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Goal Setting For Self Improvement And Personal Development

K, so you've taken a look at where you're at in
the different aspects of your life (physical,
financial, emotional, relational and spiritual)
and you're not happy with what you see in one or
more of those aspects. You made the decision to
make a change in your life and begin on a journey
of self improvement and personal development. You
begin reading self improvement books, listening
to self improvement programs and attending
motivational seminars. You really start to notice
that you're feeling and acting more positive in
all areas of your life. You're excited about the
journey you're on, but something's wrong. You
feel like you're "flying by the seat of your
pants" and don't have the focus you expected. Why?

You have to set your goals.

How will you reach your destination if you don't
know where you're going?

Your journey towards self improvement and
personal development is similar to any journey,
or trip, you take. When setting out on a trip in
your vehicle you can't jump in the car and start
driving without a destination and expect to get
there. Where is there? Obviously you need to know
where you're going in order to determine the best
route to take.

Well, having a set goal in self improvement is
the same as having a destination in travel. In
order to be focused on your end result you need
to know what that end result is. And your goals
need to be positive, specific, written and
flexible.

Know what it is you want

Be Positive - The first, and most important, step
in setting your goal is to determine what it is
you truly want. What is the end result you are
working to obtain? When determining this it is
very important to state your goal in a positive
sense and a not negative one. What I mean by that
is that you need to determine what you want, not
what you don't want. I'm sure that seems to be
common sense but when you ask most people what it
is they want, they usually answer by telling you
what they don't want anymore; "I don't want to be
fat anymore", "I don't want to be broke any more"
etc. Instead of those thoughts as your goals you
need to state them as; "I want to be healthy and
energetic", "I want to be financially free". When
you learn how the T-F-A-R process works you will
understand how important this is, but that is
another topic in itself.

If you don't have a target, what are you shooting
at?

Be Specific - Once you determine what it is you
want for your goal, you now need to make it very
specific. I want you to take a moment to close
your eyes and think of your goal as "making a lot
of money". Go ahead, close your eyes and think of
how it would feel to have "a lot of money". OK.
Now take moment to close your eyes and think of
your goal as "making an extra 0,000 per year".
I bet you feel a noticeable difference in the way
you feel when you think of the two different
goals. When you think of having a lot of money
you get a vague feeling or desire. But when you
think of a specific goal, such as making an extra
0,000 per year, you have a much more focused
feeling. You're basically giving yourself a
target to shoot for. The first example is similar
to saying that your goal is to shoot an arrow
into a tree while aiming at a forest of trees.
The second example is similar to picking a
specific tree in the forest and setting your goal
to shoot that particular tree just below the
first branch. You become much more focused when
your goal is specific.

Make a commitment to your personal development
goals

Write them down - Another important step in goal
setting for your personal development goals is to
WRITE THEM DOWN. Thinking about your self
improvement goals is great, but they are just an
idea at this point. Once you write them down they
become something that you are now accountable for.
Once you write them down on paper they become "
real". You can see them and touch them and you
are now making a commitment to follow through on
these goals. Sharing the goals that you wrote
down with others reinforces your commitment even
more because now other people will be holding you
accountable to your word. By not sharing them
with others you are allowing yourself an escape
route and setting yourself up for failure. Once
you cross the bridge to self improvement and
personal development, BURN THE BRIDGE. Once you
do that you have to keep moving forward because
there's no way you can go back.

Even the strongest of oak trees need to bend with
the wind

Make them flexible - When I say to make your
goals flexible I am not telling you to give
yourself a built in excuse to fail. The reason I
tell you to make them flexible is that we live in
a world that is always changing. And as our lives
and situations change so do our goals. The end
result purpose of your goals should remain the
same, but you have to sometimes allow for change
in order to reach that ultimate goal. As an
example let's assume your goal was to make an
extra 0,000 per year and you are in a sales
position. As part of your journey towards your
self improvement goal you attend some night
business management classes so that you can work
your way into an executive management position in
your company which will allow you to realize your
goal. You apply for and are promoted to a mid-
level management position within your company.
Along with the promotion comes a raise in pay and
you are well on your way to making an extra 0,
000 per year. Before too long your company has
cut backs and you are laid off from your
management position. What do you do now? Have you
failed? Do you need to start over and set a new
goal? NO. You need to be flexible and make some
adjustments. Your goal wasn't to become an
executive level manager in a particular company
it was to make an additional 0,000 per year.
You need to evaluate your situation and your
options, take stock of all of your attributes and
make a new action plan, a new road map, to reach
your ultimate goal.

Take time to deliberate; but when the time for
action arrives, stop thinking and go in"
- Andrew Jackson

Take Action - The only way you are going to
accomplish any of your goals is by taking action.
You can read all the self improvement and
personal development programs you can find, you
can listen to hypnosis cds and attend
motivational seminars until the cows come home.
But until you take action; focused, specific
action; you will never make a change in your life.
I'm sure you've heard the saying "Keep doing
what you've been doing and you'll keep getting
what you've got". Well, it's time to change what
you've been doing. And in order to do that you
need education, motivation, behavioral change and
support. YOUniversal Results (www.
youniversalresults) offers all of this in their
comprehensive programs and VIP membership.

If you are truly ready to make the necessary
changes in order to start living the life that
you desire and deserve, and if you're tired of
following self improvement programs that deliver
more fluff than results, it's time you check out
a self improvement training company with an edge.
YOUniversal Results offers a no-nonsense approach
to self improvement and personal development that
delivers on its promise of results. Learn how to
change the inner you to create the outer world
results you desire. www.youniversalresults.com
About the Author
YOUniversal Results is a self improvement and
personal development training company with an
edge. They offer a no-nonsense approach to self
improvement that delivers on its promise to
deliver real world results. Learn how to change
the inner you to create the outer world results
you desire.