'What Is Your Goal For 2009?'

A New Year starts for many people by setting goals and there are many techniques that you can use so i thought that i would share mine with you.

There is a saying that goes, “success leaves clues”, meaning do what successful people do and you will be successful. And one thing they all have in common is that they all write goals.

Without a goal, how do you know what you want?

Without a goal, how do you get back on track when you lose focus?

And without a goal, how do you continually inspire and motivate yourself?

That is how important a goal is.

It also gives you the shortest route from where you are to where you want to be, a bit like a route map!


So what makes a great goal?


A. Specificity……include as much detail as possible, how much money do you want, what type and colour is that dream car and what countries do you want to holiday in?


B. Measurable……once the goal is written it will be chunked down in to measurable steps.


C. Evidential……you need to see evidence that you are progressing so that you stay motivated.


D. Responsibility……you must take responsibility for the goal, only YOU can make it happen and only YOU can make it fail.


E. Timed……once written you must add a date by which you will achieve the goal.


F. Inspirational……if when you read your goal you feel inspired then you will feel motivated to go for it.


G. Emotion……you must include emotion in the goal because your emotion is the equivalent to petrol in a car it fuels you towards your goal. It is the energy that takes you away from where you don’t want to be to where you do want to be.


Finally it must be written in the present tense like you have already achieved it.


So, let’s get your goal down on paper.

My personal approach to writing a goal is to write a vocational goal that includes many aspects of your life.

Here is an example of one of my client’s goals:-


“It is 08/08/2008 and as I stand in the garden of my Devon home I look back at the house and I feel very happy and contented. I can see all of my friends and family enjoying the barbecue and some of them are swimming in the pool and the sound of them laughing and shouting makes me feel very proud of my achievements.

Working from the office in my home I have built a very successful business which gives me a salary of £10,000 p.m. and the money from my construction company that we sold recently is in my high interest bank account. We own numerous buy to let properties in the UK as well as commercial properties and a holiday home in Spain with an office where I can work when we are there.

Zoë really loves her life and is doing so well at drama school and Karen has just set up an antique business with her friend which is doing really well.

As I taste the white wine on my lips I feel grateful for the life that we have and the effort that I have put in means that I have been able to indulge in my passion for classic cars of which I have 7, my favourite being my dark green Mustang.

The sun is warming my body and I feel fit and healthy thanks to my personal fitness trainer who comes to my home gym three times a week to put me through my paces.

I have finally achieved the freedom that I have always desired and I realise that Karen, Zoë and I are truly living the life of our dreams”.


Look, and you will see, many examples of being specific, many examples of emotion such as, feeling proud and grateful. Look at how all the senses are included, hearing his friends laughing, tasting the wine, how he sees his house and feels the warm sun and of course it includes the date by which he is going to achieve it, a classic example of how to write a great goal.

Notice that there is no reference to any bad points such as past experiences as the goal has to focus on everything that you want.

This is so important because as they say “you get what you wish for so be careful for what you wish” In other words think about negative situations and that is what you will get more of.



I hope that was useful and may 2009 be your best ever year!