| Successful people have always had clear, focused | | | | that are inconsistent with their priorities and daily |
| goals that guide them to greatness. | | | | behaviors. Do you value health, or comfort? Is |
| It took Thomas Edison thousands of attempts and | | | | financial independence a priority, or merely a wish? In |
| thousands of failures over many years to invent the | | | | a clash between your values and your wishes, your |
| electric light bulb, but he new exactly what he | | | | values will win every time. Be certain your goals are |
| wanted, and his goal kept him going until he achieved | | | | consistent with your most important values. |
| it The rest, as they say, is history. | | | | 3. Write them down! Have the courage to put your |
| Michelle Kwan had a goal to be the best skater in the | | | | intentions on paper, in your own words. Be specific |
| world. Oprah Winfrey was an abused child who | | | | and describe your goals in detail. When will you |
| determined to make a better life for herself. | | | | achieve them? What will success look like? Write |
| Successful people always have clear goals. Great | | | | down the details and read your goals every day, |
| musicians, great athletes, successful salespeople and | | | | even take a moment to summarize them every |
| inspiring leaders know what they want in life, and | | | | morning. Stay focused. |
| they go after it. Great parents work at it. No one | | | | 4. Take ACTION! To run a marathon, you must jog |
| becomes an astronaut by accident! | | | | every day. Building a business requires that you make |
| And yet the great bulk of people continue to drift | | | | sales, every day. A loving marriage or happy kids |
| through life with no goals at all, or with only vague | | | | require your time, your attention and your love, |
| dreams, hopes and wishes. No wonder we achieve | | | | every day. Your daily actions need not be profound |
| so much less than we could! | | | | or heroic, but they must be consistent and persistent. |
| For those who have not yet experienced the joy of | | | | Every day! |
| setting and achieving magnificent goals, here is a | | | | Success does not "just happen". It is built like a work |
| powerful set of principles that have worked for | | | | of art. First, it is imagined, then the skills, tools and |
| thousands of my clients. They will work for you, too. | | | | materials are gathered, and the artist sets about |
| I call them The 4 Steps to Successful Goal-Setting: | | | | creating a thing of beauty. It takes time. It requires |
| 1. Decide what you want. Decide if you would rather | | | | skill, determination, persistence and faith. |
| have money in the bank, or that new car. Choose | | | | Just as an artist will make preliminary sketches and |
| the life you prefer! You can't have everything in life; | | | | work out the details in her mind, so your success |
| but you can have anything you choose, if you will | | | | requires written goals, careful choices, clear |
| focus, pay the price, and pursue it with all your heart. | | | | commitments and daily persistence. You can do this. |
| 2. Clarify your values. Too often, people choose goals | | | | Make something magnificent of your life! |