Be Best You

When you are so passionate about becoming something or doing somethings , the next most vital step to take is setting goals to achieve the desired dream. Goal setting is the setting of time targeted objectives. For instance , you may have desired to have your own business and now you decided to set a target for yourself to quit your day job in the next two years and establish your business.

Goal setting is a proof that you really believe in that dream or ambition you are passionate about. Some major goals may require sub-goals to achieve them. I have always wanted to run my own business, help people realize their life purpose, and be actively involved in community programs. When I entered university, the idea became such an integral part of me that it got filtered into every discussion I had with colleagues . I knew this what I wanted of life . After graduation, I worked for few companies , not until I released the heat of this passion by sitting down and started setting goals geared towards achieving this ambitions that I actually felt responsive and integrated into these ambitions. I felt they was now really coming alive .

Goal setting is a process that will required the analyzing and understanding of different issues and elements involved. I started goal setting by evaluating my daily activities in relation to my ambitions, which I found to be very poor . I knew that if I continue doing things the way I do them, use my time the way I use it , I may never realise my dream. Then I had to decide which daily activity had to go, be on hold , which to keep and then which to delegate.

Then I had to clear the air. For goal setting to be focused and targeted, you need to be quite sure the direction you aiming for. If you have two or more independently unrelated ambitions, one may have to wait for the other to take root. Determine which one should come first, after which others will follow. In my case, I knew naturally that starting my business had to come first . Once it is standing fairly strong and demanding less effort ,then enough time, resources and energy will be freed to be plugged into other ambitions. This will ensure that the mind is not crowded which invariably leads to time wasting , inefficiency, stress , distraction and numbness.

Next in my goal setting was the mapping out of actionable , understandable ,and time- bound plans . I had to tell myself what I wanted to accomplish in the next three – four months,and what I have to do everyday to achieve my goal. Most often people don’t like the phrase”time-bound” . It gets you wondering what if you don’t achieve the plan within the stipulated time ,won’t that give the impression of laziness and unseriousness. I don’t quite like the phrase either but I found out that putting a time on a plan can be helpful (you might not quite like what is right for you). It have a way of keeping you on alert and making you bounce back to your drive when it starts waning.

For goal setting to be realizable and relevant it has to reckon with the situation presently on ground. By this I mean, since goal setting is primarily about time usage and time management geared towards achieving a goal(s), every activity that takes any percentage of your time should be recognized. Goal setting should be a good mix of the daily activities you are keeping and the daily actions geared towards achieving your goal(s). These daily actions should take the bulk of your time(where possible) and should be given top priority (thing(s) that must be done even when you didn’t carry out other activities) in the day.

With things better defined through goal setting , it is easier to step out , take actions , and stay motivated geared towards the actualization of your dream.

I really don’t like being monitored or checked on. But I learnt though I may not like it (you may not quite enjoy what is right for you) it helps to keep me on track . There is something about relaxing on your guards ; it gives room for a false hope and a subtle relaxing on your drive which eventually denies you the intended accomplishment of your set goals.

We are two months into the year. I was wondering how has it been with your new year resolution. I believe you made one at least if you have been reading my articles especially the one on new year resolution. It might not necessarily be about quiting some habits or starting something new (that will be wonderful) ,something as seemingly insignificant as having a nudge in your mind for a change is a good start which I believe this article will help.

I made up my mind at the beginning of the year to start waking up much earlier in the morning – two hours earlier . This was necessary because I released that I am more productive in the morning hours with less distractions, therefore I need to do it to meet up with my daily action plans. More productive hours was very necessary to my achieving my year’s goal. Achieving this also requires that I take break from work and rest at the right time in the day. I have to keep check on myself on this resolution and I found this article-The ultimate guide to motivation useful. You can check on it . You will like it . Stay motivated

I started my first business while I still had a day job . I had to squeeze out time to attend to it despite my tight work schedules . I was hard pressed with time . Sometimes it could be so difficult to have full four hours for my business in a day . It was that difficult. Sometimes, I was just too fagged out to look at the computer or even write . I had to fight for my dream . I wanted to quit my day job . I wanted to run my own business. I needed to put somethings in place then quit. So for that to be done , I had to drag myself along despite the odds . I tried to make out time in between my tight schedules . I knew I had to work things out so as to quit and this just have to be done . It is not easy but who says it is impossible .
Sometimes, I was emotionally , mentally and physically drained out after my day’s schedules but I got to fight and be strong to achieve this dream . I had to work on it in season and out of season, when I feel like it and when I don’t feel so.

I once had an attack of an illness that plagued me for long .When I got to know the word of God concerning my healing and divine health , I knew that I had to be strong for myself to be free of the sickness.
I have a friend who was at a time fighting drinking and smoking habits. He once told me that if he doesn’t smoke , it feels like the food he ate had not digested. I had to make him see that he has to fight that stronghold that is holding on his mind that has conditioned his body’s digestive system. I told him he has to be strong to be free from those habits.
I have another friend who was once fighting alcoholism . It was really serious. He said that it a means of easing off tension. I got him to see reasons why he had to be strong against that lie that had gotten deep into his mind that alcoholism is used to ease off tension . There are quite a number of effective and health ways to ease off tension . The one I have found very efficacious is the mediating upon the love and promises of God as I sing His praises.

Being strong for yourself is not like trying to surmount an uphill which you can win or loss. I always remember the word of God that says that we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us . This is a fight -a good fight of faith. I know that God is watching His word to see it fulfilled. So I refused to fret for I knew then that I am already victorious. You have to master the ups and downs of emotions , circumstances , situations and make up your mind to continue to pick yourself up and continue on your path. Stay Motivated

Saying ‘yes’ to ideas especially those outside your comfort zone can best be described as a leap of faith.

I was going through my goal/plan diary that I have kept for years. I saw that some of the set goals have been accomplished while some of them were never started despite my passion and plans. This got me wondering. Deep down in my spirit, I knew why –My dear, you have to take a leap of faith to start on them. Waiting for a wonder day that something will happen that will assure you that your plans will be successful is only a mirage. I had to face the hard fact that I was wasting time and that my dream was waiting for me. I knew I had to step into my plans despite the many questions still bombarding my mind and trust God for guidance as I take day by day steps towards achieving my dream.
I came across this write-up, The Most Important Career Question, and I like it, you can check it out. Stay Motivated

Fear of failure is a big threat to achieving your dream . It tackles the mind in different ways based on your area of weakness . Agreeing to do things as minor as being an usher in a party or the church may not be a big thing to an extrovert but to an introvert ,it is a big issue.

Blocking off things not comfortable to you may cause you to block off major things like starting on your dream. If you can learn to just agree to an idea rather than fight it off, step into the idea rather than wonder about it ,you will be amazed at the height you can attain in life . As you make it a habit to say “yes” to things especially things outside your comfort zone ,you are undoubtedly learning and developing the ability to say “yes” to your dream.
I like this article on the power of saying ‘Yes’- The Power of Yes, a Simple Way to Get More Out of Life. Stay motivated

Somethings you have to know:

a. Life issues revolve about an axis

b. What you get out of a situation depends on how this axis interacts and handles that situation.

c. The mind is this axis

d. How the mind is informed and subsequently handles issues placed before it has a lot to do with your stability in that area of your life.

The battle is in the mind. That is where the issues of life are settled. There is always these warring worlds of thoughts in your mind, one trying to make you feel all is lost because your pockets are empty and there seem to be no help in sight or your business is having a serious shaking while the other is encouraging you to hold on against all odds that it will all work out fine. Warring thoughts on your relationship, one fuelling the anger, pain, arrogance, rigidity, skepticism, spite, stand-off, self centeredness ,negative criticism, while the other is encouraging you to forgive, reach out, accommodate, overlook, believe, trust and be flexible.
The thought that has the upper hand becomes the mindset that determines how that issue of life is settled.

Transforming your mind to be well informed to handle any issue is invariably the most important investment in your life. No matter the actions you are taking to achieve your goals in life or the status you have attained or your achievements, if there is no serious conscious effort to invest in your mind, you may find out that you are not well positioned to sustain any effort or any material possessions amassed.When the issues of life come challenging you and the battles of life stir at your face, you will need all the fire-power you can muster to knock down those damaging thoughts which undoubtedly led to a stronghold on your mind. You have to renew your mind with the Word of God. Get it digested into your spirit so as to form your mindset. Also get interested in informative materials that will improve your mind, so that when the trying time come and the warring thoughts try to daze your mind , you will know the thought that is a lie which should be pulled down. Stay Motivated

Are you the kind of person who is more likely to give up and surrender after only a half-hearted attempt, or are you the kind who works problems through a satisfactory ending? If you’re described as the former, you better get working on becoming the latter because it is determination that is most likely to make the difference in whether you succeed in your business or not. Persistence is that driving force within you which pushes you to keep on going and going (like the Energizer bunny) until a goal is reached. If you choose and ultimately decide not to give up at all no matter what challenges life may throw at you, there is really no limit to whatever you could accomplish.

So if you are really that serious about running your own business and have come up with a feasible strategy and a plan on how to get started, then you already know and anticipate that you would have to face numerous obstacles on your way to success. And one of the most essential tools you need to possess and adopt in order to conquer these obstacles is persistence.

You definitely have to utilize that persistence if you want and aspire to have a successful business venture. To be truly persistent, you should be actively determined and striving to attain a desired outcome; you can’t just be trudging along.
Blindly feeling around for an answer is not likely to help and do not really deserve to be called persistence. Therefore, don’t make the mistake of thinking that being persistent is just blundering carelessly in the midst of unfavorable situations.

Consider that often the most effective and efficient way to crack and solve any problem is to keep coming back to it from varied perspectives until you’re able to find a solution for it. It is your persistence that would keep you going on your day to day activities while you build up and develop your customer and client base and start to earn enough income to support yourself and eventually your family.

A secret to this style of being persistent is to set and plan detailed goals of precisely what you want to achieve at various points in the future. The more specific a picture you could create and conceive in your mind of what you truly want, the better. By keeping your thoughts concentrated on what you desire to accomplish, and then by doing whatever it takes to get there every day, you keep yourself working towards what you truly aim for. Problem solving is not the only way persistence can assist you in business. Most new businesses take a long time to become stable and profitable and yours would likely be not an exception.

Begin to recognize the fact that very few things as invaluable as a highly successful and profitable business venture will never come your way without great effort, determination in the face of adversity, enormous sacrifice and the capacity to solve the innumerable hardships you face. Now this is the very definition of persistence.

The author of this article Amy Twain is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently decided to go public and share her knowledge and experience through her website http://www.innerzine.com/. You can sign up for her free newsletter and join her coaching program. Stay Motivated

Your spirit , the ‘inner you’, is always in affirmation .There is always the ‘we can do it mentality’ in your spirit. But the self is often reluctant to agree and slow to take on the unknown or the daring . Your spirit which is your ‘inside hero’ is always willing to change , to fly , to be anything it desires to be . But self starts asking questions about the how, the where and the who . Sooner or later a weak spirit surrenders and begins to analyse and find reasons why things can’t be done or why you shouldn’t be too ambitious. Your spirit should gain mastery over self .

You conquer yourself by making sure this ‘inner you’ is health and in charge. Your spirit becomes healthy when it is well mastered. You achieve this by feeding it right . Feed your spirit with the best food-the word of God. Feed it with positive , inspiring information. As it stays in these right information , your faith is built up to believe in yourself, your dream and stand up to the challenges of life . Then will the ‘inner you’, ‘the hero in you’, become your strong companion in life. Be inspired

‘New Year Resolution’ is one phrase that I have come to hear at a certain time of the year almost all the years of my life . It has continued through my life.

When I was a child, I remember, my parents do ask us to make a new year resolution and encouraged us to stick to it .I remember ,I would say something as my new year resolution.

At least, that was expected of an obedient , normal child. I can’t remember any of those resolutions for new year that stuck deep enough to be remembered after the first day of saying it .It was like that for me and most likely for most people .

Some maybe more resolute and keep new year resolution a bit longer but most often the new year resolution idea gets swept away from their minds with the passage of events as the year gets older.

Maybe it is the wishy- washy way it is being handled that brought about the non seriousness attached to it . But is there really anything as NEW YEAR RESOLUTION?

Is the phrase wrong ? Or is it the attitude towards it ?I believe when people talk about new year resolution they mean that there is one or two issues in their lives which they think is not so right and now they are stating their intention to turn new leaves. Nice thought . Then why don’t people get to do much with it? Maybe is that of understanding, believing, defining and actioning.

1. Understanding : You got to understand that wrong habits are deeper than we think. There is a spiritual dimension to it that has to be reckoned with . The ability to live right comes from God .

No wonder the bible says in John 1:12,’ “To all who received Him,who believed in His name ,He gave the power to become the children of God’”,and Romans 3:22, ‘”The righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…. .”

When you accept Christ into your life . There is an enablement to live right before God . It is a gift . It is called the gift of righteousness. With this enablement you can step out in faith.

2. Believing: This understanding brings the need to believe God’s gift and accept it . You accept it by believing it .

3. Defining Your Expectation: You havet to analyse the different areas of your life and categorise them according to your expectation. You may categories the different areas you want improvement as follows: Spiritual life ;Emotional life ;Physical life ;Career ; Relationships.

Spiritual development comes through fellowship with God. You reach your highest overall development in fellowship with God . Why? For all the strength and power needed to put all other areas of your life right come from your spirit.

Your spiritual development grows with your relationship with God .You probably need development in this area of your life . Your best companion will be your bible. Get to know God’s word for your life and trust Him to lead you right.

Are you fearful , insecure , angry and anxious ? Whichever area  of your emotions is running you down. Are there some habits you think need to be changed? Are there areas in your relationship with others you need to work on?

4. Actioning : Now you have defined the different areas you need improvement. Then set goals and break those goals into actionable parts. For example, you want an improvement in your finance, then start by stating how much you want to realize . Then set in place action plans to achieve this goal.

It may require getting a new job, starting a business, attending courses for better qualification.Whatever it may take, let it be understandable , actionable , time-bound .

You may need a better control of your emotions. Maybe you are irritable . Define what you think causes the irritation . It could be that you find it hard tolerating others and flay up when things don’t agree with you.

Then start working on your temper . When people say or do what you will ordinarily get offended with, practise keeping quite until you are quietened on the inside( not easy but you can do it ).

Try taking one word at a time , don’t rush it . Be determined to talk nicely when all your nerves are screaming for a shout. Continue to practise this and trust God for the strength to live right.

Maybe you need an improvement in your academics . How much of your time is wasted moving from post to post ,living a lie , an illusion of being studious, running after lecturers to help with one course or the other,and looking for one student to teach you one thing or the other?

How much of your time do you actually sit down and really study? Moving up and down is much easier than sitting down and studying . You need time management planning. Define the time for all your activities. Give yourself sufficient time to study.

If it is in your career that you need improvement; what about going for a course to be better informed? Define the time for your registration and duration of the course and get on with it . Let this year’s New Year Resolution be the one that will bring the transformation you so desire.
Be inspired.

Recently I heard someone say that what we feed our minds is just as important as what we feed our bodies. I really believe that to be true. The people we spend time with, the books we read, and the things we listen to can help move us forward or move us backward.

I don’t listen to the news much, because it is almost entirely negative. The economy dominates news stories, and it’s all about fear and lack. Jobs lost, businesses going bankrupt, etc. The stock market is being run on fear.
That doesn’t mean I am unaware of what is going on. The economy very well may get worse, especially as people are afraid to spend, afraid of losing their jobs, and not taking measures to secure their financial future.
If you listen to or read any success coaches such as Tony Robbins, Jack Canfield and many others, one thing they all emphasize is the importance of personal development. They teach it is vital to feed the mind regularly with good books and CDs. I think if people as successful as they are do this on a daily basis, how much more should everyone else?

We do live in a negative world. It’s been that way as long as I remember, and I don’t see things changing any time soon. For that reason we need to discipline ourselves to make reading or listening to CDs a regular habit. Even 20 minutes a day can make a difference, of course the more the better.

It’s also important to guard ourselves from negative people, at least as much as we can. If you have goals and dreams, people with negative opinions may try and drag you down. Surrounding yourself with encouraging and sharp people will help guard you against this.
We can be and do anything we desire, with discipline, belief and action. And it all starts with what is in our minds.
Joanne has a successful home based business at http://joanneott.com
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