me wanting to feel the fear and do it anyway. <em>I</em> wanted this experience. There were people already at the top and that was comforting to know that I would meet them when I got there.</div>
<div></div>
<div>And so I kept climbing.</div>
<div></div>
<div>The higher I climbed, the stronger and colder the wind was. In fact,when I reached the second level, the wind was so strong, it blew my hat off my head. Oh, and the higher you go, the more the tower sways in the wind. You can hear the wood making creaky sounds and the &#8216;perception&#8217; of danger and intensity becomes greater with each step.</div>
<div></div>
<div>The wind is cold and loud as it howls around you. There is no protection from it as the tower is essentially 4 pillars, a floating staircase and a railing to hold onto as you climb. That&#8217;s it.</div>
<div></div>
<div>So why was I here, why was I climbing this tower?  Why was this so important to me?</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>3. How you do anything is how you do everything.</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div>The very thought of that statement is what kept me from turning back. I wondered if I turned back here, in a controlled situation that would be done and over with in about 4 minutes, what else in life do I avoid, turn back and retreat from? Not that this issue is a pattern in my life, but the mere possibility was enough to make me forge ahead.</div>
<div><em>This experience was symbolic to me, a step in the direction of expanding my personal development and spiritual growth.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>4. Once you make the decision to go, do not sit around talking about how afraid you are.</strong> That only causes the fear to become bigger and you will increase your chances of turning around like my friend did. It&#8217;s okay that she turned back, as she had her reasons for not doing it, but I could not turn back for I had my reasons for following through and I was 100% committed to make it to the top. She saw the tower as a meaningless pile of wood. I saw it as a metaphor for life and conquering fear. Instead of focusing on the fear, I focused on the feeling of accomplishment I would feel with each progressive step and the view I would get to enjoy when I reached the highest point.</div>
<div><strong></strong></div>
<div><strong></strong></div>
<div><strong>&#8220;What you dwell upon long enough and strong enough becomes your reality. &#8221; -Jill Koenig</strong></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>5. The only way to grow your courage muscle is to use it</strong>. Sometimes when you are afraid to do something that you know you are capable of, it means you MUST do it. I could spend my entire life avoiding things that scare me but then I would never grow. I would miss out on so many delicious experiences. When muscles and skills are not used, they atrophy, the fade, they shrink. You increase and grow your capacity whenever you pursue your potential.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>6. The higher you climb, the more temptation there is to turn back</strong>.  The climate is different at the top. There is often more risk, and the conditions are more extreme. Fewer people are willing to take those risks and battle those conditions. This applies to business, love, friendship, intimacy, spirituality and any aspect of life. The greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity, but also the greater the challenge, the more opportunities for your limiting beliefs to sneak up on you and bite you in the rear.</div>
<div><em>You must consistently consciously choose to overcome the perception of your limitations</em>.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>7. When you get to the top, or reach a new level, take time to celebrate and reflect</strong>. Capture the lessons from the experience. Who knew that climbing a wooden tower would have brought so much insight to my life and give me the opportunity to share it with you? And some of you are going to comment back and share your insights with me and that&#8217;s pretty awesome if you ask me.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>8. After you stretch yourself and have done something a few times, it becomes much easier to accomplish more</strong>. In fact, you will find yourself looking for bigger challenges to tackle. Challenging yourself makes you feel alive and accomplished. Even if you don&#8217;t make it to the top, if you stretch yourself, you will be in a better position for the future.</div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>9. The view from the top is spectacular</strong>. There are things you can only experience and see from up high. I climbed the tower three times that day. Each time was easier than the one before. The third time I climbed the tower, I saw a bald eagle flying just above me. Have you ever seen a bald eagle in front of your face free in the wild? Let me assure you, it&#8217;s a treasure to behold. I would have totally missed that remarkable sight if I were standing on the ground.</div>
<div><em>It is worth noting that Eagles do not hang around sitting on the ground. They soar. If you want to see them and be around them, you have to rise to their level.</em></div>
<div></div>
<div><strong>10. Sometimes coming down  just as frightening as going up</strong>. After I celebrated at the top, and took in the spectacular view, it was time to come down and it was just as scary coming down as it was going up and I think the same is true of life. Life is a series of peaks and valleys, summers and winters. There are cycles we must all experience. I don&#8217;t know anyone whose life is a constant ride at the top. But it is still worth the effort to go for it and get back to the top, to seek new heights, if for no other reason than what you will learn and who you will become in the process. The lessons are yours to keep forever.</div>
<div></div>
<div>For my friend this tower was a meaningless pile of wood. For me it was a metaphor for life. What towers or mountains have you climbed lately? What challenges have you embraced, what fears have you conquered? How have you stretched yourself today?</div>
<div></div>
<div>You want to seek new heights in every area of your life. It&#8217;s worth doing whatever it takes to get there.</div>
<div></div>
<div>See you at the top.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Live Your Dreams,</div>
<div>Jill Koenig</div>
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		<title>How to Create New and Empowering Habits in 21 Days: Change that Lasts a Lifetime</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-to-create-new-and-empowering-habits-in-21-days-change-that-lasts-a-lifetime/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/how-to-create-new-and-empowering-habits-in-21-days-change-that-lasts-a-lifetime/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:09:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[habits]]></category>

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		<category><![CDATA[tony robbins]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=212</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[From the moment you wake up to the moment your eyes close at night, most of your thoughts, words and actions are habitual. 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.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_213" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 370px"><img class="size-full wp-image-213 " title="how_to_create_a_new_habit_in_21_days" src="http://www.goalguru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/how_to_create_a_new_habit_in_21_days.jpg" alt="Can You Create a New Habit in 21 Days?" width="360" height="480" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Can You Create a New Habit in 21 Days?</p></div>
<p>&#8220;<em>Fake it &#8217;til you make it.&#8221;</em> We&#8217;ve all heard the cliche for approaching something that seems out of reach. There may be some method to the madness of that approach.</p>
<p>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?</p>
<p>Success is habitual.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>You cannot change what you don&#8217;t acknowledge so it pays to get real and be brutally honest with yourself so you can finally align your habits with your dreams.</p>
<p><strong>How to Create New and Empowering Habits</strong></p>
<p><strong>1. Identify your current habits, the good, the bad and the ugly</strong>. 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<span id="more-212"></span> 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.</p>
<p><strong>2. Once you have identified your dominant habits, identify the source of those habits</strong>. 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.</p>
<p>Here are some common negative habits:<br />
reading the newspaper first thing in the morning<br />
vegging out, watching tv all evening<br />
going to bed too late<br />
hitting the snooze button every morning<br />
cleaning obsessively<br />
exercising excessively or not exercising at all<br />
eating fast food frequently<br />
saving money or not saving money<br />
excessive credit card debt<br />
choosing toxic relationships<br />
not reading self-improvement books<br />
not setting goals<br />
procrastination<br />
having many started projects and none finished<br />
impulsiveness<br />
dishonesty<br />
infidelity<br />
hoarding<br />
negative self talk<br />
criticism of others<br />
complaining<br />
depression<br />
worry<br />
blame<br />
smoking<br />
overeating<br />
sugar addiction<br />
skipping breakfast<br />
workaholic<br />
alcoholic<br />
overcommitting to things because you can&#8217;t say no<br />
etc.</p>
<p>Often you can look at your parents, examine their habits and see them in yourself. &lt;gasp&gt; I know I do on both the positive side and the negative side. They&#8217;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?</p>
<p><strong>3. Next to each habit you identified, decide which of these habits are empowering and which habits are disempowering</strong>. 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.</p>
<p>Next to each empowering habit, draw a smiley face :)  Next to each disempowering habit, draw a frown :(   There is no neutral.<br />
<strong>4.  The best way to eliminate an old disempowering habit is to replace it with a new more empowering one</strong>.  Next to each disempowering habit, write down a description of the opposite habit you want to replace it with. </p>
<p>For example, if you come home after a long day&#8217;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&#8217;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&#8217;ve been putting off. If you&#8217;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&#8217;s great about them. If you were a habitual procrastinator, you could become a habitual action taker.</p>
<p><strong>5. Prioritize which habits you want to tackle first based on their importance to your life</strong>. 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&#8217;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.</p>
<p><strong>6. Imagine a role model or someone you admire</strong>. What habits and rituals do they consistently practice to achieve the results they do? Now here&#8217;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 &#8217;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&#8217;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.</p>
<p><strong>Sometimes creating a new habit can lead to a new belief.<br />
Sometimes creating a new belief can lead to a new habit.</strong></p>
<p>Ultimately, they must be congruent to move you in the direction of your Goal.</p>
<p><strong>7. Celebrate your existing empowering habits and the new habits you seek to create</strong>. 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.<br />
                                                                                                                            <br />
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.</p>
<p><strong>You know you have successfully created a new habit when the practice of it is automatic and effortless.</strong></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>After you have accomplished successfully creating your #1 top priority habit, move on to # 2, then #3 and son on.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Resolve to do whatever it takes to improve the quality of your life.<br />
Live Your Dreams,</p>
<p>Jill Koenig</p>
<p><a href="http://www.GoalGuru.com">http://www.GoalGuru.com</a></p>
<p>Jill Koenig, The Goal Guru, is America&#8217;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: <a href="http://www.GoalGuru.com">http://www.GoalGuru.com</a></p>
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		<title>Goal Setting and The Power of Priorities</title>
		<link>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-and-the-power-of-priorities/</link>
		<comments>http://www.goalguru.com/blog/goal-setting-and-the-power-of-priorities/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:11:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jill</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Accountability]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[General]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goal Setting]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Goals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Time Management]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[a goal a day]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[focus]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[persistence]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[productivity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[smart goals]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[time managment]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[vision]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[getting things done]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.goalguru.com/blog/?p=204</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the most common complaints today is overwhelm. In a world where information overload is a daily occurrence, the solution to overcoming overwhelm lies in knowing which information and which opportunities truly matter. And you cannot know the answer to that until you examine your values and determine your priorities in life.

You need to learn The Priority Principle. The Priority Principle means knowing your values &#038; priorities &#038; arranging your life so that you spend your time, energy and money on what matters. It means you qualify each Goal and action by ranking the order of importance in advance. In a world where your potential is infinite, but your time is limited to 24 hours each day, the only way to navigate intelligently through life is to know what is most important to you and then act accordingly. Only when you have taken the time to examine your values and priorities carefully, can you know which opportunities, people, inputs and actions align with them. 
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_207" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 310px"><img class="size-medium wp-image-207" title="graphic_jill_koenig_female_firefighter2" src="http://www.goalguru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/graphic_jill_koenig_female_firefighter2-300x199.jpg" alt="What Firefighting Taught Me About Goals and Priorities" width="300" height="199" /><p class="wp-caption-text">What Firefighting Taught Me About Goals and Priorities</p></div>
<p>This is probably one of the most important subjects I could ever share with you as it relates to your Goals and how they<br />
contribute to improving the quality of your life.</p>
<p>As we have discussed before, most people don&#8217;t have clearly defined Goals. It is estimated that only 3% of the population<br />
have any Goals at all, and certainly of that 3% even fewer have Goals in relation to a total holistic life design concept with action plans, timelines and priorities for each the different life areas.</p>
<p><strong>One of the most common mistakes that holds people back from achieving their Goals is having have a long list of exciting Goals, but no system for organizing the order of priority for them. </strong></p>
<p>Imagine how many decisions you make throughout any given day. What time will you wake up? What will you do when your open your eyes? Will you hit the snooze button or will you get up and get moving? Will you be excited about the day? What will you do next, will you exercise, read a little, listen to a personal development audio? Will you rewrite and review your Goals Cards? Will you eat breakfast and if you do, what will you have? Will it be rushed, will it be nutritious? You see what I&#8217;m talking about? You have just opened your eyes for only a few minutes and already you have made several decisions that will affect your day and over time, those daily minute to minute decisions become habits that accumulate to create your life, whether you realize it or not.</p>
<p>If a Goal is worth setting, it&#8217;s worth examining it&#8217;s relationship to the values and priorities in your life.</p>
<p>The Goal is the <em>what</em>, the priority and value is the <em>why</em>, and where it fits into your life. When you know the <em>what</em> and the <em>why</em>, the <em>how</em> is easy.</p>
<p>One of the most common complaints today is overwhelm. In a world where information overload is a daily occurrence, the solution to overcoming overwhelm lies in knowing which<span id="more-204"></span><br />
information and which opportunities truly matter. And you cannot know the answer to that until you examine your values and determine your personal life priorities.</p>
<p><strong>The Priority Principle</strong></p>
<p>I would like to introduce you to <strong>The Priority Principle</strong>. The Priority Principle means knowing your values and priorities and arranging your life so that you spend your time, energy and money on what matters. It means you qualify each Goal and action by ranking the order of importance in advance. In a world where your potential is infinite, but your time is limited to 24 hours each day, the only way to navigate intelligently through life is to know what is most important to you and then act accordingly. Only when you have taken the time to examine your values and priorities carefully, can you know which opportunities, people, inputs and actions align with them.</p>
<p>My first major lesson in priorities came was when I was 18 years old on the job working as a Firefigher/Emergency Medical Technician. I was an art student by day and Firefighter by night and on weekends. I know, quite the combination, right?</p>
<p>Most people don&#8217;t think about emergency responders until they need one. If or when you have a situation like a fire, an accident, an illness or some kind of extreme crisis, you dial 911. A trained professional like a police officer, Firefighter, Paramedic or EMT arrives to help and take over the situation. They have the tools and the access to whatever it takes to bring the emergency, big or small, under control.</p>
<p>There are small scale emergencies that are non life-threatening, like broken bones and surface cuts that are relatively simple and easy to process, for example, one patient with one minor injury. And then there are larger scale emergencies like car accidents that can have multiple<br />
victims, with multiple traumatic injuries, as well as enormous disasters with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of victims.</p>
<p>When there are more patients than manpower available to handle every victim immediately, there is a process that has to occur and it has to occur very quickly. That process is called <strong>Triage</strong>. Triage means to sort. Triage as performed in an emergency situation means someone has to quickly assess and sort through all of the victims and prioritize which patients will be treated and in what order. Even with one patient who has multiple injuries, when you can only treat one thing at a time, you have to prioritize which injury to treat first.</p>
<p>When there are multiple patients, a person who has a gaping open would would likely command a higher priority than another person who has all of their faculties who can walk and talk with no signs of urgent distress. I don&#8217;t want to get into all of the different variations of injuries here,<br />
I just want to clarify that some patients will have a greater need for urgency over others. There are guidelines for determining which types of injuries get priority over all others. Emergency responders are trained and practice disaster drills so that when a crisis does occur, they know<br />
what to do. Because no two crisises are identical, this training and practice in advance is often the lifesaver for many.</p>
<p>In times of calm, instructors clearly outlined in advance what the parameters were for the different valuations of urgency and priority of care so that when we were faced with the day to day activities of constant crisis, it would be almost second nature to make the right decision amidst<br />
whatever circumstances arose.</p>
<p>With regards to medical emergencies, seconds mean life and death and decisions are made in milliseconds. Fortunately with your Goals, you don&#8217;t have as much pressure unless you are in crisis and most crisises can be prevented if you take the time to carefully examine your life regularly over time.</p>
<p><strong>I transformed my life when I applied The Priority Principle.</strong></p>
<p>In my 20&#8217;s I went through an interesting phase where I went from poverty to earning enough money to support myself and enjoy some of life&#8217;s luxuries. I didn&#8217;t really know what to do with the money. I had never had any before! But I was learning how to earn it and could breathe a little easier. I bought a new car and 2 motorcycles. I was making more<br />
money than I ever had before but there didn&#8217;t seem to be enough cash to invest in the things I needed in order to grow my business. There is always a next level and I wanted to reach it. I wanted a bigger business, more income, more financial security and a big house.</p>
<p>One day I looked out at my motorcycles and thought, look at the money that is tied up in those bikes. They also served as a distraction as my biker friends were police officers and firefighers and worked all different shifts, so I would get invitations to go riding together at all hours of the day and night. I had not yet fully developed the habit of discipline so there were times I was riding motorcycles when I should have been working on myself and my business.</p>
<p>When I paused and thought about my motorcycles, in the scope of life, I realized that <em><strong>they are toys</strong></em>. I needed to rearrange my priorities. I figured if I valued my financial future more than my toys, then I should sell the motorcycles. After all, I could always buy another one in the future. So I rearranged and re-clarified my values. I needed to start valuing my financial future more than I valued those motorcycles.</p>
<p>So I sold them and invested the money into my business. Things grew so fast I could hardly keep up. Within a few months I moved into a 6,000 square foot house in the White Eagle Country Club in Naperville, IL. The girl who grew up in a 2 bedroom ghetto shack was suddenly living amongst CEOs, NBA stars and some of Chicago&#8217;s social elite. I am not trying to impress you, I just want to illustrate how quickly you can change your life when you become clear about your values and priorities and back it up with your actions. <em>I went on to become a millionaire by ag 30 and never looked back.</em></p>
<p>You have got to invest the time into Triaging your Goals, dreams and life responsibilities. In a major medical emergency, if you don&#8217;t Triage properly, people die unnecessarily. In your day to day life, if you don&#8217;t Triage your Goals and apply the Priority Principle, your dreams die. I want you to <em>Live</em> Your Dreams.</p>
<p>I outline my own quick process of how to determine your values and priorities in simple terms, and great detail in Chapter 3 of <a href="http://www.thetimecommandments.com">http://www.TheTimeCommandments.com</a> where you learn how to become crystal clear on your Goals and priorities in only 2 hours. Whether currently in a crisis or not, it is so important to take the time to look at what matters most to you in life. If you don&#8217;t, you will spend an awful lot of time feeling overwhelmed, putting out fires and responding to crisis after crisis, wasting your energy, instead of achieving your Goals with ease.</p>
<p>The good news is that when it comes to goal setting and life design, you have the luxury of deciding what your priorities are in advance IF you will invest the time and effort into learning the success system for doing it.</p>
<p>You are already deciding which Goals will be achieved and which ones will not whether you realize it or not. But now, by learning a new level of consciousness with regards to your priorities, you can achieve your Goals faster and have a lot more fun in the process.</p>
<p>I once had a Goal of owning a motorcycle. But in the scope of life, at that time, it meant nothing compared to my other Goals and priorities. Because I clarified that, I was able to take decisive action and move forward to more important, long lasting matters quickly and easily .</p>
<p><strong>Don&#8217;t major in minor things. -Jim Rohn</strong></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t focus major time and attention on Goals that are minor in the scope of your life.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not our abilities that define who we truly are, it&#8217;s our thoughts, choices and our actions.</p>
<p>If you have never consciously thought about it, you might be wondering, &#8220;How do I know what my current values and priorities are?&#8221;</p>
<p>The answer, whether you like it or not, is that they are revealed in your current actions, patterns and habits. If you value time, you don&#8217;t waste it. If you value honesty, you don&#8217;t lie. If you value money, you invest it wisely. If you value growth, you work on self improvement. If you value<br />
family, you invest your time and attention on nurturing them. If you value your spouse/partner, your words and behavior reveal this too. You are not what you say you are, you are what you repeatedly do.</p>
<p>Ultimatey, what you spend your time, energy and money on is a clear indicator of your values and priorities.</p>
<p>And if what you are currently doing is not working for you, you can change that and rearrange your priorities today in the next 120 minutes. You will increase your focus and productivity in every area of your life.</p>
<p>If you have never done this before, it&#8217;s worth the investment of your time. It will change your life.</p>
<p>To get clear and create your own personalized plan as it relates to balanced life design, learn how at</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thetimecommandments.com">http://www.TheTimeCommandments.com</a></p>
<p>Live Your Dreams,</p>
<p>Jill Koenig</p>
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