Nine Steps to Achieve the Goals...(By DM)

1. START WITH THE END IN MIND:

The best way to set your goal is to visualize the end result you will achieve with your goal. Once your goal is achieved, what will you have?

If your goal is to write a book, then you should end up with a professional looking book in your hand. If your goal is to make $100,000 a year, then you will have that amount in sales at the end of the year.

2. BE SPECIFIC:

Don't say 'I want to make more money in 2001.'

Always make your goals specific.

'I want to make $50,000 in sales from my Web site by December 31, 2001.'

The more specific you are in setting your goals, the better success you will have in achieving them.

3. WRITE IT DOWN:

Put your goals in writing. Don't leave them floating in the air or in your mind. By writing your goals down, in a goal log, you make them tangible. They become real.

4. CREATE A PICTURE OF YOUR GOAL:

If you want to write a book, then create a representation of your book, or just clip a picture of a book and paste your title on it and post it someplace where you can see it every day.

If you want to create a Web site, then do the same. Create a visual representation of a Web site with your name on it and post it prominently.

The key here is that you want to be reminded of your goal every day so that you will constantly strive towards that goal.

5. RESEARCH THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE:

You can't just say you want to create a Web site and have one magically appear. Every goal has certain steps that must be performed to achieve that goal.

This part is critical. You must learn what the steps are to achieving your goal, otherwise, you will never achieve it.

Go to the library and read every book you can find on the subject. Sign up for a course. Ask professionals for advice.

Find all of the free resources you can, but don't be afraid to invest in quality resources too. You can only learn so much from free resources.

The easiest and surest way to learn how to do something well, is to invest in resource materials from experts who already know the step-by-step systems for achieving the goals you want to achieve.


6. BREAK THE STEPS DOWN:

Once you understand the steps you must take to achieve your goal, it's time to break them down into simple, easy to accomplish segments.

While the entire goal may seem overwhelming, by breaking it down into smaller pieces, it will not seem so daunting.

7. SET DEADLINES:

A dream is a goal with a deadline.

Without a deadline you won't achieve most of your goals. Why? Because there are so many things in life that will take over your time, and before you know it, a year will have gone by and you will be no closer to your goal than you were before.

Set an overall deadline for the completed goal, and also set interim deadlines for each piece that needs to be accomplished.

A deadline must be a specific date, not just sometime before the end of the year, or when I get around to it.

If you miss a deadline, don't beat yourself up over it, just set new one and get back to working on the steps to your goal.

8. REWARD YOURSELF:

As you accomplish each step of your goal, reward yourself with something fun. A dinner out, or a new CD, or just a relaxing evening. Always associate rewards with accomplishing steps to your goals and goal achieving will become a fun experience that you look forward to. It will become a way of life.

9. DON'T GIVE UP:

Winston Churchill is credited with the shortest speech on record. It was presented to a college graduating class. He approached the podium, looked out over the audience and said slowly . . .

'Never, never, never, give up.'

Having made his point he then sat down.

It was probably the most profound advice these graduates ever received.

So much of success is simply not giving up.

Remember, the only time you fail is when you stop trying.