Goals and Aspirations

Goal Setting is a Lot like a Game of Tennis

Last night I was watching the men's tennis final at Wimbledon, between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal...  during the day I had been writing my new e-book on goal setting, and early on in the match I thought how much setting goals is like a game of tennis.

Now I know playing in the final of one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments around, is the goal of many tennis players.... bear with me for a minute while I explain my thought process last night.

No matter what your goal is, whether it is playing in the final of any tennis tournament, whether it is getting a job which provides you with wonderful conditions and fantastic payment, whether it is losing a weight and getting fit, or whether it is developing your confidence in all areas of your life... your goal is made up of individual steps.  There is a particular process involved.

Take tennis ... each match comprises of a number of points which make up a game, and a number of games make up a set, and there's a number of sets in each match which need to be won before the match is won.

Playing in a tennis match requires knowledge of the game, preparation, physical ability, mental stamina, beliefs, thoughts, determination and perseverance amongst other ingredients... it requires the player to do and achieve a number of individual things before the overall match is (hopefully) won.

Just like setting goals... it requires thoughts, preparation, ability, determination and perseverance and other ingredients... and it requires the person to do a number of individual things before the overall goal is achieved.

Just like tennis, setting goals requires preparation and a manageable and workable plan so you know what needs to be done, when and how.

No matter what your goal is, you can successfully achieve it... and when you are aware of the process involved, you will more easily successfully achieve any goal you set yourself.

If you would like some assistance in achieving your goals, helping you clarify what you want to achieve and help you develop a workable and easy plan to achieve your goals... I invite you to join my e-course "The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!" where you will discover what the secrets are to achieving goals so you can apply them to your own goals. 

Do you know what goals you would like to achieve?  Do you have a plan to achieve your goals?  Click on the comment link below and let me know what your goals are... it would be great to hear them!

Warmly
Jeanne

Asking for What You Need

Do you have a problem with asking for what you want or need?  I do... and I know many others do too.

Some of the reasons I give for not asking for assistance or what I need hover around the notions I don't want to come across as not able to do it myself, or come across as needy or perhaps selfish. 

Asking for assistance or what you need is often given a bad rap... logically we all know unless we ask for what we want chances are we won't get it. 

Yesterday I received an article about Asking from Jack Canfield :

Good Things Come to Those Who Ask
by Jack Canfield

Asking for what you need is probably the most underutilized tool for people. And yet, amazing requests have been granted to people simply because they've asked for it!

Whether its money, information, support, assistance, or time, most people are afraid to ask for what they need in order to make their dreams come true.

They might be afraid of looking needy, ignorant, helpless, or even greedy. More than likely, though, it is the fear of rejection that is holding them back. Even though they are afraid to hear the word no, they're already saying it to themselves by not asking!

Do you ask for what you want or are you afraid of rejection?

Consider this: Rejection is just a concept. There is really no such thing as rejection! You're not any worse off by hearing no than you were before you asked. You didn't have what you asked for before you asked and you still don't, so what did you lose?

Being rejected doesn't hold you back from anything. Only YOU hold yourself back. If you are told no, ask for what you'd have to do to get it, or ask again at another time when the circumstances have changed. Ask if they know someone else who might say yes. When you realize that there's no merit to rejection, you'll feel more comfortable asking for things. But you may need a bit of help learning how to ask for what you want.

First, ask as though you expect to get it.

Be confident in your request coming from a perspective that there's no reason why you wouldn't get it. Or they say no, you can ask them why, or what you would need to do to get a yes. You might need to form a better business plan before you will get a loan. You might need to take a course in computers before you will get a promotion. You might need to spend more quality time with your family before you will get the loving support you need. By getting this feedback you are able to make adjustments and ask again with better chances of getting a yes.

Second, assume you can get what you want if you only ask for it.

You want a window seat? Assume all you have to do is ask for it. You want an ocean view? Cheaper tickets? A scholarship? A better deal? Just ask for it as if that's all you have to do to get it.

And finally, be specific about what you want or need.

Do you want to make $5,000 more a year? Then don't just ask for a raise. Ask for $5,000 more a year. Vague request produce vague results. Don't just ask for more time with your spouse; ask for a date on Friday night. Don't ask for help on a project, ask for what you want that person to take care of.

Getting a good perspective on rejection and learning how to ask will make a world of difference for you as you work toward your goals. Practice asking and you'll get very good at it! You'll even speed your progress by getting what you need, or improving yourself in order to get it later.

Make a list of what you need to ask for in all areas of your life, and then start asking!

© 2008 Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

What has helped me feel more comfortable about asking for what I need is to ask my myself "how do I respond when someone asks for something from me?"... I'm happy to help, to give assistance, to do whatever I can to fulfil the request.  So... if I feel ok about others asking for my help or assistance... then there's the strong possibility almost everyone else does as well. 

Do you easily ask others for assistance?  Click on the comment link below and share your thoughts and experiences on asking for help or asking for what you need... it's always good to hear from you!

Warmly
Jeanne

PS have you ever wondered why some people can achieve goals and others can't?  Have you ever wondered what the Secrets are to achieving goals?  Would you like to know??  If so, check out my new e-course... "The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!" where you will discover what the secrets are and how to apply them to achieve your own Life Changing Goals!

When is the Right Time to Declutter???

In a recent article "Making Room For Something New: Getting Rid of the Clutter" it was pointed out that before we bring anything new into our life we have to get rid of what isn't working... what's broken, unused, junkie... in other words, we have to get rid of the clutter in our life.

A common question asked is: "When Is the Right Time to Declutter?"

before I give you my response... let's look at the common times people declutter their life:

• moving house -- probably the most common reason for decluttering
• before a major event e.g. Christmas, party (to be held at your place)
• at the end of a semester/term of studying
• moving offices
• at the beginning or end of seasons --  good old "spring clean"!

Sometimes people need a valid reason to Declutter... to clean up... to get rid of what they don't want or use.

So when do I think we should begin to get rid of the clutter in our life??

RIGHT NOW... in other words, there is no better time than right now to begin to declutter.

Honestly... if you begin to get into a habit of getting rid of what you are not using, the rubbish... and what you don't like in your life... you not only free up lots of space but you also save yourself lots energy of time.

And when you get rid of some of the clutter in your life... you do feel better... you get into a better frame of thinking and feeling... and getting yourself organised is a positive step towards achieving the kind of life you desire.

You can easily begin now... take a quick look around you... what needs to go in the bin?  What needs to be put away in the correct place??  What needs to be done to make your area a lot more pleasant?

Right now... I'm looking around me and I see a couple of books, a coffee cup that needs to be either refilled or put in the kitchen (tending towards refilling)... and my mail needs to be dealt with.... all of this would take about 10 minutes max to do!

Click on the comment link below a let me know where clutter builds up in your life... and what you did to get rid of it after reading this.

And remember... if you would like some techniques to deal with the clutter in your life permanently, I highly recommend the very affordable program offered at http://www.clutterfreeguide.com

Warmly
Jeanne

PS have you ever wondered why some people can achieve goals and others can't?  Have you ever wondered what the Secrets are to achieving goals?  Would you like to know??  If so, check out my new e-course... "The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!" where you will learn what the secrets are and how to apply them to achieve your own Life Changing Goals!

Making Room For Something New: Getting Rid of the Clutter

A principle of the Law of Attraction is that no matter what we want to bring into our life, whether its changes in our relationships, our financial situation, career or work, our well-being, we need to clear out and get rid of things that don't work, the unnecessary, the negative, the rubbish... before we can begin to let in the new.

In other words, we have to get rid of the clutter in our life.

We often associate clutter with physical things we have in our environment e.g. unused, broken, rubbish, and items we hang on to instead of throwing out or putting away.

Clutter, however, can appear and weigh us down in different areas of our life.  Here are a few examples:

• things we have started and not completed: for example, quilting.  We may purchase all the necessary material but abandon the activity because we become distracted, bored, and are no longer interested.  The material is there, taking up room, but rarely, if ever, used
• possessions we no longer use: often we buy, or are given something we may use for a little while and then put away e.g. home gyms we eagerly buy but the novelty quickly wears off
• things not put away or thrown out: this occurs throughout the house and work area e.g. packaging not put in the bin, household items not put away intruding clothing, dishes, reading material, toys or files
• clothes we haven't worn for ages: our wardrobes and other storage areas frequently contain clothes we haven't worn for a long time because they no longer fit, we don't like them, need altering, or are out of fashion.  Unused clothes, like other items, take up valuable room and energy
• habits we keep repeating that serve no purpose: habits we may have picked up in childhood that no longer serve us or take us further away from what we want to achieve or do in our life e.g. "when I was growing up, after dinner we would always watch TV together... now I live on my own and I still watch TV every night after dinner"
• beliefs we hang on to that are not true: many beliefs we have held since childhood e.g. we are not good enough, not smart enough, not able to successfully achieve major goals in life and as adults we still believe them
• relationships we hang on to that haven't worked for a long time, or we allow such relationships to hang onto us: before you bring any new relationship into your life you must be free from those relationships that have ended

Clutter not only takes up unnecessary time, energy and space but it also takes us further away from successfully achieving goals in life.

At times I let things build up around me... and at times I fall back on old ways of thinking and behaving I know take me further away from what I want to achieve.  I frequently have to get rid of the clutter, both environment and personal clutter, in my life. 

When clutter becomes a real problem in our life... we may need help with dealing with it.  There are many resources around that can give you guidance in this area... you can find a great easy-to-use, and extremely affordable program at http://www.clutterfreeguide.com

Do you have a problem with clutter?  Click on the comment link below and let me know your experiences with clutter and how you deal with it. 

Warmly
Jeanne

PS have you ever wondered why some people can achieve goals and others can't?  Have you ever wondered what the Secrets are to achieving goals?  Would you like to know??  If so, check out my new e-course... "The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!" where you will learn what the secrets are and how to apply them to achieve your own Life Changing Goals!

Thoughts and Actions Bring about Change: It's Your Choice

What we ponder and what we think about sets the course of our life.  Any day  we wish, we can discipline ourselves to change it all.  Any day we wish, we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge.  Any day we wish, we can start a new activity.  Any day we wish, we can start the process of life change.  We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year.

We can also do nothing.  We can pretend rather than perform.  And if the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are.  We can choose to rest over labour, entertain over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence.  The choices are ours to make.  But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause.  As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "the fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves."  We created our circumstances by our past choices.  We have both the ability and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today.

                                    ... Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn is a profound motivational speaker... this is just one of his gems!

We all know that our thoughts are crucial in determining our life... and we all know that it's up to us, and only us, to make changes in our life.

How often have you wanted something in your life to change?  How often have you thought, or said, that you are going to do something for example, lose weight, quit smoking, get a better job... but then not actually taken action to make it happen?

I know I have frequently throughout my life, particularly in relation to losing a few kg of weight... but I also know that saying I want some change in my life is not enough... I have to take action on that thought.  And not just hit and miss action... but consistent action until I achieve the change I desire in my life.

And whether I take action or not... is my choice.  So if I want to change some part of my life, I need to take action to make that change happen.  If I don't take action, my life will stay the same... nothing will change.

Read the quote from Jim Rohn several times... really absorb it... and ask yourself if there is some part of your life you would like to change.  Then make a decision to take action on bringing about that change... and when you have made the decision, choose to take action now.  No matter what action you take... choose to take it right now!

Remember: it's your choice whether your life will change in the direction you want it to... or whether it will stay as it is.

It's your choice... and your choice only!

Is there something you'd like to change in your life... but you keep putting off taking appropriate action?  Click on the comment link below and let me know what that is... and also let me know if you would like some assistance in taking the action to create the change in your life that you desire.

My e-course, The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!  can help you clarify what you want to achieve, and help you develop a workable and easy to accomplish plan of action so that you can achieve the changes in your life that you desire.  Go to http://www.aspirationsplus.com/alcgpromo.html  and begin bringing about the changes in your life that you've wanted.

Warmly
Jeanne

How Do You Enjoy and Celebrate Life?

Sometimes we get caught up in our daily schedule, commitments and responsibilities that we don't stop to think about what we enjoy about our life. 

Undoubtedly there are many things we do throughout the day that are mundane or ordinary... some may be not very pleasant... but in amongst the things we do that are less than memorable, certain things bring us pleasure and make us feel good and "warm and fuzzy".

One of the major principles of the Law of Attraction is that what you focus on, persists in your life... therefore if we focus on what we enjoy in our life, what makes us happy... what gives us that warm fuzzy feeling... we will bring more of those sorts of experiences into our life.

Taking time to reflect on what makes us feel good, and what we enjoy, lifts our spirits and energy... it puts us in a better frame of mind... and gives us a much-needed boost.

I came across the video "42 Ways To Celebrate and Enjoy Life"... and I thought you may enjoy it. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBqsWDaUdHM&feature=related

After watching this video I began making a list of all the things that I enjoy about my life... it was a great exercise to do.  Spending time with those I love was on top of my list... my list also included watching sunsets, being around trees, going to the mountains, going to the ocean, wearing my slippers on a cold day (as it is now), finishing a project, dark chocolate... and many many other things.

What would be on your list?  Click on the comment link below and let me know the things you enjoy... it would be great to hear from you.

Warmly
Jeanne

PS have you ever wondered why some people can achieve goals and others can't?  Have you ever wondered what the Secrets are to achieving goals?  Would you like to know??  If so, check out my new e-course... "The Inside Secrets of How to Achieve Life Changing Goals... Revealed!" where you will learn what the secrets are and how to apply them to achieve your own Life Changing Goals!