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Be S.M.A.R.T. When Setting Goals

As I once was a person who really had no goals, I now relish the opportunity to set new goals and give myself a vision for the future. Goal setting is vital to success in any endeavor, and the best advice I can give you is to be S.M.A.R.T when setting
goals.

S - Specific

Your goals absolutely need to be very specific. If you want a new car for example, you need to know exactly what it will cost, the color inside and out, the options it will have, etc. Simply saying "I want a new Cadillac" means nothing. Saying "I want a brand new 2007 Black Cadillac Escalade with Dark Grey Interior, GPS, DVD Player, Automatic Roll Back Seats, Tri-zone climate control, heated seats and steering wheel, etc." is far more effective and really gets you excited. Those feelings will help move you towards that goal.

M - Measurable

Your goal must absolutely be measurable. To simply say that you want more money so you can travel, pay off the car or the house is not as effective as saying that "I will earn $300K by the 31st of December, 2007." This is far more positive and will allow you the capacity to travel and pay off whatever you wish as a result of earning the money.

A - Attainable

This is a tricky one. Your goal should definitely be set so that you can absolutely achieve it, however when we talk about goal setting we also say to make your goals big. The key here is to set your goals so that they are a bit of a stretch, but set them so they can absolutely be achieved and they are not impossible.

R - Relevant

Are your goals really YOUR goals? You need to ensure that you are setting goals that you having a burning desire and passion about. You need to get emotionally involved and be able to feel as if you already have them in your possession when you are visualizing.

T - Timetable

Your goals need to have a definitive end date when they will be achieved. This one, too, is a bit tricky. While we need to set an end date, we also need to be careful that we are not allowing too much time. Often, what we find is that our goals stretch out to meet the expected time frame. Take some time on this one to really set an achievable, but not extra long timetable.

Now that you have set your goals - VISUALIZE DAILY!! See yourself as already having them in your possession and feel the emotions as you see $50K in your bank account or are driving that new car off the lot. Write your goals down on goal cards and carry them with you, reflecting on them many times over the course of the day. You will find that emotional attachment to your goals will help pave the way to their attainment.

What are you waiting for? Set those goals and get ready to attain them!
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Paul McDonald is an IT professional turned entrepreneur whose goal is to assist 100 people per year in starting up their own home business by teaching them the same simple 3 step business model that he utilizes. For further information visit www.livewealthylivefree.com

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