| Goals are important at all stages of your life. They | | | | good to work towards your goal without having any |
| give you a feeling of happiness and satisfaction when | | | | idea of when it is to be achieved. You have to say, |
| you achieve them, and a feeling of enthusiasm and | | | | "I will accomplish this by May 1," or whatever date |
| excitement as you set out to accomplish them. They | | | | you decide. Again, be realistic, so you don't feel let |
| are also important in improving many other aspects | | | | down if you don't reach it. If your goal is to lose, |
| of your life: your self-image, self confidence, | | | | say, 30 pounds, then set yourself a goal of losing 10 |
| self-esteem, and your happiness in general. Not only | | | | pounds a month for three months. |
| do they improve your well-being, but they also | | | | Many people prefer to have milestones, or |
| improve you as a person. They increase your abilities, | | | | short-term, goals along their path to the final goal, |
| they strengthen your strong points and they help | | | | and this is a good idea. For example, if your goal is to |
| overcome your weaknesses, and also of importance, | | | | run a mile in 4:20, begin with a goal of five minutes, |
| they make you forget yourself and your everyday | | | | then try to improve to 4:40 over the next six |
| problems. When you're busy trying to accomplish | | | | months, and 4:20 over the following six months. This |
| your goals, you're too busy to worry about personal | | | | will give you a feeling of accomplishment as you |
| problems. | | | | reach each of the short-term goals, and it will help |
| The first thing you have to do is think seriously | | | | keep you on course. |
| about what your goals are. Be realistic, but don't be | | | | One of the problems with goals is that many people |
| afraid of shooting too high. Maybe it's to make a | | | | eventually give up. For a goal to have meaning you |
| certain amount of money, or become an | | | | must take it seriously -- very seriously. This means |
| accomplished athlete, or a successful musician. | | | | you must have determination, and one of the best |
| Whatever it is, fix it firmly in your mind, then write it | | | | ways to keep this determination is to develop |
| down. It's also important at this stage to picture | | | | tremendous enthusiasm and excitement for what |
| yourself accomplishing it. This helps create a deep | | | | you are doing. Don't let it become a chore; don't let it |
| desire within yourself for achieving it, which is | | | | become boring. A good way to make sure you do |
| important. Let it become a burning desire. | | | | this is to keep your eye on the final objective. |
| Writing down your goal is the first step, but of | | | | Persistence is the key; don't let anything stop you, |
| course you also need to set up a program for | | | | and keep telling yourself that you're never going to |
| accomplishing it, and it should also be written down. | | | | give up until you have achieved what you want. |
| In short, you have to have a plan, and it must be | | | | Everyone has disappointments when they start out |
| detailed. Set it up so that you know what you are | | | | on a path such as this, but don't let them get to you. |
| going to be doing each day, and what you will | | | | Don't let them get in your way. Success is possible if |
| accomplish each week and each month. | | | | you keep at it. |
| Finally, you have to give yourself a time limit. It's no | | | | |