Another year has flown by and here you are at the beginning of another year. This is a time when many people assess their life and make "new year resolutions" or set goals for the New Year. Sometimes they are the exact same resolutions as last year!! Did you make some of these?I will:* Lose weight, get into shape, and exercise more
* Spend more time with my family
* Stress less & relax more
* Get more sleep
* Save money
* Change jobs
* Be happyIf any of these resolutions sound familiar this is because these are some of the most popular resolutions made each year according to "How To Keep Your New Years Resolution.com"The Oxford Dictionary definition of resolution is to decide firmly or have great determination, but most people are lucky if their resolution is kept until the end of their holidays. It's no wonder many people find themselves making the exact same resolutions the next year. So how can you be successful in sticking to a resolution or successfully achieve any goal?FIRSTLY...work on one thing at a time. Goals or resolutions involve change and sometimes it's easier to give up and sink back into our old life patterns than stick to change. So only do one thing at a time or you may be tempted to give up!SECONDLY...PLAN..PLAN..PLAN..you've heard the saying "People who fail to plan, plan to fail." Think about your goal. WRITE IT DOWN!!!! Put it where you will see it everyday. Set a start date. Develop a strategy. Write a list of points to help you reach your goal-break it down into manageable pieces and tackle it one piece at a time.THIRDLY...Prepare for those obstacles that you know will come up. You know what I mean-if you have decided to lose 10kg you know someone will bring a chocolate cake to work on the first day of your diet. So think about what obstacles will come up and a plan to tackle each one. If you slip up-don't let this make you totally give up. See it as one step back among all the steps you have taken and will take forward!!!!
Remember to reward yourself for every step forward you do take-this will keep you in action and motivated.LASTLY......GET SUPPORT...this is a must. It's much easier to stay in action if you feel supported and also accountable to someone. You could buddy up with a friend or relative (as long as you are definitely sure they will support you). Or for unbiased support chose a Personal Life Coach to keep you motivated and in action.Lisa Branigan specialises in coaching women who are stressed, tired and overwhelmed with their busy lives. Lisa is the author of "Life Solutions" a free monthly e-zine providing tips, advice and information on self-care and wellbeing.For further information:
Phone: +61 89757 3750 or 0439 828 594
Website: http://www.quantumcoaching.com.au
Email: lisa@quantumcoaching.com.au

Many people ask me how they can be more successful.The first question I ask is, "What do you want?"Usually the answer is vague. I want to make more money, have a great relationship, write a book, be happy, and so on.The problem with this answer is that it is so vague that it will not yield any results. When you describe your goal, you have to be so clear that the other person can almost feel and taste it. The description has to be concrete, vivid, and rich in imagery. Abstractions will simply not do.Unless there is clarity, nothing can happen. Nothing begins unless there is acute vision.The first step to getting what you want is knowing what you want. People get caught up with trying to figure out if they deserve it or how to get what they want. This type of thinking is a way to avoid clarity. Failure to hold a compelling vision is to fail before you even start.So this knowing has to be very clear, very specific. If you want more money, you have to know exactly how much more money you want. If you want a great relationship, you have to be willing to spend the time to know what a great relationship means for you. Details, details, details.The human mind is like a smart bomb. It needs specific targets, clearly outlined, before it will make an impact. A focused mind, a passionate mind, a committed mind is one of the most potent forces in the universe.It takes some effort to think of exactly what you want. You have to be willing to dream boldly, without reservation, without shyness. It has to be a no-holds-barred, uncensored dream. Clarity is a raw power that will shape your future. It is the first step in magnetizing your possibilities.Once you have that clarity, then a massive power will begin to move into your life. Your thoughts will break all bonds of limited thinking and become a driving force. You will feel an irresistible invitation to explore all possible opportunities. And the realization of your goal becomes inevitable. You will not be willing to tolerate any obstacles or submit to any excuses. When your goal is big enough, and bright enough, and near enough, when it looms in your mind as clear as day, you will succeed.Resource BoxSaleem Rana got his Masters degree in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable lifeCopyright 2004 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this
article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or
newsletter. It's a shareware article.

All too often good-intentioned people set forth goals designed to satiate others rather than themselves. While the intent is honorable, the results will likely lead to failure. Why? As the somewhat provocative title of this article indicates, you need to be selfish with your goals and select ones that mean something to you.Through segments on the evening news, magazines, talk shows, radio programming and even the advice of family and friends, we are consistently subjected to a whole litany of goals that anyone with half a brain should strive for. If we were to listen to all the experts, we would all need to be perfectly fit and rich individuals with at least two college majors under our belt.Baloney.Now I won't deny that there are tremendous benefits to being physically fit, financially well off or highly educated, but let's be honest here ? one doesn't require all of the above to live a successful and happy life. There are many somewhat overweight individuals that are quite happy to escape the annoyances of careful food selection and exercise and instead focus on earning money or spending time with family. By the same token, there are many physically fit individuals that see no need to bring in extraordinary levels of income to be happy; they would just as well get by with what they need to live.I firmly believe all of us should constantly strive to improve ourselves, but there is no single blueprint that we should all follow. What might be important to me (business and management) might not be important to you, and vice versa. For this reason, when you are determining which goals you would like to pursue you should always block out the wishes of others and select goals that are dear to your heart.This sounds incredibly selfish, but obviously I'm not advocating adopting a goal that would hurt others, and ideally in a committed relationship you and your significant other would share common goals. But when push comes to shove, if you choose a goal for someone else rather than yourself you will do yourself a huge disservice.Take, for example, weight loss. Many overweight people lead happy and successful lives despite their weight; you don't have to be as fit as a fiddle to be happy. Let's say one of these somewhat overweight individuals decided one day to finally buckle under the constant societal harping about the benefits of weight loss and begin a diet program. What would happen?Chances are very high the individual would adjust his diet and get off to a good start. Almost all of us are capable of losing a few pounds during the first couple weeks, particularly since much of the initial weight loss is water. But during this time chances are good the dieter will be fairly unhappy, and this unhappiness will fester over time. Eventually when the body stops losing water weight and shifts into fat loss, the weight loss will slow down to about a pound or two a week.Throughout the diet the dieter's morale and optimistic outlook on life will suffer, and this might even affect other areas he was already successful with, such as his relationship with his family or his business. Eventually he will quit his diet in disgust, and immediately upon reverting to his old eating habits he will not only gain what he lost he'll also gain even more! Diets play havoc with the body's metabolism, so more often than not a person that quits a diet will end up weighing far more than had they never dieted to begin with.Clearly weight loss is a fantastic goal that can provide a lifetime of benefits, but it isn't for everyone! If you are not passionate about such a goal, you could actually harm other areas of your life when stress is added and morale and motivation drops due to your lifestyle change, and then to add insult to injury you just might end up being heavier than you were had you not even tried to adopt to society's standards.The above example holds true for every single goal under the sun. Many people love the business world and all its risks and challenges, but others would rather avoid the stressful situations and problems that all businessmen face. Perhaps they would rather live a middle-class lifestyle, stay physically fit and enjoy hiking or camping trips with a partner over the weekends during the time the business-oriented are probably working overtime.Choose only the goals that are compatible with your desires and needs, because selecting an incompatible goal that society or family advocates is a virtually guaranteed formula for failure, and can very easily do more harm than good.Copyright 2005 Goals and Motivation.comJeffrey Rolo is an experienced human resources manager, business owner and also the owner of Goals and Motivation.com, a website offering a free 20+ page guide on goal setting. Visit http://www.goals-and-motivation.com to view this guide as well as other articles about goals and management.

Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenge upon challenge confronts us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators mocks, sneers, or cheers us. Each and every day brings new battles whether we want them or not and whether we're up to them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim.Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships.Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do. These tyrants applaud and they hiss, they encourage and they discourage.These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. For example, it's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments.With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live? Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor.What it takes are eight steps for getting command, eight steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.Let's look at the steps.1. Define What Ails You.
Ask, what's my problem? Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want? Am I ticked off most of the time? Am I sad and whiney? Anxiety ridden? Moody? All of the above? Without this step, you're doomed. It will take personal courage, but you won't get results without identifying what ails you.2. Discover the Effects.
Ask, how are my problems affecting my life? Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a slut, a drunk, a junkie? Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be? This step requires absolute self-honesty, but the truth will help set you free.3. Seek the Source.
Ask, from where are my problems coming? Who are my real and my mental spectators? What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do? Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life? This could be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. You will look into the abyss and see who is looking back.4. Identify Your Role.
Ask, how am I contributing to my problems? What is my responsibility in all this? Did I decide to be a garbage disposal? Do I beat myself to death trying to please others? Do I expect things of myself that are unfair? Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy? Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety? Recognizing your role in your own problems is a positive - but scary - step toward knowing yourself and gaining personal command.5. State Your Desires.
Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems? Do I want to be a doormat, a slut, a drunk, a friendless geek? Or do I want to rule my mental spectators? Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down? Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships? Until you can actually list your desires in the order of their importance, you will be a victim. However, once you do this, you are on your way to being a victor.6. Seek Options.
Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them? What is the first option I should concentrate on? The second one? The third? If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends. Secondly, take the money you normally spend at bars and deposit it in a college fund for yourself or your kids. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT. Very few people on their deathbed have said, "If I could live life all over again, I'd spend more of it at work and less with people I love." Choices are involved here, but by weighing options and alternatives, and then making personal choices, you are taking command. Do this and you'll begin to gain real power.7. Learn Winning Techniques.
Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators? Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down? How can I learn to take charge on every level and get a grip on my life? There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.8. Master Your Relationships.
Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening myself and my perceptions? How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth? Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships with other people and the world around you.Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life, you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.About The AuthorDr. Hartley is a social psychologist, a scientist, and the author of Tyrants of Self-Concept: Ruling the Rulers, a 122-page ebook that thoroughly describes the eight steps for improving your relationships, taking control of your life, and living the life you want to live. It includes easy-to-relate-to stories, examples, humor, and concrete, practical worksheets and exercises that get results fast. To learn more about how you can apply the steps, go to: www.rulingtherulers.com.doctorterry@rulingtherulers.com

What's your dream? Want to give your vision a jumpstart? Write down your goals and use these questions to speed up delivery of your dream.1. What's your highest priority this lifetime?What's most important for you to experience, explore or embrace this time around? Until you answer this question, your life goals will be off purpose. Unaligned with your inner passion, your intentions will lack the power to attract the people and situations necessary to become a reality.Get clued into your true joy. What activities turned you on as a child? What are your hobbies now? When your goals are aligned with your soul purpose, synchronicity kicks in to guide you to your target. When you intuit and own your unique essence and calling, assistance will flow to you from every earthly and heavenly source.2. Is this your dream, or someone else's?Are your goals your own choice, or what others think you should strive for? Do you want to look back in your old age and wish you had followed your passion? Will you regret having "played it safe?"Is it selfish to go after your own dream? What joy can you give to others if you haven't given it to yourself first?You have a divine right to listen to your heart. You have a social obligation to follow your dream. Only then can you fulfill your destiny and make the earthly contribution you were born to make.3. Do you really, really want this dream?Do you bound out of bed every morning to pursue your vision? Or is it a lukewarm dream you chase because it sounds meaningful? Only the Real McCoy will generate enough energy to manifest itself in the world.4. Are you settling for less than?Are you resigned to accepting less than your full share of love, health and success this lifetime? Have you compromised and sacrificed your dream to death?Anything short of living your true passions will never make you happy. Do you want to arrive at the Pearly Gates with the regret of not marrying that one captivating person, starting that fun business, or seeing that exotic part of the world you always wanted to visit?5. Is your dream actually just a means to some other dream?Is your goal the ultimate end in itself, or merely a limited means to that end? Isn't it really the new car itself you want, rather than the money-the means-to buy the new car? More to the core, isn't it really a renewed sense of self-worth you desire, rather than the new car or house to impress the family and neighbors? And isn't it really happiness you want, rather than the picture-perfect mate, job or body?Focus on the experience you want to create, not the physical form that may-or may not-bring you that experience.6. What will you feel like when you reach your dream?Personal passion fuels a vision. Dive into the thrill and exhilaration of the feeling of living your dream. Every moment you can, drink in the joy of having your goal.The Hawaiian Kahuna say, "Where your creative attention flows, so flows your life." Is your daily attention feeding your dream? As the TV public service announcement reminds us, "It's midnight. Do you know where your children are?" Hey, in your life, it's high noon! Do you know where your creative excitement is flowing?It's high time you manifested your aspirations. Dynamic, satisfying creations are nurtured with love and care as a flower in a garden.7. How will you benefit from getting your dream?Get specific about the benefits you'll receive from achieving your vision. Write down these pluses so they will sink in as motivators. What exactly would happen if you made a lot of money doing something you love? How would you approach your life differently if you allowed people to love and support you? What would you do with more vitality and health?8. What steps can you take today toward your dream?Don't defer your dream. Set up supports and systems around you to instantly translate your intentions into action. Jump on every opportunity that is in line with your purpose and vision.Keep the momentum going. No matter how hectic life gets, pledge to take at least one action a day. Even the smallest actions-jotting down a new idea, reading a single page, or making one phone call-can start to add up.Are there smaller projects that lead to your larger dream that can give you pleasure in the meantime? If the dream is to run a marathon, train for a local fun-run first. And find a way to measure your progress. Track those little wins-by writing in a journal or telling a friend.9. Are you telling yourself: "I can't have my dream?"Most people don't believe they can live their dream. Either their belief system has them believing they can't make a living doing what they love, or they feel they don't deserve their dream. To avoid the pain of feeling they can't have their dream, people often keep their dream so buried they can't remember they ever had a dream.Everyone has a dream! And everyone is destined to fulfill that purpose. Why wait?10. Are you afraid of getting your dream?Statistically, more heart attacks occur when "good" things happen, than when "bad" things happen! Getting your dream is life-threatening! Of course, realizing your dream is only threatening to your old experience of yourself and your life-you know, the one that's boring-or paining-you to death!Change is scary. Find a way to move the energy of fear. The only way to avoid feeling fear is to avoid living altogether!11. Do you really need to accomplish your dream?Do you really need to achieve your goals to be happy? Enter the "hootless state"-where you no longer give a hoot if the exact "picture" of your dream comes true. Without the interference of the ego's push, pressure and micro managing, you have a much better chance of being in the right vibration-space-to attract real happiness. When you relax your grip on the exact way your future "has" to unfold, you give the Universe more flexibility in how it can fulfill your wishes.And, on a higher plane, what if our true task here on Earth is simply to be who we already are in our essential nature-with or without manifesting our specific goals? What if the essence of who we are is enough?(c)2004, Keith Varnum. All rights in all media reserved.About The AuthorDrawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with "The Dream Workshops." Keith helps people get the love, money and health they want with his free Prosperity Ezine, free Empowerment Tape and free Coaching at http://www.TheDream.comKeith@TheDream.com

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all." ? Dale CarnegieI'll venture to say that perseverance is one of the most valuable qualities you have to obtain success in any field. And the really great thing about perseverance is that you don't need a university degree, or any complex training to make use if this tool. You HAVE the requirements to reach success using this tool.Perseverance rarely does not result in success. No matter in what area you have goals, if you keep "keep on trying" as Mr Carnegie suggests you will reach success.In reality, perseverance is something you were born with. Learning to walk, to talk, to write required perseverance. And the result was success.It's worthwhile to consider that you can be active, but not move forward. When you don't move forward, you will not reach success. Think back to when you learned to ride a bicycle. For most of us, it took more than one attempt to get the hang of it, but we persevered, and that resulted in success, in that we could ride the bicycle.The key in developing perseverance means taking small steps, resulting in small achievements, ultimately resulting in success with your objective. Think of building a jigsaw puzzle, one piece is added at a time, and eventually you have the finished picture.Perseverance often means learning something new, in order to reach your ultimate goal, which is great. Why? Investing in your knowledge is never a waste - you may be able to utilize your new skills and knowledge to enable you to advance in some new area.If you want to make more sales, you get out and see more prospects, one at a time.Perseverance will not be without setbacks. The key is to learn from the setback, then continue forward. Do not dwell on it. Take the lesson, and move forward, and on to success.As Mr Carnegie said, "people who have kept on trying" ? that is the key to achieving success in any area you want.About the AuthorJust because you're a mom or dad, doesn't mean you don't have a dream. You can now reach it using 11 essential goal setting tools. Colin Dunbar is a dad and husband, and has spent 25+ years investigating and researching goal setting and motivation. He has achieved many goals in his lifetime. You can now own his ultimate goal setting program, and get what you want. Full details available here: eaziGOAL.com

It has been said that 60-80% of New Year's resolutions will be broken within the first two weeks. In other words, a lot of people have a hard time making the changes in their life they want to make. So you are not alone. Personally, I am not a huge advocate of New Year's resolutions because I believe in setting and achieving personal goals all year around. That being said, I wanted to share with you the top ten ways to increase the likelihood for success with achieving your goals.1. Stick to 1 or 2 important goals.Having a laundry list of all the things you would like to change in your life can be overwhelming. Your chances for success are much higher if you stick to 1 or 2 of your most important goals. This allows you to concentrate all your energy and focus on these goals. Once you achieve those goals, you can always set 1 or 2 more.2. Be realistic.It's okay to think big and want the best, but it is more important to succeed, so be realistic. Ask yourself whether or not your goals are reasonable and possible. It is probably not realistic to set the goal of never yelling at your kids again. How will you feel about your resolution when your children test you on a very bad day and you yell? Certainly one can cut back on yelling and work to find alternative ways to deal with misbehavior, but an all or nothing attitude may set you up for failure, and feeling like you've failed can set you up for more failure. Instead, accept and honor your humanness.3. Be specific.Be as specific as possible when determining goals. Articulate how you will measure success and exactly what you are trying to achieve. Setting a goal to lose weight is too general. A better choice would be to set a specific and manageable goal. For example say, "I will lose 25 pounds by June 30, 2005." Be specific when answering the what, when and how.4. Connect to your motivation for achieving your goal.Why do you want to achieve this goal? Why now? Make sure your motivation comes from your heart, and not from your head. In other words, your goal should be something you really desire, and not something you know you SHOULD do. Really connect to why this is so important to you. Pay attention to whether or not you are being driven by fear or love. Beware of setting goals based on what someone else in your life thinks you should do. Your resolutions should come from your authentic self.5. Examine your belief in your ability to achieve this goal.What do you believe about your ability to achieve your goals? If you have tried to reach the same goal many times before without much success, your confidence could be wavering. You could be feeding yourself negative messages without even realizing it. Be conscious about positive thinking. Remind yourself that you are capable of doing anything you set your heart to. Tell yourself every day that you have the ability to take the steps it will take to reach your goal.6. Create a detailed plan to achieve your goal.Let's say your goal is to eliminate the clutter in your home. But how will you start when the clutter is overwhelming? It may be helpful to break large goals into intermediate, manageable steps. Make a list of each area you need to tackle. Then break each area into even smaller segments that can be tackled easily. For instance, set time aside to clean out old clothes, then to organize sweaters, then to throw out old shoes, and finally arrange clothing by color or type. Don't forget to specify a time limit for accomplishing each of the smaller steps. Before you know it, the larger goal will have been met.7. Recognize that you may encounter obstacles.Most people give up on their goals because they run into some type of obstacle along the way. Obstacles can be internal or external. Examples of internal obstacles include negative self-talk, limiting beliefs and discipline issues. Some external obstacles are the lack of time, money or resources. Know in advance what hurdles you may have to conquer.8. Identify a plan of action to overcome obstacles.If you are trying to give up chocolate (I would never try this!), what are you going to do when you get a craving for chocolate, or when all your friends are chowing down on chocolate cake? Maybe your plan would be to carry a sweet substitute with you at all times. Or perhaps you could involve yourself in a fun activity when the urge strikes. If your obstacles are tougher and you need more support, consider hiring a life coach to help you work through your blocks.9. Enlist the support of an accountability partner.As you work towards your goals, it can be very helpful to have someone in your life to be your support partner. Consider asking your partner or friend to help you stick to the goals you have set. Use this person when you are struggling and set up a plan to check in regularly with him/her. As a coach, I have the privilege of trading coaching services with my peers. My coach helps me achieve my goals, overcome any obstacles, and celebrate my success.10. Celebrate success along the way.One of the most important things you can do for yourself is celebrate your small successes as you work towards your larger goals. Don't wait until the end to reward yourself. You deserve to be recognized for your efforts and your commitment, especially when your goals take a long time to achieve. If you don't celebrate on your journey, you will lose your motivation. So celebrate, celebrate, and celebrate!Achieving your goals can be tough work sometimes, but it is also very rewarding. If you fall off your path, remember you can always get back on. It's okay to take a few detours. It's also okay to take a break to rest. Don't beat yourself up or give up hope. Start again where you fell down and before you know it, you will be a pro at accomplishing your goals.Lori Radun, certified life coach for moms. Get her FREE monthly ezine for moms who want healthier and happier lives at http://www.true2youlifecoaching.com.

I remember the time that I swore to myself that I'd never be caught off guard again. I was in my new job on Capital Hill and it was the first week on the job. My new mentor at the office was the daughter of the other US Senator from Nevada so she knew everyone who was anyone. I tagged along with her one day to a meeting and I found myself in a mess!She introduced me to the President of Zimbabwe! I shook his hand and all of a sudden about a thousand flashes went off! None of the photographers knew that I was just a newcomer on Capital Hill, but every single one got a picture of me ?. And I'm sure what turned out was the "deer in the headlights" look. I completely froze, and looked up completely shaken up. I had NO idea that the photographers were even THERE and then on top of that, why would they want a picture of me?I've since learned to take a great picture anywhere. You name it, the driver's license, Sam's Club to get a member card, at weddings or any function, I have trained myself that the second that I know a camera is around, I "eyeball the eye of the camera" and give my best smile; for as long as I need to!But how do we handle situations in which we get caught off guard? Like asking to speak on a moments notice? What if someone yells at you at work for something that happens? What if you are asked to deliver a toast at an event? Or how about being asked to deliver a message or read a poem at a class reunion? That happened to me at my last reunion, and I told them that as a professional speaker, I never go anywhere unprepared. Therefore, at the encouragement of my husband, I turned them down.But what if you can't turn them down? What if you HAVE to get up and give a speech? What if you are lambasted in front of people at your workplace and can barely come up for air before you are supposed to respond?I think that in any crisis situation, and these are DEFINITELY crisis situations, that it's best to always have a plan. Here is what I recommend that my clients do:1. Know that you are going to be caught off guard at some point.2. Make a plan and memorize the plan.3. When it happens, tell yourself to take several breaths and calm down.4. Next, identify WHAT it is that the person wants from you. Do they want and need a response right then? Can the response wait?5. If it can wait, then tell them thank you for expressing their views and that you'll get back to them as soon as you have had a bit to think about it. Then, go to your office or get somewhere quiet and process what you need to do and say. Call a friend or mentor that you trust to help guide you through it.6. If you have to address the situation right there, your plan is to come off as poised and confident as possible. Hold yourself together until you can respond without flying off the handle or saying anything stupid.7. Address the situation. Ask yourself: What is the bottom line? What do you need to do or to say to make the other person or people happy?8. Deliver your lines. Look the other person or people in their eyes as you deliver your lines. Do it with the most amount of sincerity as possible.9. Be available to discuss it afterwards. Remain calm. You can always freak out later.10. After the fact, reassess how you did. What would you have changed if you could go back? Store that in your memory bank and chalk one up to being ready!A great example of someone being ready when they were caught off guard was Mayor Rudy Gulianni of NYC after 9/11. He went on TV almost immediately after almost being suffocated by the towers. He remained calm and showed sympathy to others even as the news of his good friends' death was delivered to him.Mayor Gulianni had been prepared. He had been reading about leadership and Winston Churchill the night before the tragedy. He was able to recall the story of how Churchill led his people in desperate times, and Guliani was able to call to memory this story as he himself had to present himself as a strong leader.Being prepared takes time of course. But being prepared and ready for the unexpected can catapult you to the next level in your career. It can make people stand up and notice, and can teach you that anyone can survive and thrive, when they expect the unexpected!Mary Gardner , The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC's 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.For more information contact: mary@marygardner.com or Web: www.marygardner.com

Benefits of Goal SettingGoal setting helps us determine our priorities, get organized, make big decisions, and realize our dreams. The act of merely setting a goal brings about positive change for many people. When you set a goal you are creating an exciting challenge for yourself. Almost all motivational experts incorporate goal setting as an important part of their programs. The effectiveness of Goal Setting can be seen in the incredible accomplishments of people such as: Henry Ford who wanted to make cars affordable for everyone, Bill Gates whose goal was to have a computer in every household, and John F. Kennedy who set out to put a man on the moon within a decade. There is a famous story about Jim Carrey who, while struggling as an actor in 1987, drove his car up on Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood hills to think about the future. While sitting there overlooking the city of Los Angeles he wrote a check made out to himself for "acting services rendered" in the amount of $10 million. He dated the check for Thanksgiving of 1995. Jim's Goal turned out to be conservative because by the time 1995 rolled around he was making $20 million a movie.The objective of MyGoalManager.com is to direct the user through the entire Goal process from definition to achievement. This Goal Achievement process entails the following requirements:Well formed Goal Statements
Breaking goals down into manageable Steps
Motivation and Commitment
Reminders and Keeping on track
Frequent Review and Re-assessment1. Well formed Goal StatementsThe Goal Statement forms the basis for the entire process so careful attention should be placed on formulating a clear and accurate goal statement. A good way to remember how a goal statement should be defined is the old S.M.A.R.T. acronym used by many experts in goal setting. SMART stands for:Specific
Measurable
Action-Oriented
Realistic
TangibleThe Goal should be specific enough so that we know exactly what we are striving for, measurable so we know exactly what is to be accomplished and when it has been reached, action-oriented declaring positive activity that will produce results, realistic in that it is practical and can be achieved given the limited availability of resources, and tangible meaning concrete and not vague. The goal statement "Increase sales 25% by the end of the fiscal year without increasing advertising spending" is an example that follows these rules.2. Breaking down Goals into manageable StepsOnce we have a well-formed Goal Statement we need some direction to follow to achieve this Goal. While the goal "Increase sales 25% by the end of the fiscal year without increasing advertising spending" is a great goal statement, this is a monumental task without being broken down into smaller detailed steps. The creation of Goal Steps gives us an "Action Plan" that when completed will lead to Goal Achievement. Steps also allow for tracking of progress towards the goal. Goal Steps should be positive and not used to list obstacles that must be overcome which focuses on the negative. Negativity can kill motivation but there is power in positive thinking.3. Motivation and CommitmentMotivation and commitment are what make us strive to achievement. They give us the push, desire, and resolve to complete all of the other steps in the Goal process. This motivation can be obtained by developing a personal statement that creates a high level of emotion and energy that guarantees achievement. One self help expert said that as a child he was kicked out of his local country club pool because he was not a member, in response he later made a goal that he would one day have a pool that is one foot bigger than that country club's pool. The motivation of being asked to leave the pool provided the necessary fuel for him to achieve this goal. Commitment creates more accountability and is what sets us on direct course to reach our goals. It may create costly negative consequences upon failure to attain a goal. Making a commitment might be something like having invested your savings in your new business which you will lose if it fails. Motivation and commitment are specific to your situation and life and only you can form statements that will ensure you reach your goal the quickest. The more personal you make your motivation and commitment statements for each goal, the more motivated you will be to accomplish your goal.4. Reminders and Keeping on TrackReaching our goals requires persistence and regular attention. We need some sort of system to keep us reminded and accountable. MyGoalManager.com uses a combination reminder emails, calendars, and reports to keep users organized and on track. Sharing goals with others who can give you help and support is a highly effective way to increase your chances for success. If some accountability system is not used then we are likely to lose sight and fail.5. Frequent Review and Re-assessmentWhen we first sit down and start to define goals it can seem like a difficult and daunting task but over time it begins to get much easier. Patience is required. Goal Setting is definitely an ongoing process that is accomplished over time. Any goals program that defines goals and then ignores them will fail. All goals due in the next year should be reviewed at least once a week and daily if possible. The great thing about frequent review is that this forces us to make big decisions and determine priorities in our life. We should keep watch for goals that are not being achieved on time or for goals on which we keep extending the deadline.I hope this article will help you achieve your goals and give you more focus and direction. Good luck as you realize all of your greatest dreams. Go to http://www.mygoalmanager.com to get started on your goals now!MyGoalManager.com is an easy to use Goal Setting and Achievement System that directs you step-by-step through prioritized goal definition, plan of action formulation, motivation, reminders, and guidance reviews. MyGoalManager.com is owned and operated by Gruve International (http://www.gruveintl.com).

Note: This article was originally written at mid year so it is good reminder around June but the principles are applicable anytime.In a sporting event, the players are given a break at the half in order to refresh themselves, look at how they played in the first half, and set strategy for the second half. So as you approach halftime, here are some thoughts. Do you have a vacation planned in the next two months that will give you the needed break and refreshment? If not, schedule one this week! How did you "play" in the first half of this year? Have you met your goals that you established at the beginning of the year? Here are a few ideas to evaluate where you are at with your goals as you approach the halfway mark.Take some time to sit down alone and review your goals. How many are you on mark to make? How many have you not even begun on? How many have you achieved?For those you haven't even begun, my suggestion would be to reset your goal at 10 percent of the original goal. Obviously this goal hasn't been a priority, for whatever reason, and most likely won't suddenly become so. But you can make some ground. Set a small increase for the remaining six months and get ahead a little in these areas.For the goals you are on pace to achieve, try to stretch about 10 percent. So, to give it a numerical value, if your original goal was 10 and you have already reached 5 after halfway, stretch yourself to try to achieve 11 by the end of the year. This will give you a good reason to kick into high gear as the year progresses.For those goals you are on pace to break strongly through, try an increase of 50 percent.And finally, for the goals you have already reached, try to set the new goal at 100 percent of the original goal.In all of these remember that it is better to try hard, and even fail at a higher goal, than to take the easy route and attain nothing at all!Best of luck as you re-evaluate your goals!About The Author:Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of
Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn
their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and
achieve their dreams.To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on
the subject of Secrets of Influence go to
http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434