Recipe for Resolution #7 - Goal Setting

Now that you have made the mental commitment, empowered your vocabulary, created a mantra, envisioned your dreams, listed your priorities and looked at your schedule – it’s time to set some realistic goals.

Make each goal "SMART" - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely (a completion date).

Use smaller “stair-step” goals to reach larger ones – ex: if your goal is to lose 30 lbs by March 31, make a series of stair-step goals – I will lose 10 lbs by January 31, 10 more pounds by Feb 28th, and 10 more pounds by March 31 to achieve my total goal of 30 pounds.

Group your goals by personal, business, travel, family etc… List from short term to long term in each category. Most importantly, WRITE THEM DOWN and READ THEM DAILY.

Recipe for Resolution #6 - Time Allocation

Take a good look at your schedule and calendar. Think about your daily routine and how you spend your time. Is your time allocation congruent with your priorities list?

Many people I coach say that their health, GOD or family are their top priorities, but after a coaching session, they realize that their time allocation is not indicative of their priorities – for instance, after charting their weekly schedule and time usage, they realize that they spend 40 hours at work, another 10 hours getting ready for and traveling to work, 14 hours watching TV, 60 hours sleeping, 11 hours are spent goofing-off or time that cannot be accounted for. On their top priorities, they spent less than 2 hours working out or exercising, less than 4 hours of true quality time with the family and only 1 hour at church. 

Working with a life coach or accountability partner can help you get your life in balance and find “extra” time to do the things that are high on your priority list. Investing time in your top priorities will have an exponentially greater return than simply spending or wasting your time on lower priority items. Making resolutions for the New Year will be futile if you don't make time to actually do them!

The Grass is Always Greener...

Some say the grass is always greener on the other side. We say, the grass is always greener where you water it. What we mean by this is that if you focus on “watering” your own “grass” – i.e.: taking care of your health, your family, your business, etc… Your own “grass” will flourish from the attention. And since you will be devoting all of your time to your own “grass”, you won’t have time to envy anyone else’s. Plus, you will be so proud of your own efforts and happy with your own results that jealousy and envy will be forgotten emotions. You will soon find yourself with such abundance in your life that you will be able to share your fortunes and the fruits of your labor with others too.

Plant positive seeds of success in your life – and water them often. You will reap what you sow!