The Power of Intention in Achieving Your Goals

So here's the conclusion to Peggy McColl's story about how she was able to buy her dream home even although she didn't have a lot of money. If you missed the first part of this article then simply click the link below:

The Power of Your Intention in Achieving Your Goals

I left the story where Peggy was awaiting the outcome of the draw for the dream home that she had bought a ticket for. Peggy had even wrote on her goal cards that she was living at the address of this fabulous home that so aptly matched her criteria for her dream home - talk about tapping into the power of intention.

The draw was on 07 December and Dr John Goodman won the home. Yes, you read that correctly, Peggy didn't win. And I know a lot of questions must be rushing through your mind right now but please be patient. All will be made clear.

There's a powerful lesson to be learnt here. Sometime when we set a goal we try set how the goal will be manifest and this does not always work. Just as there are different ways to achieve a particular goal, there can be different outcomes to a particular goal quest.

Was Peggy disappointed? Of course, she was - who wouldn't be? Did she feel defeated? No. She re-wrote her goal cards and re-affirmed her intention to purchase her dream home.

Here's the challenge. You have to really want to achieve your goal, have an emotional investment in wanting to achieve your goal and yet be detached from the outcome. You also have to be open to disguised opportunities that can help progress you towards your goal.

For instance, in the movie The Matrix, when Neo was told to follow the white rabbit I'm sure he didn't expect it to come in the form of a tattoo.

So several months went by and then one night Peggy was suddenly awakened from a deep sleep with the thought that she should buy a certain house. When she drove by the house the next day she discovered that it was for sale and so she called the agent and arranged a viewing.

Now bear in mind that, at this time Peggy still doesn't have the funds to go shopping for houses. However, she viewed the house and was delighted to find that this house also ticked all her boxes. The only problem was that she didn't have the money to buy the house but then an idea popped into her head.

She offered the agent a down payment of $3,000 as an occupancy fee with an agreement to settle the balance in 6 months time. Note too that Peggy wasn't in the habit of creating real estate deals - this idea came to her intuitively and she acted on it - another important lesson. When your intuition speaks not only listen to it but take action.

Peggy didn't even have $3,000 cash at the time but she had a credit card which she knew she could get an advance for that sum and that how she was able to come up with the occupancy fee. She told a close friend what she had done and this friend then helped her come up with an idea to raise $3,000. Now she just had to find the balance of the funding for the house – no sweat.

But Peggy did sweat. The months started to creep by and she didn't know how she would raise the balance. However, she kept telling herself that she would find a way and she continued with her visualization and other practices to help keep her focus on the outcome she desired. And when Peggy felt panicky she reminded herself that she didn't need to know how this situation would be resolved but she asked herself how would she feel when it was resolved.

The former was in the hands of the Universe whereas she was in control of the latter and so she practiced experiencing the feeling of having the money to honour her agreement and purchase her dream home. She also detached herself from the outcome by recognizing that the worst that could happen was that she would lose the house but that didn't equate to becoming homeless.

But she needed to raise the money by 01 December.

Now it so happened that the company she was working for had decided to go public. She'd managed to save some money and decided to invest in the company.

The date for the initial public offering was 26 October but it was postponed to 26 November.

She learnt that it if she sold her stock it would take four days for the transaction to be completed.

This was cutting it very fine.

However, she kept her faith. She was so confident that things would work out this time around that she planned a party for 01 December and had bought champagne for the celebrations. (This reminds me of the story of the 2006 Olympic champion, Antoine Dénériaz, who won the skiing downhill race in the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He was so confident that he would win that he also bought champagne beforehand to celebrate. You can read my post Positive Thinking - Does it Work? for that story.)

When Peggy's company went public the price of the shares soared. She sold and made a handsome profit and was able to buy her dream home.

Don't ever give up on your dreams. And don't let people tell you that you're being unreasonable and unrealistic when it comes to setting your goals because no one knows what is reasonable or realistic until you invoke the power of intention and take action to achieve your goals.

What’s on Your List?

For a long time, I hated goals.  Hated having them, hating making them, hated other people that had them and made them.  The truth of the matter is that I couldn’t actually think of anything that I really wanted that badly that I had to put it down on paper and make it an official “goal.”  I thought, “Sure, it would be nice to have a sailboat one day.  I’d be okay with having a beach house, or traveling to Spain.  I’d love to make more money or have children one day.  But mneh….I don’t have to have any of these things.”  The only thing I really really wanted was to be happy – which I wasn’t.

My husband (aka Mr. Ambitious) thought I was nuts.  I think he may have actually had goals since the day his mother gave birth to him.  I’m sure even Baby Mr. Ambitious had goals of walking, talking, eating solid foods, pooping three times daily.  But not me – I realized I was afraid to set goals.  I didn’t want to disappoint myself by not achieving them.  If something wonderful should happen to occur in my life, then great! I’ll take it! But I wasn’t going to let myself “want” it.  I wasn’t ready to strive for something – mostly ‘cause I was petrified I’d never achieve it and then where would I be?  A Big Lonely Failure.

I was afraid to set goals because I knew I was not on a path that would actually let me achieve any of the things I wanted.  So, I didn’t even bother to let myself want them in the first place. I thought I just didn’t care – but in reality, the fear of failure wasn’t letting me care. It wasn’t until I actually started living the life I wanted – until I stopped being afraid of that life – that I was able to actually be okay with setting goals.

Now it’s exciting! To keep track of my goals, I’ve started a Life List.  There are a few websites out there that can help you to create a Life List (some may also know this as a “Bucket List”), but I’ve chosen to use www.superviva.com.  It allows me to add new life goals whenever I want, plus cross them off when I’ve completed them.  You can also view other people’s Life Lists and get ideas for your own.  You can view my Life List here: http://superviva.com/people/star79.

And it just so happens that I’m crossing off one of my big life goals in just 3 days.  Yup! In 3 days, I’m going to France! Mr. Ambitious and I are embarking on my dream trip, and touring around France for 3 weeks.  My goal (see, I can use that word now!) is to continue blogging while I’m there, but if you don’t hear from me as frequently, don’t be alarmed!  I shall return full force at the end of February, fresh with new tales and ideas!

Once again, thanks to everyone who has continued to follow this blog. Your support has meant more to me that you’ll ever know and I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

What’s on YOUR life list? I’d love to hear from you!

Dont get me wrong

I want u to understand that when u're bucking up against something as large as & relatively intractable as the US Constitution, the prevailing political climate, a government agency, or any other institution or organization with decades of history, it's important to understand the scope of the effort necessary to break the tide.

To tackle highly challenging goals that you deem reachable, i suggest that u do the following:

• understand the turf. Look at the historical record, talk to insiders and read about where things are headed
• prepare to commit urself on a level u might not have considered
• check ur time horizon. is the goal challenging but reachable within the time limit u've given urself?
• identify crucial resources. who else or what else do u need to make this goal a reality?

Goal Setting!

Most people think that goal setting in nothing more that setting down with pen and paper and writing down specific things that we want to accomplish in our life. These goals should be measurable and have a specific time frame.

Personal goals setting is something we've all done in the past....but how many times have we accomplished the goal? Many time our normal everyday activities get in the way of accomplishing our goals. There are two main areas we normally think about when we think of goals. First of all financial goals always seem to be the priority. Sure we've all dreamed about becoming a millionaire....but have we taken the steps in our life to make it all happen? Second.....personal goals is the pivot point in most peoples outcome of success or failure. Personal goal must be realistic in order for the financial goals to become a reality.
It's not enough for us to just write something down and assume it's going to happen. You must make sure you set a specific date and work aggressively towards that goal. If you by chance don't meet your goal, then set another goal and work hard to fulfill that goal. Normally we must have a change of heart and mind to accomplish our goals. Just being the normal every day guy probably won't cut it. You must be the above average individual who thinks outside the box of what the world considers normal.

To accomplish our goals we must be totally focused on the rewards we will receive at the end of our journey and the differences that our efforts have made in our lives and the people around us.
Businesses use the principle of goal setting to motivate their employees. The more employees are motivated, the more they are stimulated and interested in accepting goals. The more difficult the tasks ahead, a smaller group of people will possess the necessary skills and strategies. The business will give the employees incentives to get the employee to work harder for some kind of a reward at a future date. This could be in the form of a nice bonus, promotion, longer vacation or some other carrot that the business will dangle in front of the employee. Those who are motivated will accomplish those goals that have been offered, however, there is always the person who is content with normal job requirements and will not put forth any additional efforts. Who do you think will get recognized for a job well done? I think the answer is quite obvious. Naturally thse who put forth no extra effort are going to blame everybody else for their lack of accomplishment. You'll probably never hear the winners complain at all.
Our goals must be tangible, specific, realistic and a time table for the accomplishment of our goals. Be realistic when setting any goal. You could set a goal of traveling around the world on the hundred dollars you've saved over the last few months. Get real...you would be lucky to get to the next town. However, you could set a realistic goal of backpacking in the Redwoods of California for a week. That's more realistic if you're conservative.

Every goal we will ever have is a matter of problem solving. The more activities, resources, training and support...the more likely your chances of accomplishing your goals. There are a couple of other things that will make a difference. Our intelligence, geographic location and our support availability are a few of the other things that will make a difference in our success.

The following are some quote from Wikipedia ... The Free Encyclopedia:
"Goals focus attention towards goal-relevant activities and away from goal-irrelevant activities.
Goals serve as an energizer; higher goals will induce greater effort while low goals induce lesser effort.
Goals affect persistence; constraints with regard to resources will affect work pace.
Goals activate cognitive knowledge and strategies which allows employees to cope with the situation at hand.
Goal commitment...People will perform better when they are committed to achieve certain goals."
In Summary: Be willing to put your goals on paper. Hang that note in a place that you are forced to look at it on a daily basis. Work toward that goal with all sincerity and be willing to rework your goals if you don't quite get there when you thought you would or you got to your goal sooner than you thought you could. Reconsider how you got to your goal and make adjustment accordingly.

"Let's Build Your Business Together"

The Quest for Fitness—Join the Party

Resolutions are one thing, but change doesn't happen overnight. If you find yourself not living up to your goals, don't put them off for another year; regardless of the date on the calendar, every day is a chance to get something right. There is a growing buzz here on ScienceBlogs about health and fitness, and we invite all our readers and bloggers to join the discussion. ERV kicks things off, wondering why there aren't more scientific voices to guide those on the quest for personal health through the "minefield of woo" that promises miraculous ways to get in shape. Ethan Siegel responds on Starts With A Bang!, writing that fitness is ultimately a personal ideal, about "your body and your life." Ethan goes on to outline proper workout methodology and explains how to start building the muscles we want. And ERV trashes the idea that weightlifting will bulk you up while cardio will make you slim, since skinny people can still hold on to an unhealthy percentage of body fat. Lifting weights will foster lean and not necessarily bulky muscle, a vital aspect of developing fitness. We see a different aspect of the quest on Thus Spake Zuska, where Zuska reveals the obstacles that get in the way of our best intentions. And before recounting his incredible ambulatory feats, Greg Laden compares us to a bunch of cattle, slow to get going but just waiting to stampede.

10 secrets of successful entrepreneurs

Running a business-person is a flexible system of creation, and stimulation to become your own boss and chart their own future. It is about creating a life as it is to make a living. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become anentrepreneur. From Cocoon relatively sheltered from the business world, where the regular salary arrives, you venture into the uncharted territory of enterprises.

Is there a way to determine if there may be a> Entrepreneur successful, or if you are better off working for someone else? Alas, there is no formula for success. However, most successfulentrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you have one of them:

1. Believe that success. To achieve the kind of success you want, you need to dream big. Every success story starts with big dreams. You need to have big dreams for yourself – who you want to be somebody rich, famous and respected. You must have aa clear vision of what you want to achieve. But do not stop in dreaming alone. You should actively visualize success in your mind that you can almost smell, touch or are within your reach. Play this image back at every opportunity. What do you triple your current income? How will change your life? What will your company look as if she has reached the million dollars?

Successful entrepreneurs possess an attitude of openness and faith that you can get what youIf you want you can imagine how the first step towards action to acquire it. Management gurus have taught us the power of visualization – you see in your mind that you realize your dreams. If you want to be a successful writer,do you imagine signing books for a crowd of people queuing for an autograph. If you want to be rich, Imagine yourself in a luxurious holding a fat bank account. And the process of imagining successshould be a constant activity! You must think about whathappened (or will be one) every single waking hour.

A personal development coach shared me her secret with his displays pursues its objectives at the moment: when you mount the stairs, recite your goal with every step. So if you want more money, saying "I have the money at each step of the staircase. This technique will reinforce your goal and keep the freshness in your consciousness.

2. Be passionate withWhat you are doing. Starting a company to change some or all of your life. To achieve this change, it is necessary to develop or discover the passion and intense personal change how things are and live life to the fullest. Success comes easily if you like what you do. Why? Because there is more in our ongoing quest to improve the things we love. If you dislike your job right now, you think it will never be a success? Not in million years! You can plod along, even becomerelevant tasks, but will never be a great success in it. You can obtain maximum performance and do what you must do to be successful if you do something that interests you, or something that interests you.

Successful entrepreneurs do not bother me that they put in 15 or 18 hours per day for their business because they absolutely love doing. Success in business is all patience and hard work, which can be achieved if you are passionateMadwoman of your tasks and activities.

3. Focus on your strengths. Let's face it, you can not be everything to everybody. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses. To be effective, you must identify your strengths and focus on it. You become more efficient if you are able to channel your efforts in the areas you do best. In business, for example, if you know you have good marketing instincts, then build on these strengths and make full use of it. Ask for help orassistance in areas which may be poor, such as bookkeeping or accounting. To transform your weakness to strength, consider learning or practical training.

4. Never consider the possibility of failure. Ayn Rand's novel The Fountainhead, wrote: "It's just human nature – nor of any living being, starting with the waiver." As an entrepreneur, you must fully believe in your goals, and can be done. Think what youcontribute to improving their environment and your car. You should have great faith in your idea, your ability and yourself. You must believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the ability to recognize and meet them. Plus you can develop faith in your ability to achieve your goals as quickly as possible to achieve. However, confidence must be balanced with calculated risks that you must take to obtain benefits greater. Successfulentrepreneurs are those who analyze and minimize risk in the pursuit of profit. As I always say, "no courage, no glory."

5. Accordingly. You have a vision, and have enough faith in yourself to believe you can achieve your vision. But you know how to achieve your vision? To achieve your vision, you must have concrete goals that will support the final vision. Put your goals in writing, not only as intangible fantasies.You must schedule each day so that each of your actions contribute to achieving your vision. They will include the next Martha Stewart furniture handmade for the home? Perhaps today, you need to see an artist to help you conceptualize the new line of clothes in hand, which is hoped to launch it. The orientation is the objective characteristic intense every entrepreneur to succeed. They have a vision, and I know how to get there. His ability to set goals and makeconstruction plans and skills needed to succeed. Plan, plan and plan – because without which failure is guaranteed.

6. Hard work! Every successful entrepreneur works hard, hard and difficult. No one gets an attack only by sitting and staring at the wall every day. Brian Tracy puts it this way: "You work eight hours per day to survive, while the space of eight hours per day is for success." Ask any successful businessman will tellimmediately they had to work more than 60 hours per week at the beginning of their activities. Be ready to say goodbye to a drink after work every day or a weekend regular weekend. If you're in a startup, you can breathe, eat and drink your business until it can survive alone. It's hard work will be easier if you have a vision, clear goals and are passionate about what you do.

7. Constantly look for ways to network. In business, you are judged bycompanies to maintain – the management team, board of directors and strategic partners. The companies still need help, especially for small businesses. Maybe the lady you met at a meeting of a trade association can help to secure funding, or the gentleman at a conference in a position to advise management. It is important to build alliances with people who can help you, and you can help in return. To succeed in business, you must have good networking skills and always be alert toopportunities to expand your contacts.

8. Willingness to learn. You do not have to be holder of MBA degree or doctorate to succeed in your business. In fact, there are many entrepreneurs who did not even finish secondary school. Studies show that most self-made millionaires have average intelligence. However, these people reached their full potential, achieve their financial goals and personal activities, because I am ready to learn. To succeed, you must be readyask questions, remain curious, interested and open to new knowledge. This desire to learn becomes more important given the rapidly changing technologies and ways of doing business.

9. Persevere and have faith. Nobody said that the road to success is simple. Despite its good intentions and hard work, sometimes it fails. Some entrepreneurs who have successfully undergone setbacks and resounding defeats, even bankruptcy, but managed to hold on to make it big in their fields.Your courage to persevere in adversity and the ability to recover after a temporary disappointment make you successful. You must learn to pick up and start over. Your persistence is the measure of faith in yourself. Remember that if you persevere, nothing can stop.

10. Discipline. Thomas Huxley said: "Do what you do when you have to do, whether you like it or not." Self-discipline is the key to success. The strength of the will ofTry to pay the price of success – doing what others do not like, go the extra mile, fight and win the battle alone with yourself.

Happy New Year's Dreams

The New Year is a great time to dream dreams, set goals and make a plan of action. Begin this year knowing what you want to achieve and setting out to make it happen.

Here are a couple of pointers to start you on your way:

1. . Evaluate 2009. What were your goals for last year? How far did you get? What steps did you take? What happened good you want to do again? What happened bad you want to never have happen again? What can you do about it, if anything?

2.. Make a list of what needs to happen right now. Clean up from the holidays? Throw out the Christmas tree? Reevaluate your budget? Step on the scales? Send thank you cards? What do you need to get done today? What needs to happen this week?

3. Then, make a list of what needs to happen next. Leave room for steps you are going to take in January, steps that had better be done by March-April and then, what you are going to look at in June to see where you are half way through the year. By continually revisiting important goals, you hold yourself accountable and have a much higher likelihood of success.

4. Under each goal, write what tools you are going to invest in to meet your goals. Do you need a book on personal finance? Do you need an appointment with a finance counselor? Do you need weight advice or a session with a personal trainer? Do you need a professional home organizer to get you on the right path?

Success takes investment of time and discipline. If you received money for the holidays, use a little of it to invest in the goals you wish to achieve. If there is nothing left, free up cash by returning items you don't need or selling the old.

Prove to yourself and those closest to you that you are serious about defining steps to achieving goals you didn't reach in 2009 or perhaps dreaming new dreams. Let others hold you accountable and encourage others to join your journey. Whether you decide to run a marathon, lose fifteen pounds, strengthen your faith, actually save money, get a new job or just get a job period, or learn a new skill, your issues are not uncommon. Many have gone before you on this quest and with the Internet full of great information, don't shut yourself off. Ask for help. Look around for resources that have been created for your goals. They are out there and in fact, may be sitting on your shelf waiting for you to pick up and read and be reminded of what you forgot last year.

You can do it. I am rooting for you. Let me know what I can research or write to help you reach your goals this year!

Mom, in 2010 I Will... Parents Should Encourage Family Goals, Not New Year's Resolutions

CINCINNATI, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Resolutions will be the talk of New Year's parties across the country later this month, and for many people a resolution will provide positive direction for 2010. For children, however, psychologists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center recommend this annual practice be approached carefully.

Because children often mimic their parents, the cycle of resolutions -- make one, stick to it for a few weeks, then forget it -- doesn't always set a healthy example. But Robert Ammerman, Ph.D., and Wendi Lopez, PsyD, agree that structured goal setting can be beneficial to the whole family.

Goal setting can be an annual family activity. This process teaches children about planning ahead and making commitments.

"Children should make New Year's goals that are reasonable, measurable and concrete," explains Dr. Lopez. "'I will go a week at school without any infractions' or 'I will be on the honor roll this upcoming semester.' Resolutions that are overly ambitious and can't realistically be achieved should be avoided. Keep them simple, achievable, and positive," says Dr. Lopez. "Parents should never encourage a goal if it is unhealthy or unattainable," she says.

Dr. Lopez also recommends parents have similar goals to their child. If a child wants to become healthier, for example, parents should encourage healthy behavior and lead by example, such as buying less junk food. A concrete goal could be playing the Wii Fit three times a week together. This will not only help the child from struggling alone, but will also demonstrate the importance of teamwork and support, she says.

Because children like to see results, Dr. Lopez suggests a sticker chart for young children who can measure their goals on a daily or weekly basis. For older children, weekly rewards may help keep motivation up.

"Making New Year's resolutions is not essential for children, and there are many other ways for families to bond," says Dr. Ammerman. "However, the value of goal setting is that we own it and are self-motivated to achieve the goals. When children fulfill a goal or resolution, they feel satisfaction because they have set a goal and met it."

About Cincinnati Children's

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of 10 children's hospitals in the United States to make the Honor Roll in U.S. News and World Reports 2009-10 Americas Best Children's Hospitals issue. It is #1 ranked for digestive disorders and is also highly ranked for its expertise in respiratory diseases, cancer, neonatal care, heart care, neurosurgery, diabetes, orthopedics, kidney disorders and urology. One of the three largest children's hospitals in the U.S., Cincinnati Children's is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health.

President Barack Obama in June 2009 cited Cincinnati Children's as an island of excellence in health care. For its achievements in transforming health care, Cincinnati Children's is one of six U.S. hospitals since 2002 to be awarded the American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize for leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. The hospital is a national and international referral center for complex cases. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org.

10 Ways to Mess Up an Interview

For your entertainment, here’s another take on how to answer interview questions you may face:

1.  “What’s your biggest mistake on the job?”  Talk about the time that youremoved a safety rail to retrieve an item you had dropped, resulting in you falling several feet.  Hey, it shows that you can think for yourself.  No running to your supervisor with every little problem for you!

2.  “Who was your worst boss, and why?“  Tell the hiring manager ALL about that jerk you worked for two jobs ago.  Really, they want Every. Sordid. Detail.

3.  “Why did you leave your past employer?”  Gush, “I really loved working for that company… If I had not been laid off, I would still be there!”  It shows your loyalty.

4.  “What have you been doing during your layoff?”  Explain how you are working to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most rotations in one minute while hanging from a power drill.  (At least it’s not the smallest corseted waist you’re going for.  That’s just creepy.)

5.  “What motivates you?”  It’s important to be honest in an interview, so just tell them the truth: “Money.  Lots and lots of money.”

6.  “Tell me about your children.“  Now here’s a topic you know a lot about!  Go on and on about your little darlings and yank out the photos you have.  You know that once you were hired, you would have their pictures and artwork all over the place, anyway.

7.  “What are your short-term and long-term goals?”  Be sure to keep all the focus on yourself and what you want to do.  By doing so, the company will know what they have to do to conform to your expectations.  You’re a quality candidate, so they should have no qualms about doing that.

 8.  “Describe how you intend to reach your objectives.”  Oh, this is easy.  “By riding on the coattails of others.”  (What — it’s a legit strategy, right?)

9.  “Why should we hire you?”  Respond, “Because I’m the best.”  Yeah, people really like overconfident divas who think that everyone else in the office is stupid.  This kind of attitude is especially great for management positions.

10. “Do you have any questions for us?”  Are you kidding me?  Don’t ask a thing.  If you can get out of there without bolting for the door or fainting because of your nerves, consider that an accomplishment.

Obviously, don’t follow any of the advice put forth today.  Well, unless you want to bomb the interview.  And I’m sure you don’t, so just run in the opposite direction of everything said toda