New Year Goal Setting Ideas

Happy New Year 2013! We’re now established in the new year. Here are some goal setting ideas to use the energy around this holiday just past to reach new levels in 2013. So today is the day to dream, to envision new successes and goals achieved! But what kind of goals do you dream of achieving?

Seven Categories for Planning a Full Life

To live a full life, you need more than financial goals. You need to live a well-rounded life. Combining many different lists of what types of goals to plan, the following seven areas will serve you well:

• Personal including personal growth, education, hobbies and activities
• Health, such as conditioning, weight
• Family & Close Relationships – involvement with family activities, vacations, phone calls
• Spiritual – contemplations/meditation/ prayer daily, reading spiritual works, classes, church
• Social – activities with friends, involvement in a social or service organization like Rotary
• Business and/or career  – involvement in business or industry association, career related training, writing a book, public speaking for your business, new product or service, new alliance
• Financial – sales, profits, personal income, investments

Feelings Fuel Your Drive

Feeling is the most important because it adds the fuel and fire needed to power your engine and drive. Put feeling into your visualizations of reaching your dreams and goals.

In particular, with your financial goals, you will need to do some extra work. For most of us, material goals are lifeless until you put them into context with how you intend to use them – what emotions will you feel when you achieve them? This list has feelings that infuse your visualization with positive energy:

• Love
• Gratitude
• Sense of Accomplishment
• Relief
• Pride
• Serenity
• Contentment
• Joy
• Freedom
• Healthy
• Energized
• Satisfaction

Be Present in Your Visualizations

In your imagination, visualize your accomplishment as though you are in the middle of it instead of looking at yourself like you were in a movie.

Use All of Your Senses

When using visualization, use as many senses as you can. Besides sight and feeling, add in smell and hearing. Be patient with yourself. These are skills that you can develop though they may take time.

Clarity

Saturday, classmates in the DU Bachelor’s Program shared reviews of what they accomplished in 2012. One of the most common achievements was gaining greater clarity on their businesses. To maximize your success at reaching your dreams and goals, you need to be really clear about what you want to accomplish and why. Interestingly, don’t worry about the how at this point.

Reward Yourself

Use little rewards for each victory along the way. My mentor, Gina Gaudio-Graves, recommends gold stars next to the goal achieved or step completed.

Start with 5 Year Goals

The most effective approach I’ve found is to start with setting five year goals and dreams. Then work backwards. Where do I need to be each year to get to that level? A five year goal is big enough to be more inspirational.  Still, for right now, if that is too much effort, then just do goals for this year. You do have to work at it though.

Once you finish planning your five year goals and work backwards to get your 2013 goals, then it is time to figure out what you can do or what you still need to be able to fulfill your plans. Avoid overwhelming yourself by taking one small step or baby step at a time.

You can manifest your dreams and achieve your goals using these goal setting ideas. However, you need to be clear on what they are. To live a full life, fill out your objectives for all seven categories. Remember to visualize your achieving your goal as though you are surrounded by it, experiencing it as fully as possible. When you plan first, sense it fully, then take action, you will be amazed at what you accomplish by New Year’s Eve 2013.

To receive information regularly on how to develop and apply strategy to your small business, get your free ecourse, “9 Steps to Finding Prospects Who Want What You Provide” now. (Http://www.askjra.com/optin)

Building your profits through strong relationships,

John

John R. Aberle

Your Retiree Business sponsored by Aberle Enterprises

First Person: Goal Setting for Small Business