On Setting Goals (pt 1)

                                                                             Go For Your Goal(d)


HAVE YOU EVER focused your mind to achieve an outcome, only to fall short, or a long way from it?Around this time most people attempt to fixate their mind and attitude towards the goal or goals they wish to achieve for the year – and probably beyond. Some engage in this behaviour even earlier. Either way you look at it, orienting your mind to achieving your desired outcome is something that can be done – anytime – not just at the beginning of a calendar year.

WHAT IS interesting is that a significant amount of these “goal setters” fail to get what they want, allowing their dream or dreams to fall by the wayside, blaming environment and circumstance(s) for their failure(s). I've heard it often said, “show me an excuse, I'll show you a failure.”

ONE OF the ways you can look at this thing called “failure” is that it is actually “feedback.” Looking at your unintended result from this vantage point allows you to ask yourself one of many well-defined questions, allowing you to find the “missing link(s)” that will assist you to get your goal(d).

WHAT COULD this critical persuasive factor, or factors, be that's causing one, possibly you, to fall - just arms length of your life's ambition? Attaining your successful goal requires various persuasive ingredients. But, for our purposes here I am going to let you in on three often overlooked secrets to success.

GOALS MUST BE stated in the positive and be specific. This makes perfect sense because our minds are direction-oriented. For example, let‟s say your goal is simply to buy a car. Constantly saying, “I don't want a truck, I don't want a van, etc.” is counter-productive, a waste of your personal persuasive abilities. Instead, it would be easier and more persuasively productive to state your intent in the positive. “I want to buy a car,” OR something that is positively directionally oriented to what you –specifically - want. The clearer you make your language match the image you have of what you want, the better off you will be. To continue with the car example, saying you want a car is not specific enough.

WHAT type of car do you want? “I want a Jaguar XJS!” And even more specific, “I want an ebony black Jaguar XJS, etc! Get the point, yes? Have you ever heard the axiom, “watch your words?”

MAKE SURE your goal is sensory based. You and I know that human beings have five senses. (Yes, an argument can be made that there are more. But that is for another discussion). Your goal must be represented in at least three of the five senses, (Seeing, Hearing, Feeling, Tasting and Smelling) Again, seeing that our minds are forward seeking, imbuing your senses and your "other than conscious mind" with what you want - engages all your inner resources to seamlessly drive you in the appropriate direction.

Let's take the car example again, or should I now say “the ebony black Jaguar XJS.” What will you see, hear and feel? What does the ebony black Jaguar XJS look like? How do the sun‟s rays glint off its chrome features? Can you see yourself in an open top or a closed roof of the ebony black Jaguar XJS? How does your dream car‟s engine purr as you ignite and tease its engine alive? How do you react to the smell of
the interior, the fragrance of a new car? How does the Italian leather bucket driver seat the feel as you float down securely and comfortably into it? How do your hands feel as you wrap your fingers around the steering wheel? How does this ebony black Jaguar XJS handle corners as you take it for a drive? ENGAGE YOUR SENSES. Wash your mind, your senses in your dream!

YOU MUST INITIATE the goal and maintain it yourself. Far too often people depend on some external factor, or factors, to make their dream come alive. (“oh, so and so "might" do this for me;” “I  hope that these things fall into place soon;” “I'll wait  for inspiration;” blah blah blah…)Yes, there could be circumstances that calls for such things, but those are not of what I am speaking of. Ask yourself this; “To get my goal what resources are under my control?” Let‟s take the car scenario we have been using  so far.

The person wanting this ebony black Jaguar XJS can get a job, allowing him/her to save money towards purchasing this car. This person has the ability to seek out dealerships that will offer the best price, etc. If this person wanting this ebony black Jaguar XJS said, “I'll sit and just hope to‟ win the lottery,” or “I'll wait until my rich relative passes on," or what have you, then the probability that he/she will get this car goes way, way and way down.

SIMPLY PUT – Take action; yourself - take charge! There is no need to wait on hopeful factors that are not under your control! Be the Master and Commander of your dreams so they can come blazingly alive; let your healthy ambitions resonate through every fibre of your being! Coagulate your resources!

THESE ARE SOME of the distinctions, the ingredients that make the difference between getting your bronze, silver or gold!


© Copyright – John G. Johnson 2012 - All rights reserved! Subscribe to our mailing list for workshops, newsletters and events. Go to: www.nlpsuccessbydesign.com