We all have a natural inclination to improve upon the old self and test our self-esteem and capability through new accomplishments. Most of us want to make a difference in the world. Most of us want to live life as fully as we can. So each year we take another look at ourselves and decide to be better.

So how do we keep the goals we set? Well there are two really boring words called discipine and committment that many of us have forgotten about in this era of instant gratification.

There are however, certain guidelines that can keep you on track.

Rule 1: Make your goal your own.

Personal goals are meant to ignite great excitement within the goalsetter. If you don’t feel excitement at the thought of your goal…perhaps it’s a goal that you feel you “ought to” achieve rather than one you really want to achieve. Take a moment to check in with yourself and ensure your goals reflect your most heartfelt desire and watch your sudden energy surge.

Rule 2 : Value your goals.

Always set goals that are in line with your most important values, you are more likely to accomplish the goal. Which also means that you must know what your most important values are. Is it family, friendships, spiritual, education, success at work? Values are always personal so only you can answer this one. Take a minute to write them down. YES WRITE THEM DOWN!

Also if you set value-based goals that cover all aspects of your life you are less likely to experience warring priorities. Suggested areas to consider when goal setting include :

• Family and Home
• Financial and Career
• Spiritual and Ethical
• Physical and Health
• Social and Cultural
• Mental and Educational

Rule 3: Believe You Can Accomplish the Goal

Yes even the sane amongst us have Little voices in our heads telling us their opinions on any actions or decisions we make. The positive self talk and planning support the accomplishment of our goals. Negative thoughts and comments undermine our self-esteem and self-confidence, and negatively impact our ability to accomplish our goals.

Your positive outlook and belief in your ability to accomplish great goals fosters your increased self-esteem and self-confidence. This, in turn, magnifies your ability to accomplish more and contribute more to your life goals.

Remember that you cannot afford a negative thought. When it arrives contradict it with a positive thought and notice how that makes you feel and behave. Yes it really is that simple. Oh yes and you need to take actions that support the positive belief eg. you want to lose weight and your negative self talk tells you not to bother exercising because every time you’ve done it in the past it’s failed, you lack discipline and you’re too lazy to go ahead with the exercise program. If you chose to listen to the negative self talk then you will do nothing and continue to gain weight and be dissatisfied with how you look. However, if you counter the original negative self talk with positive self talk and tell yourself that you do have the discipline and commitment to do the exercise program then you pick up your gym shoes and throw on your exercise gear and exercise then what you’ve just done is confirmed to yourself that you are disciplined and that you will take the necessary action required to achieve your goals. And with the knowledge that it takes 21 days to create a new habit-push yourself that bit extra each and every time the negative self talk comes along and you’ll find your new healthy habit as easy and normal as brushing your teeth.

Rule 4: Make your goals measureable.

 Goals become easier to obtain when the outcomes are measurable. With goals that are hard to measure, start with a picture in your mind, that you commit to paper, that describes the outcome you are seeking. Make the picture as vivid as you can.Revisit this picture, either on paper or in your mind each and every day. This will allow your subconsious mind to look out for ways to obtain your goal. The way this works is similar to the way your subconscious mind works when it recognizes something new. For example, you’ve just bought a new car of a particular model. Previously, you never noticed it on the road. Now you see it everywhere. So in relation to your goals, by picturing what you really want either in a collage version, a drawing or simply in your mind’s eye your subconsious will start to see examples of your goal everywhere. This in turn will give your mind the assurance that your goal is attainable and you will start finding extra opportunities simply because of the fact that you are now tapped into a new vision and mindset.

Rule 5:  Write your goals down!

Those who write their goals are more likely to achieve them. Why? Because writing out your goal is your commitment to achieving the goal. Writing a goal is a powerful statement in comparison with half-formulated thoughts in the back of your mind. It is the conscious promise to yourself to pay attention to the accomplishment of the goal. Writing out potential action plans and due dates makes the goal even more powerful.

Rule 6: Share Your Goals Selectively

The same way you cannot afford a negative thought, you also cannot afford negative non-constructive people in your life. Ok it may be hard to avoid a sibling, spouse or co-worker. But if you know that they’re only going to criticize your plans keep your heartfelt desires to yourself and spend your time finding someone who will help you accomplish your goals instead.

Rule 7: Monitor Your Progress Daily

If you take the time to ask yourself what you’ve done as far as taking an action towards your goal each and every day you’ll find yourself getting closer and closer to your goal at a much faster pace. You don’t need to take massive action, just consistent daily action no matter how small. Break your goal down into bite sized chunks that are achievable to you.

Rule 8: What’s Getting in your Way?

 Not getting to where you want to be fast enough? Ask yourself how much this goal really matters to you. If at a deeper level you don’t care about fitness you’re going to find it very difficult to make the necessary changes to your mindset. Ask yourself questions such as, “Is this goal really important?”

If you are not making progress on a particular goal, attempt to do a root cause analysis to determine why. Be honest with yourself about your goals and revise what truly matters. Perhaps you forgot to check in with your core values. These can’t be ignored. Reassess, and always TAKE ACTION!

Jennifer Stepanik is the Founder of Republic of Skin www.republicofskin.com and is constantly updating her readers with information on healthy living, lifestyle, mind balance and GREAT SKIN on her blogs page www.blog.republicofskin.com . Her extensive training in the fields of natural therapies such as herbs, nutrition, holistic counselling, healing modalities ranging from swedish massage, remedial massage, reflexology, shiatsu and reiki combined with her aesthetics training and paramedical aesthetic training has given her a broader understanding of how to fuse the worlds of beauty, healthy living, lifestyle and mind balance into an online platform of information available to the world, as well as operating a boutique on the South Coastal town of Thirroul.

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