| Introduction | | | | don't love doing any of those, then pick |
| If you are reading this article then the chances | | | | something else). Now, answer this question: "How |
| are that there are things in your life that are not | | | | much hard work is it to do this thing?" |
| as you would like them to be; the circumstances | | | | It's not at all hard is it? Yet, you are spending |
| of your life aren't all that you would have hoped | | | | time and energy (probably as much as you can |
| for; or you find that you are unhappy with the | | | | spare) on these activities. The same applies to |
| way things are. | | | | work, business or whatever you do to eat, clothe |
| The good news is you're not alone and you are | | | | and shelter yourself. If you really love doing what |
| about to learn about 3 mistakes that people | | | | you are doing, then it's not hard work at all. There |
| frequently make and how to avoid them. These | | | | may be small parts of it that you don't enjoy so |
| things prevent you from having the life of your | | | | much, but generally you'll just skip through these |
| dreams. | | | | and get on to the good stuff. |
| Remember: Change does not happen over night! | | | | In my work (which I adore), I meet so many |
| The principles and tips you will learn need to be | | | | people who are slogging their guts out at work, |
| practiced and applied in your life by You. No-one | | | | striving to achieve more and earn more money. |
| else can do any of these things for you! | | | | Really, they are slowly wasting away their time |
| 1. Not Setting Goals and Not Dreaming | | | | on things they really don't enjoy doing, in order to |
| Top of the list of mistakes is the lack of Goals | | | | have enough money to buy something that might |
| and Dreams. For many people, simply setting | | | | make them feel happy for a while. |
| goals and defining their dreams for themselves is | | | | Why not do what you enjoy, anyway? |
| 90% of the problem. "Yes, yes, I've heard all this | | | | Is this not your challenge, to find the thing you |
| before..." Mmm... so how come you are reading | | | | love to do and then do as much of it as you can? |
| this article? | | | | Ok, so it might not be easy to find, but I assure |
| Most people have heard somewhere that they | | | | you that if you look and you are open to it, you |
| are "supposed" to set Goals and have Dreams, | | | | will find it. |
| but 95% of us don't bother. Is it any wonder | | | | Think about the people who seem to skip happily |
| then that only 5% of people ever achieve their | | | | through life, they appear to get all the breaks and |
| goals? Well if they are the only people setting | | | | the good stuff... |
| them, then isn't it pretty obvious??? | | | | They are simply happy with what they are doing! |
| So, is it as simple as setting goals? Well, yes and | | | | 3. Wondering, "Why Does it Always Happen to |
| no. Only a fool would think that they simply had | | | | Me?" |
| to write down a long list of things that they want | | | | This is what I call 'self-entrapment'. Thinking |
| and they would magically appear! Don't get me | | | | thoughts like this keeps you trapped in a loop that |
| wrong, I'm not saying that goals need lots of hard | | | | you cannot easily escape from. Imagine a world |
| work attached to them, we'll get to that in a little | | | | where everything that is going to happen is |
| while! | | | | governed by what has happened before! In fact |
| There are good goals and ones that aren't any | | | | the only certainty we know is death - and with |
| good. The following principles will help you to | | | | advances in medical science, it wouldn't surprise |
| define a goal that you are likely to get attached | | | | me if we find a way to eradicate that little |
| to and, as such, are likely to achieve. | | | | problem one day! |
| S.M.A.R.T. Goals | | | | So why do so many of us live our lives based on |
| - S - Simple Is it simple to convey your goal in a | | | | this unwavering belief that things always happen |
| few words? | | | | this way, or bad things always happen to us? |
| - M - Measurable How will you measure your | | | | Well, your brain believes that you need to make |
| progress? | | | | sense of your world and so it remembers |
| - A - Achievable Can you achieve the goal? | | | | everything that ever happens to you. Then, when |
| - R - Realistic Are you being realistic about time | | | | it perceives that you need more information, it will |
| and details? | | | | present you with all the evidence to suggest what |
| - T - Timely Have you put a date on it? There | | | | might be about to happen. The problem is that it |
| are other important aspects too: | | | | is often passed through a filter - normally a |
| - Positive goal - never use words like "not" and | | | | negative one. |
| "don't" etc. e.g. I am not poor, instead, say "I am | | | | Now this filter is trying to do something positive |
| wealthy". | | | | for you, it is trying to keep you safe, or sane. |
| - Present tense - write the goal as if you have | | | | However all that it achieves is to create fear, |
| achieved it now, or say something like: "It is the | | | | discomfort and indecision in you. This keeps you |
| 25th of January 2011 and I have..." | | | | stuck in the past - usually with the belief that if |
| - Focus - don't dwell on the goal all the time, but | | | | it's happened before, then it'll happen again. In |
| leave reminders such as photos, or 'post-it notes' | | | | order to create lasting change in your life, you are |
| around that you will see every now and again to | | | | going to need to do something different to the |
| keep your focus steady but relaxed. So, to sum | | | | way you have done it previously. In order to do |
| up, in order to achieve something, you have to | | | | this, you have to believe that things can be |
| set goals... | | | | different. "Why does it always happen to me?" is |
| Otherwise, what on earth are you aiming for??? | | | | going to need to be replaced by something like, "I |
| 2. Making a Living, Not Making a Life | | | | have the opportunity to be different and to |
| The belief that you have to work hard to get | | | | attract new, more positive circumstances into my |
| anywhere in life is an extremely common one. | | | | life." |
| The bottom line is that if something feels like hard | | | | So, you can believe that: because the last 3 |
| work, how likely are you to be happy about it? If | | | | major life decisions you have made haven't |
| you are working hard at something that you | | | | worked out, that there is no point making a new |
| really loathe to do, find boring, or doesn't satisfy | | | | one now. Alternatively, you can think: |
| you, then no amount of amazing outcome will | | | | "I have learned so much from my past choices |
| ever make the journey worthwhile. | | | | and I can build on this learning with my next |
| In order to move forward in life, you need to | | | | choice." |
| redefine your ideas about working hard. Think of | | | | One final thought, from one of the great business |
| something you really love to do, maybe golf, | | | | philosophers: "For things to change you have to |
| shopping or spending time with the kids (if you | | | | change. |