ESTABLISHING DREAMS AND GOALS

[Guest guest]

within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our

families; dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical

lives; certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more

powerful is that we have also been given the ability to not only dream but to

pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but the cognitive ability to

actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams.

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you

have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through

your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time

to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live

within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on

the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they

were foolish, but they are there. So how do we know what our dreams are? This

is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening.

This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to

others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans

and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will

only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must

listen to our own hearts. Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on

hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:Take time to be quiet. This is

something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush,

rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart

was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep

within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take

flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this

week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and

your thoughts. Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think

about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to

do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What

would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your

heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you

will feel Great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to

this point that we experience what our dreams are! Write down all of your

dreams

as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish - remember,

you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record. Now, prioritize

those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would

you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try

to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just

dreaming. Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams.

Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look

backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals

and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and

have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished

well, for themselves and for their families. Remember: These are the dreams and

goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are

unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become.

Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make

your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want

it to be. 2. Vitamins for the Mind Emotions Emotions will either serve or

master, depending on who is in charge. Our emotions need to be as educated as

our intellect. It is important to know how to feel, how to respond, and how to

let life in so that it can touch you. Civilization is the intelligent

management of human emotions. Measure your emotions. You don't need an atomic

explosion for a minor point. Women have an incredible ability to pick up on

emotional signals. For example, there are some wolves that are so clever they

have learned to dress up like

sheep. Man says, "Looks like a sheep. Talks like a sheep." Woman says, "Ain't no

sheep!" 3. What in the World Are You Doing? "What is an impact legacy?" you may

ask. It is how you impact people and the world around you. You see, many people

glide through life and do not make much of an impact. That is unfortunate.

Others though, those driven by a purpose and passion for living, are

continually making the world a better place and making an impact wherever they

go. That's what I believe you want to do. What in the world are you doing? Here

is the typical life - typical, though not everybody does

it this way. But for the most part, people's lives generally go something like

this: You're born You eat and sleep You play with toys You go to school You

play little league You go to school You learn to drive

0pt">You go to school You leave high school You go to more school, but you pay

for it now You get a job You get married You buy a house You have kids You

watch your kids eat, sleep, play and go to school You work, work, and work You

retire You die That's the basic life, isn't it? I know there is more to it, but

that is about it for most people. Here is that question again: What in the world

are you doing? What are you doing besides the typical "enjoying yourself while

you are waiting to die" scenario? What kind of impact are you making?

0pt">What I believe sets the successful apart is that they don't just live the

average life. They don't just pass time. They make an impact. They have

something compelling in their life that drives them - something that gives them

an answer when they are asked that question: What in the world are you doing?

I'm helping children. I'm creating a business that supports many families. I

lead a church. I am defending our liberties. I am

raising great children. I'm teaching others to improve their lives. I help

people have fun. I create memories for people. In other words, successful

people always come down to this: I make an impact and help other people by

(fill in your purpose here).

0pt">What in the world are you doing? If you want to be successful, you need to

be able to answer that by describing how you help others. Because if you aren't

helping others - if you aren't making an impact - you are just taking up space,

eating food and waiting to die. What in the world are you doing? If you know,

then you are good to go - live it and make an impact! If you don't know, then

maybe you need to reflect

on what you are doing, what your life is about, and how you can explode the

mundane bubble you may be living in! The world needs impact makers - so live to

be one! 4. Plan, Do and Review! As we close out the first quarter of the 2006

year and jump right in to the second quarter, Plan, Do and Review. We plan for

the upcoming quarter, take action on those plans and review how what we have

been doing is working. Now is a great time to Plan, Do and Review. Are you

focused and on course for reaching your goals? Are you on the right track

mentally, physically, spiritually, financially,

relationally, etc.? 5. Claim Your Power Now Has procrastination become a

habit? Are you paralyzed by fear that's keeping you from going after what you

want? Do you have trouble staying focused on a goal? Are you ready for a

personal breakthrough? Here are some of the tools you're going to bring home

from your breakthrough day: The 15-minute a day action that will double your

results in less than 30 days. How to determine what you really want, and how to

motivate yourself to get started, keep going, and — most importantly — finish

what you start, so you actually get the rewards you want. How to use the most

powerful six-word "secret" in the world to totally transform your life,

regardless of where you're at today.The key to eliminating

the self-sabotaging behavior that brings your best efforts to a screeching halt.

The secret to developing an unstoppable persistence. "Learn how to turn

frustration into fascination. You will learn more being fascinated by life than

you will by being frustrated by it." Courtesy: http://www.jimrohn.com

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