WIZE TIME MANAGEMENT

Chinese New Year – yes, another beginning.  Like the Ukranian New Year, the Chinese New Year starts on another date than the usual January 1st date celebrated worldwide.   

Can You Start Again Fulfilling Your Goals?

YES!  Of course – you can restart any time.  In fact, you can change your goals and start new ones.

What is the first myth associated with goal setting?

Goal setting has often been seen as set and go – you set them on January 1st and, if by February 1st, you haven’t done anything towards achieving those goals, you give up.  That’s where the myths begin! 

Actually, goals are much more dynamic than set and go.  Goals are forever changing as your experiences change and, no matter what you may think, everyone changes continuously whether it seems so or not.

Nothing in life stands still – nothing.  Even a new wrinkle is a change.  You may not count the wrinkles on other people’s faces and say, “Hey, you have a new wrinkle today”.  No one is that observant! Nonetheless, the change has happened.  How do you think dust accumulates on your table?  One fell-swoop or a little every day?  The level of dust changes all day long every day until you wipe it off and it starts again.

The myth that goals are static and it’s now or never prevents many people from starting at all at any time.  I hope you took the time to work on the goal setting exercise you received free with your sign up to this blog.  Often, the overwhelm hits people and their minds propel them to the here and now rather than the future.

The Adventure

Achieving goals should be fun, interesting and an adventure.  When you get to your destination, it may be quite different than you originally anticipated. 

For instance, when traveling to a different country, sometimes there are floods, road detours, plane delays, alterations in travel plans, meet ups with old friends, and a host of events which may alter the course of your vacation.  Was it a bad vacation or a bad idea to go to that destination?  Of course not as long as you enjoyed the journey and appreciate the outcome.  Let’s say it was a flood.  What a story – how did you cope? How did you get back home?  Did you learn something about yourself?

The Myth of Achievement

The myth has existed forever – I didn’t achieve what I set out to achieve so I’m a failure.  Actually, you may be a greater success than you think but as long as you’re focused on defining your life as  “not attaining set goals”, then, yes, you will think you failed. 

The other myth is that you must set goals in every part of your life.  You don’t.  Sometimes there is only time to set one goal and go after it. 

Goals are not your life!  Goals are dreams set in action form. 

I have one goal this year.  Does that mean I’ve let go of every other goal I’ve achieved.  Of course not – each one is a  part of my life’s fabric now. 

I had a goal of health at one time because of the costs on my health caused by acute stress.  Did I give that up?  No.  Every day, being healthy is a part of my life.  I exercise, eat well, learn about new developments in exercise and supplements and a host of other topics.  Again, if you do the exercise in the free goal setting offering on this blog, you’ll know why.

Go ahead – reset the goals if that ‘s what you want to do and start now.  Take one step – just one this week.  Another step next week or take a whole bunch of steps today – achieving your goals depend a lot on how you operate best.  Some people like the tortoise way and some like to do things the hare’s way – whatever way, keep moving on.

Lorraine Arams
http://www.wizetime.com

Off your goal rails?

It’s almost February.  By now, goals are a distant memory.  Life has taken over once again and dreams are put on the back burner until next year or maybe never.

It’s happened before, right?

Great excitement January 1st, great goals – you could see them in your mind’s eye.  You may even have gone through the process following some system you learned on the internet or in a course or a book.   You wrote them down. You were very specific what you wanted.  You even found a way to measure your goals.

Yet, nothing has happened.

Did you get overwhelmed?

Likely – work, family, exchanging gifts, cleaning up, and getting back to the routine of life – where is there time to fit in the goals?  The “goals” part could have been the problem – too many, too little time.

So you dropped the whole idea of achieving any of the goals because you didn’t have the time – so you thought.

Are you willing to try again?

Try the system on this site. It has a twist to it and will likely give you the best chance of achieving at the very least, one goal in 2011.  Success builds on success.  If you accomplish something with this system, then it will build on itself.  Give it a shot.  It’s free – the best price around!

Lorraine Arams

http://www.wizetime.com

How can you ever possible measure something you’ve never seen?

This would seem to be a logical question.  However, in the previous post about specificity, you can easily see that any goal is actually measurable when you are clear about exactly what you want.

I used a car example.  Once you know all the details of the car, you can go online and find out what a car with those specific attributes will cost.  That’s your measurable – the cost of the car.  You know that when you have saved that much money, you can buy the car and your goal of owning that car is done – you’ve achieved it!  One of the steps will be easy to determine:  how much will you have to save each month and for how many months in order to attain that goal?

It’s the same with any goal you set.  Once the specifics have been worked out, the measurable can usually be quite easy to determine.

Do you think you can do it? Of course – it all starts with the details in the first part of SMART goal setting.

Lorraine Arams

http://www.wizeimte.com

How do I keep track of my goals while I’m in the process of achieving them?

It’s a quandary which many people have because, for many, it’s the first time they have taken goal achievement seriously.

As I indicated in my last blog, achieving your goals is a process, often, a very long process.  Some goals may take years to achieve.  At a minimum, larger goals take at least a year to attain.  That’s a long time.

How do you keep track of such a long process?

There are many ways to do it and it’s so very personal.  I would say this:  use whatever makes sense to you.

However, I would say that you do need one essential thing:  a physical way of keeping everything in one place.

For what?  To write everything down – goal descriptions, thoughts, ideas, changes, rewrites, planning, creating, information gathering, notes about conversations you’ve had, names and phone numbers of people you meet or to whom you are referred – so many details – all in one place.

1.  One suggestion is a hard cover journal type book with ruled lines in it.

2.  Some people are technology bound.  That’s fine as long as you have a device in which you can make notes any time, anywhere and preferably use online storage for all the content should you lose your portable device or it is damaged.  You’ll lose so much if, somehow, there is no access to the process you’ve gone through and the information you’ve collected.

3.  You can have a combination of both written and technology.  In that case, I would suggest a binder instead of a hard cover writing book.  You’ll need blank sheets for handwriting and section in which to put copies of your computer generated process.  Some people know how to use project management software, some people love Excel and others like using Photoshop for a pictorial representation of the goal.  Whatever you use, make sure to have copies all in one spot along with the notes you write.

Then . . .

make sure that you write the steps to be taken in your schedule within the time slot you’ve allocated for achieving your goal.  You may know that I am a fan of working on your goals every single day, even it consists of only five minutes.  However, I do suggest that you have time set aside for your goals at least every week – no longer otherwise your goals will be forgotten.  If it’s important to you, you’ll make space for it in your life!

We all take pictures of the trips we’ve taken.  This is one “trip” you build the picture as you go along and you don’t want to miss a minute of it!

Lorraine Arams

http://www.wizetime.com

I have a free goal setting tool on my site if you don’t have one – check it out – goal setting the time management way!

Do you really have to write down your goals?

I have two answers to that question:  Yes and no though I personally believe that every goal should be written down in one format or another.  Some people, however, are really, really good at keeping things in their head and following through – short term.

How do you know if you should write down a goal or not?

It’s very simple.  Is your goal a short-term goal?  What I mean by short term is a week or a month.  Short goals are generally urgent.  For instance, you have want to get a good mark in a course and need to do well on a paper which is due at the end of the month.  Or you need to have a report done by the end of the week for your boss – the deadline is set and there are no alternatives.

These are still goals, albeit short-term and related to an activity already underway such as passing a course or holding down a job.

Most of these goals can be added to your schedule for a short duration and, for those people who keep a running tally in their heads, well, these goals won’t take up too much space!

However, for long-term goals, that is, those goals which will take you a little longer than a week or a month, yes, it is very important that you do write it down.  The steps will become part of your schedule for a very long time to come.  It’s so easy to forget what your original intention was and get sidetracked.

What most people do not realize is that goal achievement is a process.  It’s not just a matter of deciding what they are, writing them down, putting a deadline on achieving them and that’s it.  If only it were that simple!

Process takes time.   Goals consists of things you’ve never achieved before.  You really don’t have a road map and need to build one as you go.  It takes time to research, talk to people, try things out, etc. And you’ll be encountering a lot of dead ends, detours, road blocks, ditches, washouts, treacherous conditions, and other factors as you travel down the road towards your goal.

I do not believe you can plan goals effectively in your head.  It’s so very important that goals and the achievement process are written down.

What do you write and how much?

You need all the standard stuff:  deadline, a way to measure it, a way of determining whether it is attainable or not, whether it is a reasonable goal for you, a complete description of what it will look like when you attain it,  whether or not it’s relevant to your life, how you feel when you do achieve it, why you want it and whether or not the goal is actually a goal you want or someone else wants you to achieve.

My favorite way to do this is as follows:

-  write like mad – one, two, fifteen – how ever many pages you want – in handwritten form or on the computer – whatever way you prefer

-  boil it all down to 60 words or less making sure you have all the key points in there

Why do I like this method so much?  Because by the time you have boiled the “dream” down to 60 words, you’ll really understand the goal and what you want to achieve.  You’ll “see” it in your mind’s eye.  One of two things will happen:

a)  you’ll decide you really want this goal

or

b)  it was a silly goal or something you really didn’t want after all and toss it -

either way, you’ve won.  If you want it, you’ll have the determination to see it through.  If you’ve decided against pursuing that goal, you will have saved yourself a lot of time, money and energy you can use elsewhere.

What next?

As I said before, it’s a process.  And processes require multiple steps.  It’s not always clear what the steps should be.

Also, as you move along towards your goal, you’ll discover that you’ll change your mind.  You’ll tweak some of the details or you’ll discover information which makes you rethink exactly what you want.   The more you work on your goal, the more precise your description will become.

If you have downloaded my free goal achievement system, I talk about the steps and how to keep building as you go along until you reach your goal.

Most importantly, when you reach it, you’ll know you’re there! Why?  Because you wrote it down!  You won’t have to wonder, “Is this what I wanted?” – you’ll know because you’ve worked with it throughout the adventure!

So, yes, I do believe it is critical to write down your goals, the steps, the planning, the changes, the “evolution” – it’s so much more fun when you can see it in writing and look back at what you did to get there.   What you have learned will serve you well achieving the next goal and the next.

If you would like the free tool I offer for achieving your goals, please visit my blog at http://www.wizetime.com.

Lorraine Arams

What happened?

You’ve taken the courses.  You’ve done the exercises.  You’ve thought it through.  You’ve written your goals down.  You’ve applied the SMART principles.  And yet . . . year after year, that’s where the goals seem to sit – on paper, going nowhere.

Life takes over.  That’s what many people say.

The deadlines  come and go.  Nothing.

It’s an empty feeling, isn’t it?  Is it the reason most people give up setting goals?  Likely.

Why is it happening to so many people despite the huge amount of material out there?

Would you like to know why you and others are not achieving those goals which have been neatly and carefully written?

The reasons are many, of course.  All people have some reason, not all the same.  And, each year there seems to be different reasons why not much has been accomplished towards achieving goals.

The last time you took a course or read a book, you thought for sure, this time, you would get there.  When you’re relaxed, everything seems possible.  Then, the pile ups happen.  All kinds of things happen.  Often, it has to do with work and health.  Long hours at work, even for a few months, can throw everything else out the window.  Or your health is impacted or someone else’s.  All of a sudden, it’s chaos.  You barely have the time to do laundry!

What has happened to your goals?  Can you even find them?

And that’s the problem with most goal setting courses and systems – you set a lot of goals in various parts of your life and, of course, even after all the terrific exercises are done, your life is still there – nothing has changed.  All that has happened is that you’ve invested time in this exercise, hoping you can do something to get your dreams to meet reality!

That’s the rub – you’ve still got a full life so how do you put all of those new things into it and expect to achieve them all?  You can’t.  That’s the truth.  It’s impossible.

The reason is simple:  your life was full before you began setting goals and it is still full after it.  Goals require attention and work.  Where will you fit them all in?

Every single goal needs work and work takes time.  That time may or may not be available in your current schedule. This is the point where most people fall flat – making room for the work involved in achieving a goal.

Let’s say you want to take up golf as your exercise this year.  An average round of golf takes at least 4 hours or more.  Where will you fit it  in?  Where will you fit in:  finding a reputable instructor, attending classes, practicing on the range, playing with friends, buying clubs and other equipment you’ll need.  It’s a great goal but where, in your schedule, will you find the time?

If you were already doing it and it was part of your regular schedule, it wouldn’t be a goal, would it?

That’s why I believe most people fail. They simply have not taken into account the time factors.  Then, they feel like failures and, year after year, they try again until one year, they simply give up.

If you want to try one more time, try the system I offer you for free on my blog.  It’s a blend of something old and something new, designed to assure that you reach your goals in the future the time management way.

I hope you do try it.  Do let me know how it works out for you.  Just that one little tweak contained in this system may just make the difference between achieving even one goal this year or achieving none – give it a shot.  Once you have achieved one goal, it’s so much easier to achieve the next and the next and the next.  Big goals don’t seem so onerous any longer – and your confidence rises – success builds upon success!

Lorraine Arams

http://www.wizetime.com

It’s Friday and today is a good day to ask yourself:  What Have I Accomplished This Week?

Why?  Because it gives you the opportunity to see if your achievements have matched your goals.

The Goal

Achieving goals is not just writing them down and hoping for the best.  It’s about adding the steps to those goals in your every day calendar and consistently achieving milestones.  True, the path is not always clear nor is it a straight line.  Any goal of any significance contains many “to dos” which we are not aware of or have no idea we missed.  Why?  Goals are new accomplishments – something in the future – you’ve never traveled that road before.

For instance, let’s say you have just finished your degree at university and your aspiration is to become the top researcher in your field with tenure at your chosen university.  Have you done that before?  Of course not.  You make a plan.  Now what?  Do you know what the steps are to getting there?  Do you know the nuances of building this kind of career?  Do you the missteps to avoid?

Staying the Course

When you ask yourself, “What have I accomplished this week?” – the answer should always, always contain completing steps towards achieving your goal.  If not, then your goals are only wishful thinking.

So many people have fallen into the trap of “hype” – write down your goal, place a deadline for accomplishments, describe the goal, visualize or SMART the goals – it’s all written down – how exciting – you can see it in your mind’s eye – wow!  Then the following year comes along, not much has happened with those written goals and your self-esteem plummets.  Eventually, most people just give up on this exercise

What’s Missing?

What’s missing is the work behind the hype!  It takes research, talking to people, laying out a path, adjusting that path as new information is received, doing something every day towards achieving that goal – that’s called “working the plan” and it is work!

Why don’t goal setting programs tell you that?  Well, many do except it’s done low key.  In all the excitement of writing down your goals and visualizing them, somehow, the “work party” doesn’t come into focus.  Their goal is to have you leave the course elated.  If the work was emphasized, you’d likely feel differently.

What to do?

Start today. Pick one easy goal.  Write a list of steps you need to take.  In your calendar for next week, add some of those steps.  Keep doing that until you’ve achieved your goal.  Is it more complicated than this?  It can be.  However, what’s happening here is building a habit!  One goal – write steps – put steps into your calendar weekly -

Once you’ve tasted “success”, it’ll be easier to stick with the longer term goals.  Of course, you already know my view of goals setting:  work on one goal at a time until it’s fully integrated into your calendar and only then add a second goal to work on.  In any event, I don’t believe that people should be working on more than three goals at a time because there just isn’t the time.

Here’s to your success!

You might be interested in these earlier articles:

Goal Setting – Are You Missing These Important Steps?  Likely!

Does Setting a Goal Get you the Result You Want?

Lorraine Arams

http://www.wizetime.com

What is the best tool to help you set goals visually?

You might be asking:  “Why would I want to have a visual of my goals in the first place?  Wouldn’t a goal setting system be enough?”

A goal setting system might be enough for some people especially with the added twist that I have put into Missing Link.  However, humans are visual and they like to “see”.  Think of a stop sign.  Do you see in your mind the picture of a stop sign?  Likely.  When you think of your favorite car, do you think in pictures?

What if you could “see” your goals before you get there? Would that help you with the steps outlined in Missing Link? Yes, of course.  Similar to a road trip, if you take out a map and look at the route you will take, it’s far easier to determine the best way to get somewhere than just getting into the car and driving – you’ll likely find some shortcuts and better alternate routes than the ones offered.

And here’s where one of the best tools for “picturing” your goals comes in – mind mapping.  Lots of people think they know mind mapping but in actual fact they try it and get muddled by the process.   There’s nothing like learning from the inventor – the inventor is usually the best person to explain how to use his own invention.  Many have copied his process but few have had the results because he knows how to explain his invention.  Watch this video:

Fascinating, isn’t it? This is truly a great way to help you set those steps I talk about in Missing Link. Once we can see something, it’s so much easier to see what comes next and next and next.

I encourage you to check out this system.  There’s nothing like learning a system from the inventor himself and I guarantee one thing – for most of us, this tool is an incredible way to help us with goal setting and goal achievement.  You’ll also find that this system lends itself to learning a new language, managing time better, developing projects, etc. and your children can use it to study.  It’s such an amazing tool, you’ll be glad you found it!  There are many other versions but this is the real thing!

Check it out – there’s only one decision you’ll make -”It’s for me!  Wow!”

And make sure that you download your complimentary copy of Missing Link at my website:  http://www.wizetime.com.  Combined with this mind mapping technique, you are sure to achieve your goals as you have never done before.  Even if you have never ever been successful before in setting and achieving goals, try Missing Link – you might just like it!  And better yet, your dreams will be realized!  Wow!  Wouldn’t that be fantastic!

Lorraine Arams
Complimentary copy of Missing Link at:

http://www.wizetime.com

Are you achieving your goals?  Why?  What do you think is stopping you from reaching them? 

Or do you just like the dreaming and that’s enough for you?  After all, you likely have most everything you want in any case – job, family, friends, money and free time to enjoy your hobbies.  And that’s okay – it’s okay to have fun dreaming of possibilities.

For those of you who do set goals or New Year’s Resolutions, are you struggling to turn your dreams into goals and goals into reality?

If so, why not try a new approach based on time management. 

Stats haven’t changed much in years – 3% of the population achieve their goals – that means a whopping 97% of people who set goals never realize them.  Isn’t that amazing? 

It’s not because there are no courses, books, systems or loads of information, because there are  – you just need to go on Amazon and search goals – you’ll be amazed how much there is available.

So I asked myself why?  Why don’t people achieve their goals?  Is it because they really don’t want them but it’s a fun exercise to dream?  Perhaps.  Is it because their lives change and what seemed important at one time, isn’t so any longer?  Perhaps.  Is it that they really don’t want to read a 300-page book on attaining goals and apply the principles?  Perhaps.  Is it because the course is fun to take but, like so many things, learn and forget?  Perhaps.

Or it could be something else.  I thought it might be something else.

So I’ve created a new system based on some old principles used in books and courses plus I’ve added a new twist to the process.  This new twist combines several principles into a step-by-step system that I believe will allow people to achieve their goals.  It certainly has helped me get and stay on track. 

Staying on track with goals is the most difficult part.  Just like so many things in life, there are obstacles and, if there is no immediate loss, then goals take a back seat to potential losses which are immediately apparent.

It’s a 17-page fast read and fast implementation process  – at no cost to you!  That’s right – no cost.  It won’t cost you a cent.  However, I’d appreciate it if you would give me feedback how the system is working for you.    All you have to do is visit my site at http://www.wizetime.com.  You’ll find a box on the right hand side – fill it in and you’ll receive a download. 

Try it – you might like it! 

Lorraine Arams
http://www.wizetime.com
Time is your Life!