10 Steps to Achieving Your Goals By Brian Bartes

The ability to set goals and to develop a plan for the accomplishment of those goals is arguably the most important ingredient of success.

Mastering this skill will enable you to achieve your dreams faster than you ever thought possible.

The goal-achieving system below is a powerful, yet simple strategy that can be used to help you achieve anything in life that you desire.

1. Set your goal. The first step is to find a goal that is big enough to inspire you. Unless you are truly inspired to accomplish the goal, it is just a wish. By calling it a “goal”, you are affirming that (a) you desire it intensely, (b) you truly believe in your ability to achieve your goal and (c) you are willing to pay the price in advance for achieving your goal.

2. Write down your goal. Writing out your goal stimulates the “filtering” part of your brain, called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). When you write down your goal, the RAS begins collecting relevant information, then sends results to the conscious part of your mind. It acts “behind the scenes”, causing you to become aware of opportunities that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Make sure that the goal is positive, is written in the present tense, is action-oriented, and is specific and as detailed as possible.

3. Establish a deadline for the achievement of your goal. By setting a deadline, your subconscious is activated to ensure the achievement of your goal within the prescribed time frame. If you follow all the steps in this process, and your projections are realistic, then you will achieve your goal by the deadline.

4. Determine how you will benefit from achieving the goal. You will only be compelled to achieve your goal if it is something that inspires you, something that causes such intense desire in you that you are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal. By writing down the reasons you want to achieve your goal, you’ll discover how intense your desire really is.

5. Identify what stands between you and your goal. There will probably be several elements standing between you and your goal. Make a list of these “challenges”, and rank them in order of priority. Then, begin taking action to remove each of the elements that stands in the way of the accomplishment of your goal.

6. Design an action plan for accomplishing your goal. This detailed plan will encompass everything that you have done in the previous steps. Write out all the steps that you will have to take, and rank them in order of priority. Assign target dates for each step.

7. Visualize your goal as already having been accomplished. Review your goal daily. Also, the more detailed you can make your vision, the more powerful it will be.

8. Affirm your goal as already having been accomplished. Every day, read your goal either silently or aloud. Repeat it to yourself, over and over again.

9. Resolve to take massive action toward the achievement of your goal. Persistence and determination will keep you on the success track anytime obstacles try to stand in your way. By taking continuous action, you will eventually reach the point where nothing can stop you.

10. Take one specific action every day to propel you toward your goal. By taking continuous action, you develop the necessary discipline and momentum that you will need to achieve your goals.

Any worthwhile goal requires sustained effort. By consistently applying the methods above, you will develop the success habits that will enable you to achieve any goal that you desire.

by Brian Bartes
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AWESOME is All I Can Say

This is only a 1 minute, 44 second video and it is brilliant. Make sure you read as well as listen...forward and backward.

This is a video that was submitted in a contest by a 20-year old. The contest was titled "u @ 50" by AARP. This video won second place. When they showed it, everyone in the room was awe-struck and broke into spontaneous applause. So simple and yet so brilliant. Take a minute and watch it.


Click on the link below:

Lost Generation

or copy and paste, but watch it!!!!




http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=42E2fAWM6rA

ON REACHING AGREEMENTS

To Genereal John C. Pemberton, who was commanding the Confederate forces trapped within Vicksburg, surrendering with the "honors of war" was an important issue. He wrote to Ulysses S Grant:

"...in justice voth to the honor and spirit of my troops, manifested in the defense of Vicksburg...at ten o'clock a.m. tomorrow [July 4, 1863], I propose to...surrender by marching out with my colors and arms, stacking them in front of my present lines. After which you till take possession."

To this Grant replied:

"If you mean by your proposition for each brigade to march to the front of the lines now occupied by it, and stack arms at ten o'clock a.m., and then return to the inside and there remain as prisoners until properly paroled, I will make no objections to it."

LESSON: Agreements are reached when each party thinks it has cut the best deal it can. A bargain is when each party thinks it has gotten the better of the other. Onve of the best ways to insure that the party you are negotiating with thinks it is getting a bargain is to yield on symbolic issues that are important to the other party but have no substantive impact on the results of the negotiations.

One Possession

By Jeff Smith

It was only one possession,
Why must my coach scream,
My poor defense permitted the basket,
But what can one hoop mean?

As the pass comes my direction,
And I fumble it into the stands,
The coach's voice rings loud and clear,
"Catch with your eyes and hands!"

C'mon coach, its a single possession,
Our team will be okay,
It's just the first two minutes,
My gosh, we got all day.

At the 2nd quarter mark I remember,
That the center is strong and stout,
A putback for two, quite simply due,
To my failure to turn and blockout.

But it was only one possession,
I didn't commit a crime,
My team is ahead and I'm playing well,
And there's still plenty of time!

As the halftime buzzer is sounding,
And I watch the ball bank in,
I know I will hear from my loving coach,
Of my questionable effort to defend.

But it was only one possession,
Coach - don't have a heart attack!
We're down by one, but were having fun,
I know we'll get the lead back!

The second half mirrors the first,
But it's early, it's not a big deal
That my failure to use a pass fake
Results in an unlikely steal.

But quickly I sink a jumper,
I'm greeted by high fives and slaps,
but the next possession I give up a layup,
while suffering mental lapse.

But its only one possession,
C'mon coach, chill out.
It's crazy to see you disgusted,
As you slap the assistant and shout.

"Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.
Single possessions are the key.
So treat them like gold and do as you are told.
And play with intensity."

I step to the line for one and one,
But I'm having a concentration lapse.
The ball soars through the air - Good Lord, it's a brick!
I'm afraid the support will collapse.

In post game I sit at my locker,
Pondering what more I could do.
I realize the value of each possession,
what a shame that we lost by two.

PUSHING

We will be PUSHING our athletes for success in athletics, academics, and in life.

Passion – do not be luke warm. Have a fire your teammates can depend on.

Unity – do not divide our house. A team united is a stronger team. Be more concerned with what is right, not who is right.

Servant-hood – make your teammates better. Doing what is best for our team brings the success we are all working for. Lead by example – be willing to do the little things needed for success.

Humility – have pride, not arrogance. Let the team’s performance speak for itself.

Identity – know who we are and what we do. The star of the team is the team. WE supersedes me.

Notable – bring positive attention to our program in everything that you do. You are an ambassador of our program in class, in the hallways, in the community – everywhere!

Gracious – learn to win and lose with class. Respect will be earned through our character revealed in athletic competition.

PEOPLE NEED MEANINGFUL WORK

When Ulysses S Grant's name is mentioned, the first image most Americans have is that of a hard-drinking general. This characterization of Grant dates from his last pre-Civil War army post, at Fort Humboldt, California. He had left his wife nearly two years earlier, pregnant and with their two-year old son. Grant was homesick, but more importantly, because he and his commanding officer did not hit it off, he was given no work to do. On February 2, 1854, he wrote a letter to his wife that began: "You do not know how forsaken I feel here."

"My family...consisted now of a wife and two children. I saw no chance of supporting them on the Pacific coast out of my pay as an army officer. I concluded therefore to resign." Ulysses S Grant

Because he had no meaningful responsibilities, Grant's feelings of loneliness were exacerbated. This, in turn, led to increased drinking and his resignation from the army.

LESSON: Without meaningful work, life stinks. People become demoralized and incapacitated. Some become permanently turned off and lose their future potential. Having a chronically underworked staff is every bit as bad as having one that is overworked.

PERFORMANCE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR

"When you give it your best effort, you may run out of time, but you will never lose a game, regardless of the score!"

Coaches expect their players to play with determination and effort, to play hard, and to play through adversity; but very few coaches give them the means or the tools that will allow them to accomplish these great expectations. Knowing and understanding the various phases of human behavior and how they effect performance will enable players not only to play through adversity, but to be more successful and productive in the process.

When faced with a difficult task or adversity, players will progress through the following three phases or levels of human behavior:

Phase I: EFFORT AND DETERMINATION

• Success is achieved through hard work and determination. Great athletes view adversity and pressure situations as challenges rather than threats. They are very determined, and will work harder for longer periods of time than mediocre ones.

• Players must learn to play through adversity to be successful. "Only worry about the things you can control." In fact, great athletes never allow a bad call or bad play effect their performance & concentration. They may have some bad moments, but never a bad game (or day).

• All great athletes possess the ability to bounce back. "No matter how many times you get knocked down, you are only beaten when you fail to get up."
Rev. Bob Richards: The Atmosphere of Greatness

Phase II: LOSS OF SELF-CONTROL

• When efforts are unsuccessful, players progress into the second phase of behavior and start to loose self-control. They become frustrated and aggressive, getting verbally and physically abusive. They look for excuses or scapegoats. This loss of self-control can sometimes get violent and hostile (push turns to shove).

• Since frustration and aggression requires a great expenditure of physical, emotional, and spiritual energy, this phase of loss of self-control only lasts for a short period of time.

• Because of their determination, work ethic and their ability to control their emotions in the face of adversity, great athletes very rarely advance to this second phase of human behavior.

Phase III: QUITTING

• Since players are physically, mentally and spiritually beaten, they will advance quickly into the third phase of behavior and quit.

• The situation is not worth any more effort. They give up entirely and throw in the towel.

BEST EFFORT

"Winning is the only thing!" This may be true on the Professional level, however, on all other levels of the game of basketball giving your best effort is of the utmost importance. Playing through adversity is one of the most important lessons players can learn from this great game.