All actions start as mere thoughts. When you set out to reach your goals, negative thinking pretty much ends your journey right there. You end up losing your drive, which you need in order to get anything done.

Thinking optimistically can be the difference between easily reaching success and falling short. But how can you start thinking optimistically? There are certain actions you can take that will help you shift your core beliefs.

Try these steps in order to set yourself up for success with optimism:

Expect the best. You should know your desired outcome for your ultimate goals and believe that the best case scenario can prevail. You may tend to drift into the “what if” thoughts from time to time, but you also have the power to fight them. If you catch yourself thinking this way, immediately shift your focus onto something positive.

Take immediate action. Reaching your ultimate goals can be intimidating. There might be many things holding you back, including the fear of failure. But when you take immediate action, you leave no time for pessimistic thoughts to arise. You’ll plough forward in a positive direction.

Seek the silver lining. No doubt there will be situations that present challenges to you. You must believe that everything happens for a reason and that there’s a silver lining somewhere in this challenge. Do your best to learn from the situation and then actively seek the best direction forward.

Write down your thoughts. You can certainly benefit from a brain dump every now and then. Write down your thoughts, including your fears, in order to vent. Take note of your positive thoughts as well. By writing everything down, you’ll gain clarity about your goals.

Worrying About Challenges

Don’t waste your time worrying about the challenges at hand or ahead. Once you realize that worrying serves no purpose, you’ll be better able to let them go. Chances are things will work out for the best. You need to believe this in order to achieve an optimistic attitude.

Realism will tell you that there’s the possibility of failure. While that may be true, you shouldn’t focus on it. Worrying about failure will not make it any easier to endure if it happens, and it can even cause you to attract that failure to you!

Worrying only hurts you in the present moment and keeps you from taking the positive action that can bring your goals to fruition.

Challenges Are Normal

When you realize that challenges are normal, they may be a tad easier to deal with. The fact is you’re faced with challenges of varying degrees everyday.

You already know that life throws challenges your way, but you must believe that you can overcome these challenges! Then, you’ll be able to conquer every obstacle with an optimistic attitude.

Discover What You Can Learn

There’s a lesson to be learned in each challenge. Realizing the lessons you’re presented with will allow you to grow as a person and learn from both your successes and failures. As you learn, you build confidence and confidence brings optimism.

Evaluate the outcome of a few different challenges your life has presented you. When you had an optimistic attitude, how did things turn out? When you had a pessimistic attitude, how did things turn out? Oftentimes your attitude alone can make a significant difference.

And remember, your attitude is your choice!

© Mark for Lifestyle Created, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

A goal is like a compass. It helps you focus on where you want to go in life and make positive progress to get there. However, it’s important to remember that you need absolute clarity in your goals.

The human brain is a wonderful thing but it likes to work with absolute clarity.

Think of a SatNav device. If you instruct it to find a “sandy beach” it will be totally lost. It needs specific instructions and the brain works in a similar way.

So instead of something vague like “I want to own a fast car” you must set you goal with clarity: -

“I own a 2009, bright red, Aston Martin Vantage”

With such direct instruction the brain can get to work.

You’ll want to make it as easy as possible for you to reach your goals.

It may take some more time on your part, but when you write out detailed instructions for yourself instead of vague ideas, you have a much better chance at success. Not only do you know exactly what you need to do, but such plans also tend to invigorate you with more enthusiasm.

Follow these tips in order to clarify your goals:

Figure out your ultimate goal. What, exactly, do you want?

• Instead of a goal like “I want to be successful,” get down to specifics, such as “I want to own my own business which brings in at least $10,000 per month.”

Don’t be afraid of detail. You make the ultimate decision on what you want. Just don’t be afraid to set the details. Avoid goals like “I want to be rich” because there is no detail.

• How much money do you want to make?
• Why? What will this money provide for you that you desire?
• What lifestyle do you want? Cars, homes, ability to travel the world, philanthropy?
• How do you want to earn this money?
• When do you want this to happen?
• How can you prepare for this?

Break up your goals. When you stare at the ultimate goal, it may seem intimidating and unattainable. It’s important to break up your main goal into smaller goals. Write out detailed plans about how you’ll reach each of the smaller goals.

• For example, if you want to start your own business, a small goal would be to research your local and federal business laws and register a name

Give yourself deadlines

• It’s vital to give yourself deadlines so you know you’re making progress towards your goals. Each of your small goals should have an attainable deadline.

• In the business example above, maybe you’d give yourself a week’s time in order to research different business structures and laws.

Keep track. Make detailed notes about what you have done so far. Keeping track of your progress will help you stay organized and on top of your goals.

Make alternate plans. Sometimes you won’t be able to make the deadline you have set out for yourself, or maybe you’ll be unable to follow through with a current plan entirely. It’s important to think of alternatives in case certain situations don’t work out in your favor. If you already have back up plans in place, you’ll save time if you run into snags on the way to your goals.

Get Organized

Organization can mean keeping all of your detailed plans and journals in a binder with tabs for easy access to your various sets of notes. Alternatively, you may opt to keep your materials organized by using project management software on your computer. Just remember to make backups of your digital information so that you don’t lose it.

No matter what method you’ve chosen, determine the details, set small attainable goals that lead toward your ultimate goals, be flexible so you can conquer challenges, and keep track of your progress. Doing these things will bring you ultimate clarity and success.

© Mark for Lifestyle Created, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Millions of people around the world are busy goal setting for 2009.

Within 30 days most will have given up!

2009 promises to be one of the most challenging years – financially – that many of us have ever known.

So the question is…

Will you act during the economic downturn, or simply REACT?

Don’t let fear of the recession guide your goal setting plans for 2009. This is a BIG mistake because fear is an emotional response, only good for short-term survival and will result in negative thinking and restrictive action.

When you’re in “fight or flight” mode, you’re not thinking clearly about the action you’re taking. You’re either fighting for survival or you’re running on a path with no direction… You’re just RUNNING!

So your efforts lack strategy, planning, and insight.

We are going to do so much more than just survive in 2009.

Internet shopping is predicted to hit $145.1 Billion in the coming year, a significant 14% increase — despite the recession!

Consumers will be spending more time at home, using their computers for everything from bargain hunting and product research to upgrading skills.

Don’t let the threat or reality of a recession to stop you from pursuing exciting personal, financial, and business goals in 2009.

Follow this link to see a very important goal setting video that Internet marketing success guy Derek Gehl just put up on his site.

Derek’s been successfully selling on the Internet for over a decade now (he was taught by the late, legendary Cory Rudl) and he’s brought in over $100 MILLION in sales…

… so he has the credentials to show you how to thrive in ANY market.

Watch his FREE Goal Setting Video, where you’ll discover how you can make 2009 your richest year yet.

Keep positive.

© Mark for Lifestyle Created, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

It’s unbelievable. So few people actually set goals and yet they are the same people who complain they don’t achieve success.

Everyday we achieve hundreds of tasks. And most of those, if not all, we do as a result of setting a goal.

Think about it. You have to go to work. Whether you think about it or not you set two subconscious goals:

1. Get to your place of work
2. Get there on time

If you left home with no idea where your place of work was would you get there, let alone get there on time?

As kids we used to play football (soccer) in the park. There were no goals and if we started kicking the ball around we soon got bored.

We needed goals. So we used our jumpers and bags. Why?

Firstly we needed a target. A reason for kicking the ball rather than an aimless exercise.

Secondly, we needed a measurement. How well was each team doing. How well we each of us doing compared to the others.

It’s the same with everything we do in life.

Without a goal we have nothing to shoot at. With nothing to shoot at it doesn’t matter if we miss – we’ll never know.

In my opinion that’s the number one reason why most people don’t set goals. They don’t want to risk failure. Without a measurement neither they nor anybody else will ever know. Are you guilty of that?

But, there is no point in having some vague goal like, to lose weight, to be rich, to change my job. There’s no measurement.

The goal has to be specific as to quantity and time (to have £$5,00 in my bank account within 3 months). But it also has to be achievable. If your mind cannot believe the goal is possible it will sabotage you.

Is it possible to go from broke to a millionaire overnight? Possible (lottery) but highly unlikely. That may be your dream but as it is not realistic it won’t happen because your mind cannot believe it. You need to break your goals down into manageable sections. Then measure your progress and reward yourself for success.

That way your motivation stays high. Your belief system grows – you know you can do anything if you’ve done it once. And your confidence is boosted allowing you to take on new challenges.

Before you watch this video think about what you want and more importantly why. If it doesn’t really matter to you whether you achieve the goal then you won’t.

Goal Achievement – Magic Hundred From Dax Moy

© Mark for Lifestyle Created, 2008. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: goal setting, goals for success, setting goals

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh