Making a Plan and Taking Action

By Gen Wright

When clients are first tasked with making a plan in order to take action, I initially ask them to think about a time when they were planning a vacation. What is the first question you asked yourself? You most likely considered a destination. Perhaps it's a dream safari vacation on the Serengeti, or maybe a more relaxing stay on the Caribbean. Whatever you decided, you needed a map to mark out your directions, or a travel itinerary. If you don't have a plan in place, chances are slim that you will reach your destination in the time allotted for your vacation. This type of planning is critical not just to achieving an enjoyable vacation, but to most life-goals.

Let's take a moment to review the concept of "S.M.A.R.T." goals; goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and have Timely expectations. Make sure that the goal you are working toward is something that you really want. Remember that a goal that you set for yourself cannot contradict other goals in your life. For instance, if you want to try every pizzeria in Montreal, but you have also set a goal to lose twenty pounds in the next six months, well something has got to give and it won't be the twenty pounds if you decide visiting the pizzeria's is a priority.

No one said it was going to be easy, but you have to consider six areas of your life when you start setting your goals, so that you don't go against other equally important aspirations. Most commonly these areas are divided into family and home, financial and career, spiritual and ethical, physical and health, social and cultural, as well as mental and educational.

It's also important to consider writing your goals in a positive, rather than in a negative statement, including as much detail in the statement as possible to ensure that you have put parameters around realizing your goals. Don't make it too easy. The best way to visualize your goals is to write them down and review them each morning and evening. Practice visualization on a consistent basis because this process will start both your subconscious and conscious mind working towards achieving your goal.

Daily decision-making can either lead you away from your ultimate goal, or take you closer to it. When you make choices during the day, consider your goal. If your choice doesn't move you closer to your goal, it may be time to make a value assessment to determine if in fact this is the right decision at this time. And, unless someone is critical to helping you achieve your goal, do not freely share your thoughts with others. The negative attitude from friends, family and neighbours can sometimes drag you down quickly. It is very important that you maintain positive self-talk.

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Liz Cascagnette is a Career Coach and President of Envision Career Coaching. To find out more about what a career coach can do for you to put you on the track to your dream career, visit her website at www.envisioncareercoaching.com. While you're on the website, don't forget to sign up for her free monthly newsletter providing tips and advice on setting and achieving the goals toward the life you've always wanted.

How to Discipline Yourself

By Janet Erickson

It is so important to have self-discipline; discipline affects nearly any facet of our day-to-day lives, in particular an absence of self-discipline gives rise deminished self worth. If you would like to achieve success in life then being able to structure yourself is a vital trait to have in your make-up.

To assist in keeping you up it would help to write a daily diary, in here you can write down all the things you have been successful with and everything where you got somewhat off course and gave in to temptation. This can help you get the drive you need to keep yourself disciplined.

Establish your goals; make notes in your diary. It is important that when thinking about what you want that you establish goals which are realistic and workable within a realistic amount of time. Planning goals that you cannot hope to accomplish or which are unrealistic will only lead to poor results and deminished self-esteem.

Assuming you are self control then you need to have a strong sense of self, but if you don't trust in what is possible then do not assume that others will have faith in you. Self-confidence contributes to high self confidence and this is a big part of becoming self disciplined.

Learn to do everything in moderation, if you over eat and smoke then cut back. Don't simply state you are going to cut back or stop at once, this only results in failure. Rather think about the rewards you will attain by stopping; write down in your diary all the constructive aspects about what you are doing. If you drink too much for example then aim to cut back by a small amount every day and if you are tempted to exceed the limit you established for yourself then structure yourself. Try something different, something you wouldn't ordinarily do and keep in mind the benefits of self discipline.

If you do fail to meet your goals, lecture yourself and then keep going forward, don't waste time wondering why or how or think that it will happen again. Promise yourself that you will be more disciplined in the future.

Keep a record of how you are succeeding with your determination and reward yourself when you have remained self-disciplined. It's okay to penalize yourself for failing but you have to reward yourself for the good too.

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To read more about spiritual growth and receive free meditations on spiritual healers just go to JanetErickson.com.