Lost in the Maze? Corn is a staple here in Illinois and a few years back, corn mazes started to come onto the scene.  If you look at them from the sky you can discover their theme and see all the ins and outs from start to finish. You can see where you want to end up and where you are starting from, but which path in the maze will take you there? Sounds like goal setting.  You set your goals (the finish line) and then you meander through the maze of life, sometimes on course, sometimes wandering, sometimes way off in another direction, and sometimes lost.  Then you wake up one day and wonder how close you really are to that goal.  Are you still focused and action oriented or did the goal slip away from you and you gave up?  How committed are you to reach that goal?  How bad do you want it? In his book, Goals!  How to Get Everything You Want – Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible, Brian Tracy offers twenty-one steps for setting and achieving goals: • Unlock Your Potential – Always remember that you are capable of accomplishing great things. • Take Charge of Your Life – The buck stops with you for you are totally responsible for your thoughts, words, and actions.  No excuses or blaming others allowed. • Create Your Own Future – Plan your future knowing that you have the resources to make whatever you imagine happen. • Clarify Your Values – Take the time to think about what you really care about in your life and what is important to you.  Your values define who you are.  Then, honor these values in your actions. • Determine Your True Goals – Clarify your goals. No wishy washy statements. • Decide Upon Your Major Definite Purpose – You need one driving central purpose to build your life around. • Analyze Your Beliefs – The beliefs you hold about yourself can propel you forward or set you back.  Believe in yourself and get rid of your negative thoughts. • Start at the Beginning – Be honest and realistic about where you are today before you set off for tomorrow. • Measure Your Progress – Keep track and measure your advancement so that you will know when and if you need to make corrections or change course. • Remove the Roadblocks – You must be able to solve problems and remove obstacles that will block your path. • Become an Expert in Your Field – You have the ability within you to become the very best at what you do.  Believe it and do it. • Associate With the Right People – Soar with the eagles and be one yourself.  Surround yourself with people you like, respect, and admire. • Make a Plan of Action – You must plan and organize in advance to accomplish great things. • Manage Your Time Well – Set your priorities and ask yourself “Is what I am doing now moving me closer to my goals?” • Review Your Goals Daily – Review your goals every day, see if any changes are necessary, and continue to move forward. • Visualize Your Goals Continually – See it happening right now. • Activate Your Subconscious Mind – Tap into this incredible source of insights that lies within. • Remain Flexible at all Times – Be willing to change, shift, and be open to new possibilities. • Unlock Your Inborn Creativity – Never underestimate your creativity.  Tap into it often. • Do Something Every Day – Act every day to move you closer to your goals. • Persist Until You Succeed – This is by far the one quality that will guarantee you success in life. What does this mean for you?  Tracy says that the above steps are “the most important ideas and strategies ever discovered for achieving everything that you could ever want in life.  You will find that there are no limits to what you can accomplish except for the limits you place on your own imagination.”  So, what are you waiting for?  The time is now.  What do you want to achieve? How do you want your future to look? Set your goals and take action.

“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is the definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”  Napoleon Hill “My success evolved from working hard at the business every day.”  Johnny Carson “The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable.  Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.”  Dennis Watley “Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.”  Napoleon Hill “Vision is not enough.  It must be combined with venture.  It is not enough to stare up the stairs, we must step up the stairs.”  Vaclav Havel

I am guilty of wishful thinking many times.  I tell myself “Oh, I wish I could do this, or have that, or wouldn’t if be nice if…..”  The reality is that wishful thinking only gets me so far and usually that’s far short of my goals.  Now when I dream, I let my creative juices flow and my imagination run wild.  Then I write down my dreams and turn them into goals.  It’s not enough for me to write them down and tuck them away because then they are out of sight and out of mind.  I visit them every day, visualize them happening and/or see if I still want what I thought I did.  I ask myself every day “Is what I am doing today helping me get closer to those goals?” That’s the challenge for me.  I can let life happen and the next thing you know I am off in a direction that is not moving me forward.  I can procrastinate and consume myself with idle work and then wonder where the day and the week went.  It takes discipline for me to catch myself and get back on track.  The twenty-one steps above are now printed and located front and center at my desk.  That’s the way it has to be.  I don’t want to be lost in my maze.

Are you lost in your maze, wandering aimlessly with no map?  Are you unclear about your goals or want to set new ones?  Are you having difficulty moving forward?  The fourth quarter of 2005 is here and it’s time to start thinking about the new year.  Make 2006 your best year. GET YOUR NEW YEAR IN GEAR is an eight week goal setting program. We’ll cover values, roles, creating a three year vision, daily, monthly, and 90 day goals, and more, tailored to your specific needs. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR YOUR SUCCESS!  The fee for this eight week program is only $500.  That is two payments of $250.00. Kickoff date is Monday, October 31, 2005. Email me at stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com  or call 618-639-5433 for details to get started on making your 2006 a great year!  The time is now.