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Setting Smart Goals: Get What you Want!
Author: Colleen Kettenhofen  | Posted: 18-08-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 12 | Rating: (57)  (?) 
"Set a specific goal and take action. Goals are nothing without action." Colleen Kettenhofen
Everyone dreams of achieving success. Whether you want to increase sales, grow your business, take a long-deserved vacation, or lose weight. Greater success is possible if you practice the following steps and take action on your goals. Because ultimately, goals are nothing without action.
Let me say you'll have heard some of these techniques for achieving goals before, but often we need to hear them again.
An easy acronym to remember is "smart" goals. Smart goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable and action oriented, realistic and time specific. I applied these strategies to becoming a motivational speaker. These easy tips produce results if you practice them consistently.
1. Specific goals: Write down your specific smart goals. Then, write down an affirmation for each of your goals on an index card. Start with the words, "I am." "I am" keeps your affirmation personal, positive and in the present tense. Next, add a feeling word such as, "happily," or "easily." Next, add a verb or action word. Include a specific month and year for when you'd like to have achieved that goal.
2. Measurable smart goals: For example, one of my affirmations for a specific goal back in 1995 was, "I am easily conducting speaking engagements all over the world, including in Hawaii, by March 1996." Write down a specific date. As a matter of fact, be as specific and measurable as possible including things like a job title promotion, specific sales goal, or number of pounds you want to lose.
3. Attainable and action-oriented smart goals: On the back of the index card I spent several minutes each morning writing down action steps for how I would achieve this goal. I then visualized myself taking action and attaining it. All Olympic athletes do this because they know it gets results!
4. Realistic smart goals: It may sound unreasonable that one of my goals was to do business in Hawaii. But, having "interviewed" other motivational speakers who spoke at conferences in Hawaii, I knew this was a realistic goal, and have since achieved it.
5. Realistic time frames on your smart goals: I gave myself nine months to achieve the goal of becoming a motivational speaker. It was going to take time to send out demo videos to speakers bureaus.
Look at your goals and affirmations daily. Write down specific action steps. Keep them in your wallet. Visualize how it would feel to already have achieved those goals. Don't wait another day. The future is now!
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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/setting-smart-goals-get-what-you-want-200504.html
About the Author:Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker and co-author of The Masters of Success, featured on NBC's Today Show. Popular topics: leadership, management, difficult people, public speaking. For free articles, e-newsletter, video: http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Colleen is available for keynotes & seminars.
http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com
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I want to know about internal and external ...
By: saxena | 15-01-2008
I want to know about internal and external motivation
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By: Roee Rotman | 07-03-2007
Where can I find official statistics regarding own goals in football (soccer)? Are there players who were known throughout their career to be prone to score own goals? Is there an official "own goals top scorer?"
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Woman in thirties fights fears to achieve college degree success, seeks success stories, inspiration, advice
By: Ecrivaine32 | 17-01-2007
What advice would you give an adult in her almost mid 30's who recently again began working on her degree? I am taking the one small step (for now) of transcending my anxieties by returning to college (online) to finish courses needed toward my BA in Communications. I have nearly a decade of experience in the field already, both civilian and military. It seems getting the degree should be so easy - and probably academic-wise, it will be. But I've struggled against my own imaginary barriers to success, the fear of going to school for my degree, because other than my sister who recently began attending school in her mid-20's, no one in my immediate family has gone to college or "dreamed so high."I wondered if anyone out there has similar stories of going to school or has worked through similar fears. I've love to get any advice I could or just hear your story. Please email me at Ecrivaine32@gmail.com or leave answer on here - thanks!I've tried various times and quit every time, but I'm feeling I am at a place in my life where I am more confident and ready to tackle this lifelong goal, so your advice would be so welcome to bolster me in this small step toward my educational success. I hope one day, when I've finished my degree, I can continue to pass on this support to other women in similar situations.
Looking for websites for goal setting combined with social networking/encouragement
By: Ecrivaine32 | 13-11-2006
Are there any good websites you'd recommend that let you list your goals and then encourage one another through social networking on the same site? Also, I was thinking it would be handy to find not just a site where you can post and set your goals and get supported by others whom you also encourage -- but a site where you can record any significant progress toward each goal and track your progress, and maybe even where others can see it, if you choose to let them
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