Setting Goals for 2010

Once you have decided on your goals for 2010, write and post them where you will see them daily. Goals that are out of sight are also out of mind and inactive. Keeping track of your progress toward goals will help you attain them.

Make sure to personalize your goals—you are the only one who can achieve them. Do not reply on others to fulfill your goals. For example, your goal can be to write a novel and submit it to a traditional publisher, but it cannot include having the traditional publisher publish the novel. That would be relying on someone else to fulfill your goal, and you cannot be sure anyone else will complete your goal. Also, don’t strive for goals that someone else wants for you.

• Rank your goals in order of importance to you. Focus your energy on attaining your goals and commit to reaching them.
• Develop a step-by-step plan for reaching your goals. If you are not sure what steps to take, seek help from others and/or emulate people who have attained such a goal.
• Visualize reaching your goals. Many athletes and successful people “see” themselves becoming winners.
• Reward yourself when you reach a goal.

More on creating an action plan in the next blog.