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MORE ON GOALSETTING and GOAL ACHIEVING: The technique of Visualisation.

by Craig Lock

As I mentioned in Part One in controlling our thoughts and attitudes, visualisation is a great help in setting your personal goals. Use it as a tool, be persistent, like a yappy dog biting at your ankles and you'll get there in the end. (That's a simile, BTW).

American John Kehoe has written extensively on this subject in various works. He is the one who hibernated in the woods of Canada or Alaska for five years contemplating the mind and talking to the trees, like Bonnie Prince Charlie talking to the plants! I should have been a lumberjack instead of a writer; but then I can't imagine myself floating down a swollen river and balancing on a log!

I too am writing in virtual hibernation. Perhaps it's good for writing by forcing one to focus. Anyway, the creative juices seem to flow well here in Gisborne, New Zealand. (Incidentally, the country has produced some great Kiwi writers).

Some more on VISUALISATION...

Work out what your goal is. What you want to become? What sort of person do you want to be? Picture what changes you want to make in yourself and in your life...for the better, of course.

Set stepping stones (or sub-goals) as sign posts along the way. To guide you and ensure that you stay on track. They can be your short-term or medium term goals, say one month to one year. The marathon runner doesn't think of the finish line , but, the lamp post in the distance...or the next drink spot. Thinking of the big picture often seems impossible, so it can be very discouraging. Take small steps... and one at a time. You can get get loads of satisfaction from taking one step at a time. Attaining sub goals can help you with a more immediate focus and it rewards you along the way in your pursuit of the grand plan.

Make daily affirmations to yourself to keep yourself positive and focussed on the way ahead. (Remember, affirmations and self talk from Chapter Five). Have written goal checks to ensure that you are on track - on the right path. These are a good aid in reassessing your performance and how well you are doing on your chosen path. I've gone so far down my track, if it's the wrong one it's a bit late to turn back. I'll just visit the soup kitchens! "What a stuff up"! Seriously (for a change) though, it's never too late to change direction; look at South Africa and apartheid, the fall of Communism, Yugoslavia, Israel and Palestine...

Set priorities. It is important to have flexible goals; they are not set in concrete and can be changed as you change and develop. Remember changing goals in mid stream doesn't mean losing ground (or "the plot"). As long as you grow personally, you are making the most of yourself.

SUMMARY:

1. Set big goals

2. Make long range goals

3. Make short term and daily goals

4. Goals should be specific

5. Goals should be realistic

6. Luck is not involved in achieving goals

7. Don't make goals to please someone else - they are for you alone.

It's your life and no one else can live it for you. Listen to your parent's advice; but young adults, you make the decision about the career you want. Not knowing what I wanted to do after finishing school (and then university), I followed my father into insurance, not thinking that I would have to spend half my

In setting goals we need to allow for our future growth and development. If you want to grow, you've got to eat your "veggies" and use your potential to the fullest.

Life is one long journey of self discovery. It is also a great opportunity for self improvement - to grow day by day, even though you might have the occasional stumble. If you accept yourself and are happy just the way you are, that's fine by me too.

"Plant the right seed to get the right plant" - anon

"Keep your mind on what you want and off what you don't want"
- Napoleon Hill

"You will become as small as your controlling desires; as great as your dominant aspiration" - James Allen

Now that we've defined and set our goals, lets look at ACHIEVING them by getting and then staying FOCUSSED...

*

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS:

There are a number of important factors that make people successful in achieving their personal goals... and I believe goalsetting is the key ingredient to personal success. What else determines whether we will achieve our goals? I think the following attributes are critical:

* A strong belief in oneself and one's ability to succeed

* Good self esteem

* Self confidence

* Self discipline

* A burning desire to achieve your pre-set goals

* A sound strategy with a great deal of thought given to PLANNING

* A desire to give something back to society and invest in people; ie. to make some contribution to your "little patch" of the world. This leads into the next one...

* Having worthy goals which benefit one self and others

* A winning focus and a positive attitude. This is very very very important.

* Consistancy and commitment

* The ability to avoid distractions, ie. the ability to FOCUS

* Affirming oneself daily that you are of value to the world

* An ability to take calculated risks. I've taken a few chances in my time (perhaps too many) ... maybe you have as well.

* An ability to learn from your mistakes and to overcome the fear of making mistakes

* The ability to handle stress well (I'm not so "hot" on that one!).

* Taking frequent exercise - because a healthy body keeps the mind healthy

* Taking time out for relaxation

* Self motivation,

and most important of all,

* Personal integrity and a sense of ethics. Who says millionaires and other successful people lack integrity and rip off gullible people in the street? I for one, definitely don't believe it. I think quite a few businessmen may be ruthless, but most of them have high moral codes of behaviour. But most importantly, they have the "bucks" to improve people's lives in the community...as long as they are not too stingy.

BALANCE:

Remember, it is vital to live a balanced life. So look at your goals in all areas of your life: material, physical, career, psychological and most importantly, spiritual. I think it's terribly important
to BELIEVE and have FAITH that things will work out in the future for you. That BELIEF (either in yourself or in a Higher Being) will largely determine your attitude...how happy or unhappy your life will be.

God has a plan for your life too. "Shuddup, you religious nutter!"

Craig Lock

Creative Writing Course
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