Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal. – Earl Nightingale

A definition by Earl Nightingale

(Excerpt from “The Strangest Secret“):

…The only person who succeeds is the person who is progressively realising a worthy ideal. It’s the person who says “I’m going to become this” and then begins to work toward that goal. I tell you who successful people are:

A success is the school teacher, because that’s what he or she wants to do.
A success is a woman who’s a wife and mother, because she wanted to become a wife and mother and is doing a good job of it.
A success is the man who runs the corner gas station because that was his dream, that’s what he wanted to do.
A success is the successful salesman who wants to become a top notch salesman and grow and build up this organisation.

A success is anyone who is doing deliberately a predetermined job, because that’s what he decided to do deliberately.

Your turn:

What does success mean to you?
How do you know that you are successful?
How do you measure your success/what are your KPI (Key Performance Indicators)?

When I spoke to the elderly part in my family to wish them a Happy New Year, I asked whether they had made any New Year’s Resolutions.

The answers were quite shocking: “I am not setting any goals, I will take life as it comes.” or “Why would I want to make any resolutions, if I won’t achieve them anyway?”  or ” I have set resolutions before and did not achieve them. Why should it be different this time?”

So what are the ingredients for not only setting powerful goals, but also making sure you will accomplish them? The 3 Steps to Accomplish This New Year’s Resolutions may give you the answer you have been looking for.

1. Make sure your resolutions meet the S.M.A.R.T.I.E. conditions

When I hear that someone is not setting goals, a quote from Greg Anderson comes to my mind:

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing — then we truly live life.

I have met a number of people who told me that they find it stressful to set goals for themselves. They assume that goal setting is only for those who thrive to be successful, that it is something mysterious or even unethical.

“You gotta work hard for your money, son!” or “The one who flies high will eventually fall deep”, are sayings that support that thinking and I can imagine how ’setting goals’ becomes a weird and mystic task, something that only bosses or the rich and famous do.

In “The Strangest Secret“, Earl Nightingale is talking about success and why so many people don’t achieve it. He says that “These people believe that their lives are shaped by circumstances, by things that happen to them, by exterior forces. They are auto directed people.”

There is  an expression that I heard on a number of personal development workshops that support that thought:

If you don’t have goals for yourself, others will have goals for you.

Benjamin A. Mays put it this way:

It must be born in mind that the tragedy of life does not lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy of life lies in having no goal to reach.

Kahlil Gibran (“The Prophet“) said:

By losing your goal, you have lost your way.

So how do you set a powerful goal? First you have to make sure that it complies with the SMARTIE criteria:

S – Specific and Simple

Make it simple and specific. “I don’t want to be alone” is a simple statement, but it is far from being specific. With goal setting it is important to say what you want, not what you don’t want.

Have you ever heard the expression “What you focus on is what you get”? That’s what Specific and Simple is about: Say not what you don’t want, but what you want. Focus on the positive.

How would you like not to be alone? Do you want a partner, a lover, children, grand children, a friend, be part of a club or the community? What do you want, specifically?

M – Measurable

This one goes hand in hand with the one above. “I want more money” is simple, positive and more or less specific, but it is not measurable. How much is more? Is it one dollar or 10, 100 or thousands?

Make sure there is a number involved. In case it can’t be measured by numbers, imagine a scale from 1-10, where 10 is where you want to be. What are the criteria that need to be fulfilled for you to be at a 10? Write them down as a tick-off list.

A – Achievable and Attainable by you, As if now

Again, make it your goal, one that you can achieve by yourself. It is not about your partner, family, child or the world, it is not someone else’s goal, it is yours!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present. – Babatunde Olatunji

Some languages have no grammar for future or past. They totally live in the here and now. Use present tense when you write down your goal. “I am…, I have…” are the most powerful words on earth, in any language.

R – Realistic

If you have set goals before and not achieved them, maybe they have been set too high. Making a million in a year could be a bit challenging if you are earning 50.000 a year and have no savings and no plan.

On the other side, if you have always achieved your goals without effort, challenge your self. Stretch a little further than comfortable, you will grow into it.

T – Time frame

Give your goal a time frame, have a date involved. “By December 31st 2010 …” or “the 15th of May2015…” will make your goal even more measurable, specific and easy to plan for.

I – Inspirational

Often money comes up in goal setting. But is it really about the money? I don’t think so. Generally it is about what you can or want to do with the money. What is it that inspires you to get up? What motivates you to persevere when times get tough?

When a goal is not about money but what really inspires you, you may suddenly find other ways to achieve it.

Be open and allow the universe or God to provide for you in whatever way they may think is appropriate. Extend your opportunities by making your goal inspirational.

E – Evidence and Endstep

What is the final thing that needs to happen for you to know that you have achieved your goal? What is the picture that you see, what do you hear or tell yourself, how do you feel?

What is the evidence that proofs you have made it? For example when do you know you have lost enough weight? Is it when you see a certain number standing on your scale? When you fit in your favourite dress or pants? When you have achieved a certain fat percentage? Or when the tape measure shows a specific number?

Make your Evidence and Endstep very clear and involve as many senses as possible: see, hear, feel, smell or taste your success.

2. Check whether they stand the C.A.R.Y. criteria

By now your goals or resolutions should be very powerful already.

Check again whether they stand the CARY criteria with these four questions:

C – Is your goal or resolution something you can CONTROL?
A – Is this goal what this is really ABOUT?
R – Is this goal something that you REALLY want?
Y – Are you doing this for YOURSELF?

If you say “YES!” to all four, congratulations. You are only one step away from accomplishing this year’s resolutions. Here is the final step:

3. Create a strategy that supports you when the going gets tough

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success. – Stephen A. Brennan

When we study why most people fail to accomplish their new year’s resolutions, two things again and again come up as obviously being the main reasons for will later be called failure:

Lack of plan and lack of action.

Brian Tracy said:

The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move.

By now you have decided on your goal. In order to launch, to start your journey, it is important to have a GPS or roadmap.

What is your strategy? Will you go by foot, bike, car, ship, plane? Will you need a partner or a team? What kind of equipment is necessary? Have you got enough power or fuel? Where will you stay or have a rest? Do you need to book something in advance? What if there are unexpected road works, delays, or other obstacles? Have you got a Plan B?

Having a functional strategy is a crucial ingredient to accomplish a goal. It will help you to stay on track or get back on it easily after you have hit a hitch.

One word about obstacles: when you are on your way, it may excite you to hear that humps are in fact a good sign. They mean that you are moving towards your goal, because otherwise you would not come across them. The more you hit, the better. With each one it is more likely that after the next you will bump into your goal.

Keep on going, persevere! Remember what inspired you to set the goal in first place. You have made your goal inspirational, have you?

When a goal matters enough to a person, that person will find a way to accomplish what at first seemed impossible. – Nido Qubein

Still, I understand that sometimes everything seems to be too hard. It is challenging to keep the motivation high when all you see is stop signs.

Here is one more secret weapon to accomplish any resolution or goal once and for all:

Find yourself someone who will

• hold you accountable,
• help you to design your strategy,
• lift you up when you’re feeling down,
• keep the faith in you when you don’t,
• cheer when do,
• help you to reconnect with your resources when you think you have none left,
• give you a kick when you need it most and no one else would dare to do it,
• care for you but is not emotionally attached to you,
• make sure you will walk the talk

This can be a really good friend, a remote relative, a colleague or professional in the same industry, a mentor or a coach. Make sure that they know what you want to achieve and why, how you want them to hold you accountable, what would motivate you and what would not.

Athletes and other professionals are choosing coaches for a reason, a season or a lifetime. You can too. Accountability Coaching is one of the powerful strategies we at Transition Guidance use to make sure you will accomplish this year’s resolutions and make 2010 your best year ever.

What are your resolutions or goals for this year?
How do you make sure you accomplish them?
How will you celebrate your success?

Please leave your comment below for the inspiration of others. Who knows, maybe you will be able to hook up with someone like-minded?

S – Specific and Simple

Make it simple and specific. “I don’t want to be alone” is a simple statement, but it is far from being specific. With goal setting it is important to say what you want, not what you don’t want.

Have you ever heard the expression “What you focus on is what you get”? That’s what Specific and Simple is about: Say not what you don’t want, but what you want. Focus on the positive.

How would you like not to be alone? Do you want a partner, a lover, children, grand children, a friend, be part of a club or the community? What do you want, specifically?

M – Measurable

This one goes hand in hand with the one above. “I want more money” is simple, positive and more or less specific, but it is not measurable. How much is more? Is it one dollar or 10, 100 or thousands?

Make sure there is a number involved. In case it can’t be measured by numbers, imagine a scale from 1-10, where 10 is where you want to be. What are the criteria that need to be fulfilled for you to be at a 10? Write them down as a tick-off list.

A – Achievable and Attainable by you, As if now

Again, make it your goal, one that you can achieve by yourself. It is not about your partner, family, child or the world, it is not someone else’s goal, it is yours!

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. And today? Today is a gift. That’s why we call it the present. – Babatunde Olatunji

Some languages haven’t even got grammar for future or past. They totally live in the here and now. Use present tense when you write down your goal. “I am…, I have…” are the most powerful words on earth, in any language.

R – Realistic

If you have set goals before and not achieved them, maybe they have been set too high. Making a million in a year could be a bit challenging if you are earning 50.000 a year and have no savings and no plan.

On the other side, if you have always achieved your goals without effort, it may be time to challenge your self. Stretch a little further than comfortable, you will grow into it.

T – Time frame

Give your goal a time frame, have a date involved. “By December 31st 2010 …” or “the 15th of May2015…” will make your goal even more measurable, specific and easy to plan for.

I – Inspirational

Often money comes up in goal setting. But is it really about the money? I don’t think so. Generally it is about what you can or want to do with the money. What is it that inspires you to get up? What motivates you to persevere when times get tough?

When a goal is not about money but what really inspires you, you may suddenly find other ways to achieve it.

Be open and allow the universe or God to provide for you in whatever way they may think is appropriate. Extend your opportunities by making your goal inspirational.

E – Evidence and Endstep

What is the final thing that needs to happen for you to know that you have achieved your goal? What is the picture that you see, what do you hear or tell yourself, how do you feel?

What is the evidence that proofs you have made it? For example when do you know you have lost enough weight? Is it when you see a certain number standing on your scale? When you fit in your favourite dress or pants? When you have achieved a certain fat percentage? Or when the tape measure shows a specific number?

Make your Evidence and Endstep very clear and involve as many senses as possible: see, hear, feel, smell or taste your success.

Today my husband bought me a pair of polarised sunglasses.

His father was wearing one when we visited Whitehaven Beach with its white, blinding silicon sand. We both tried it on and instantly agreed that buying polarised sunglasses would be a very good investment.

Now I am the proud owner of a new pair of  glasses (and so are my husband and son). The difference astounded me and I was immediately reminded of a chapter in Roger Hamilton’s book Wink, where little Richard meets the Optometrist, who talks to him about vision, focus and clarity.

When I looked through my anti-reflecting glasses I was tempted to think: “So that’s what the world’s supposed to look like!” – All colours were suddenly much brighter than without sunglasses or with my old ones.

At the same time, I felt like I could see sharper, clearer. Before, my vision was blurred. Now it feels like I have absolute clarity.

With more clarity, it seems to be easier to filter out what I want to see and the things I put my focus on do not fuse with the ones I’d rather ignore anymore.

The little things are the basis for the big things

All creation is holographic, which means that the information for the whole is present in each part.

Clarity of purpose is my number one value and I am not surprised that now that I made a conscious choice to review my purpose I have been shown a way to increase my physical view.

I have the very strong belief that body, mind and soul have an almost magical appearing way of working together to show us what we need in this moment. They communicate with each other to give us either physical, phsychological or mental signals.

If we are open and willing to recognise and explore those signals which often appear in some kind of symptoms in the body or mind, we can get involved in this communication. By asking questions, listening to what comes up and taking action on the advice that comes up, we can reconnect with our inner resources, improve our health and as a result enjoy true holistic wellbeing.

The sunglasses to me are a symbol for clarity, focus and vision. Lately, my eyes have lost a bit of their power. While I am writing this, I literally find it hard to focus. In the last months I was asking myself, whether I have found my purpose, what it is and how I can live it.

I think I found it and I am sure once I have done the work with my purpose coach Shiona Long, I will be even more committed to it. I am certain that both – eyesight and vision – will become clear, allowing me to focus on what is important to me.

If you haven’t got some already, I encourage you to at least try a pair of polarised glasses on, so that you can experience the difference first hand.

Now if  a simple thing as a polarised glass can make a profound impact on your vision, focus and clarity, how much difference would it make in your life if you knew your true purpose?

If this is something you choose to explore, I invite you to go on the journey with me to Discover Your Purpose, so that you too can have vision, focus and clarity and live a life you are meant to life: a life with meaning and purpose.

The best time to plant the seed for an oak was 25-200 years ago. The second best time is now. Book yourself in for a free purpose discovery session today and start taking your life in your own hands.

When we are little, we adopt our parents’ values as our own, before we become influenced by our friends, their parents, religion, culture and other social groups and communities.

At times, our values may change and what we held true as children is no longer valid. This is often an unconscious process that only gets realised when some of our values either conflict with each other or with what we (have to or choose to) do, for example at work.

A values alignment gives you clarity about the values that you have currently and the ones you wish or need to have (for example if you start a business or need to get out of a relationship), brings them into the most appropriate order and helps you to make your values strong and supportive in order to achieve your goal(s).

If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it. – John D. Rockefeller

Wealth is so much more than having money. Wealth is about sharing, contributing, giving back. That can be financially, emotionally or spiritually. Creating financial wealth won’t work without a bigger picture, which makes wealth creation a tool for a greater purpose.

Browse for book recommendations from Amazon.com related to Wealth Creation or have a look at the ones listed here

My favourite Wealth Creation book of all times:

WINK – A parabel for wealth beyond words

WINK is a modern day parable of a nine year old boy being raised by his carpenter father who is sick and tired. Every day for the last 20 years the carpenter has visited the Well of Wealth and spent a dollar, believing that if he gives generously to the Well, it will give generously to him in return. …read full review

For two days, Transition Guidance has presented its newest branch, the Nuad Thai Academy, at the Townsville Home and Lifestyle Show 2009.

Introducing our Special Offer, the visitors of the show could not only find great ideas to improve their homes and  lifestyle, but also hands-on experience the immediate benefits of Nuad Thai, Indian Head Massage and Nuad Tao, the traditional Thai Foot Massage – for free.

Many people took the opportunity to feel how the combination of acupressure, stretching and energy work combines to a sensation that leaves you relaxed and light and that enables you to re-connect with your inner self.

As a “Thank-You” to all the interested visitors, the Nuad Thai Academy has issued six vouchers for a lucky draw at the end of the show.

And the lucky winners are:

Chris Gilbert, Deeragun
Linda Maroney
Karen Lillie, Rosslea
Jennifer Fink, Kirwan
John Ravizza, Kirwan
Julia Webster, Pimlico

Congratulations to all who won. If you have put down your name but were not among the lucky ones, we invite you to try again at one of our next events, which will be a Wellbeing Info Night in January.

You can sign in here to receive the FREE Simply Balancing ezine, which will keep you up-to-date with tips and strategies to live a healthy, happy and balanced life with harmony and wellbeing.

What does I Ging mean?
The “I” means “changes in the flow of life energy (“Chi”) and “Ching” is the word for classic.  The I Ging is often referred to as the “Book of Changes”, and the philosophical backbone to Chinese medicine, astrology and architecture as well as physical education like T’ai Chi Chuan or Qi Gong and the principles of Feng Shui.

Where does the I Ging come from?
I Ging is the essence of 6000 years of ancient wisdom, which initially has been passed on verbally before it was eventually written down, still being polished, adjusted and refined over time.

It consists of 64 sacred hexagrams, each of them a different combination of six solid and broken lines.

Examples:

hexagram 30-fire

hexagram 47-affliction

hexagram 61-inner truth

What does it mean?

Each line has a symbolic meaning (from top to bottom):

1. Spirit (religion, tao, the end or ‘beyond’ things)
2. Structure (organising, leading, ideals)
3. Choice (decisions, finding solutions or the road)
4. Emotions (exploration and evaluation)
5. Connection (with people, finding a place in the world, environment)
6. Reality (action, matter, the way one stands on the earth, beginnings)

Using the I Ging
The I Ging can be used as an oracle, a suggestion or a guide, depending on your preferences. Working with the I Ging has become an art. In the beginning there was only a Yes or No answer, then the system has become more and more complex by broadening the possibilities for interpretation. Adding imagination again has lifted the interpretation process to another level.

Because of its complexity, it may take several attempts until the I Ging reveals the information you are looking for.

What can you  expect?
As always, what you put in is what you get out. The quality of the questions you are asking the I Ging will determine the answer you get. At the same time, a question/problem well stated is a problem half solved.

The I Ging can help find answers to questions that expect a complex answer, allow to balance two outcomes, focus on special times, ask for clarification, describe a state or situation or simply asks for a comment.

At least, the I Ging offers an opportunity for self reflection, which is always a good thing.

My mission and passion is to provide strategies and resources for lasting change and there are two things I want to share with you:

1. A Three-Point Plan that you can use immediately to change and improve your life
2. A tool  to improve your results

I do believe that the best things in life are free, and that the best strategies in life are simple. By that I mean simple to understand, apply, teach and share with others.

The following three strategies are simple, and they are also extremely powerful, however they require consistent and skilful application in order for your personal strategic plan to become reality.

These are the exact same changes that an individual must make in order to create personal change, that a company must make in order to create a lasting competitive advantage, and that a community must make in order to best serve its citizens.

Step One – Raise Your Standards

Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the first thing you must do is to raise your standards.
Simply put you MUST expect and demand more from yourself and from those around you.

That means having zero tolerance for mediocrity, procrastination, any any behaviour that robs you of potential and increased performance.

Step Two – Change Your Limiting Beliefs

If you raise your standards but don’t really believe you can meet them, than you’ve already sabotaged yourself. This is one of the biggest challenges people face when constructing their personal plan.

Why? Because you won’t even try; you’ll be lacking that sense of certainty that allows you to tap the deepest capacitiy that is within you even as you read these words.

Our beliefs are like unquestioned commands, telling us how things are, what’s possible and what’s impossible, what we can and can not do. They shape every action, every thought, and every feeling that we experience.

As a result, changing our belief system is central to making any real and lasting change in our lives.

Step Three – Change Your Strategy

In order to keep your commitment, you need the best strategies for achieving results. One of my core belief is that if you set a higher standard, and you can get yourself to believe, then you certainly can figure out the strategies. You simply will find a way.

I can tell you with confidence that the absolute best strategy in almost any case is to find a role-model, someone who’s already getting the results you want, and then tap into their knowledge.

If you don’t have one, you must find a coach or mentor.

Over the years I had many coaches, mentors and role models. They all supported me with their personal style and great things could be learned from all of them.

For a specific reason I want to introduce you you to Gary Ryan Blair today:

Gary is someone I’d like you to meet as he is a true thought leader and the mastermind behind the 100 Day Challenge.

Right now, this very instant you are staring down the barrel of an awesome opportunity to finish the year strong, to redeem yourself and make the last 100 days of the year, your best 100 days of the year.

His 100 Day Challenge is designed to provide you with the information and impetus to
commit to all three of these master principles of quality change:

1. It will help you raise your standards by discovering what they currently are and realising what you want them to be;

2. It will help you change the core beliefs that are keeping you from where you want to go and enhance those that already serve you; and

3. It will assist you in developing a series of strategies for more elegantly, quickly and efficiently producing the results you desire.

Are You Ready to Create a Breakthrough?

You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough–as you must take action, honour your commitments and enforce strict discipline.

If you will, please allow Gary Ryan Blair the opportunity, through this powerful program to be your guide for the next 100 days.
I promise you, it will be one of the best investments you ever make and he comes with my highest recommendation. I finished my last year strong and since then he has added even more ideas and surprises to make your experience extraordinary.

Say YES, and finish the year with a bang!

Still undecided whether this is for you? Have a look at this video and think again: