Master-Mind Alliance: The Key To Less Work, More Life, Balance

Making Business Goals Come True
Written & Copyrighted by Richard Paris Borough, Ph.D.

A goal is a dream with a deadline. A goal that has a chance to be achieved is written down, in enough detail to make sense to someone else, connected to a plan of action, reviewed daily, and updated as progress is made.

A famous university study revealed that only about 3% of the population writes down their goals. However, this elite group accomplishes a great deal. They amass most of the wealth, are in better physical and mental health, and have more satisfying personal relationships than the people who do not write down their goals. So goal writing is just about the single best habit you can develop in your life. Yet, most people spend more time planning a two-week vacation than planning their lives by setting goals and a lot of that is because they don't know how to start.

You start working with goals by writing them down following the SMART formula. As you write your goals, be sure they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding, and Time bound. For example, “My spouse and I earn $70,000 a year from our work, plus $5,000 from our real estate investments. We will be able to retire comfortably at age 55.” Or, "I workout at my health club three days a week for 45 minutes, with my trainer, and I do this because it keeps my weight down, helps me sleep better, and gives me all the energy I need to live a good life."

Next write action plans describing how you will achieve your goals by answering these questions: What do you want to do? By when do you want to achieve this? How will you know that you've achieved this? When you do, what else in your life will change? What resources will you need to achieve your goal? How will you utilize these resources? What is the first step?

Now during the day, every time you make a business decision or contemplate new action, ask yourself this question. "Will this take me closer to, or further from my goals?" If the answer is "closer to," then go ahead. If the answer is "further from," you may need to do some more thinking.

Okay, you're all set, except for the most important thing. To successfully attain your SMART goals, reviewing them is crucial and this must become a part of your daily habitual routine or, all is for naught. And yes, I said everyday. Always have a copy of your goals at your fingertips. Carry them in your wallet, handbag, backpack, briefcase, appointment calendar, lap top computer or electronic organizer.

Each morning when you wake up, read your list of goals, and read the action plans that describe how you will attain them. And do this reading out loud. That's right, close the bathroom door or your office door if you have to for privacy and actually read your goals and action plans out loud. Then briefly visualize the completed goals. See yourself driving the new car down to the beach or to work. Don't just see the bank statement that reflects the new earnings, see the cold hard cash in your hands and relish in how good that feels.

Before you go to bed at night, go back into a private place and repeat this self-talk process. Then just before you drop off to sleep, meditate on your goals, get a clear and colorful image in your mind of yourself doing the things you'll be doing after you've reached your goals. And remember to include your values in your meditation, the things and the people you cherish.

Guarantees in life are hard to come by, and I don't guarantee much. But I think I can safely say this. If you begin working with goals and action plans by following: 1) The writing SMART goals step, 2) The action planning step, and 3) The daily self-talk and meditation ritual step, you will be well on your way to achieving unlimited success in every aspect of your life.

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