The "Parent-preneur"--EDITION #3---GOAL GETTING!!

Well here we are...starting the beginning of September...a brand new month and also the second hottest time of the year in our industry.  Second only to New Year's.  This is a great time to start evaluating what you want for yourself and your family.  If you are just starting out in home business---CONGRATULATIONS!!  Your timing is AWESOME!  If you have been in the industry for a while this is a good time for some evaluation.  A time to look back at the New Year's resolutions you made this year and examine if the activities you have been doing have supported the achievement of the goals you established for yourself.  The question to ask yourself is...AM I MAKING PROGRESS?  AM I GETTING THE GOALS?? 

I have heard many approaches over the years regarding setting goals...write them down, don't write them down, create a dream board...for me...the important thing is to spend the time recording the goals somewhere. 

But, FIRST, sit down and ALLOW yourself to completely envision each aspect/segment of your life, one by one, and how you truly want it to BE.  Don't just spew off random objectives like... get out of debt...be very specific as you imagine---how much will it take to get out of debt?... What's the number?  For me it was shocking when I first did this...it was way more than I thought...3 years ago I was $48,000 in debt!  By following these steps I am happy to tell you today I am debt free!

Some people ARE capable of NOT writing or recording those crystal clear visions and still keeping them in front of themselves in order to drive their actions.  I am not one of these people.  I have to either write them down and visit them regularly...like each day....or get a picture and keep it in front of me.  Sometimes I do both.  Be honest with yourself and choose the best way(s) that suit you to log your goals.   Either way you choose for yourself...the logic is to have a constant reminder, a constant stimuli to remind you what you do it all for...where your efforts will take you....as you do them day after day, week after week. 

When you are struggling with a schedule for a day...can you go to the dream board or read the list of goals and let that be the reminder of why the activities in a day are so important to accomplish?...even if they are somewhat uncomfortable.  Just a side note here...if you are seeking to be comfortable...STOP IT!  People who sit on the couch watching TV are comfortable and chances are they are the I-WISHERS!  "I wish I made more money...I wish I had a better car...I wish I could stay home with my kids..."

People who push themselves to do the uncomfortable consistently are the WINNERS and the GOAL GETTERS!!  Avoiding pain is for the mediocre.  And ask yourself occassionally when you are being challenged...is this pain greater than the pain of not achieving my goals??  If you can answer yes...time to get back to personal development and build that mind muscle!!  As the saying goes...NO PAIN...NO GAIN!  In order to achieve your goals be prepared for the muscle aches!

The greatest thing about goals is that they are a reflection of your beliefs, your philosophies and your perception of the lifestyle you want to live at a given time.  They are not written in stone and in fact expect your goals to change over the course of time.  The important thing is to remember to change the activities you do daily to support that change.

Now this week...sit down with yourself...in a quiet place and let your mind go...envision how you want to be living...be very specific about imagining DETAILS and remember THINK BIG!  By thinking small, or saying, "I want to but..." you are already telling yourself you can't.  If you thought it...if it came into your mind...YOU CAN--just get out of your own way!  Now I'm not saying to be unrealistic...if you want to make a million dollars tomorrow and you started your business today...that would be unrealistic.  But do you want to earn a million dollars over the next 3 years?

As you are imagining how you want to live start with some time frames....What are my goals for 3 years from now...2 years from now...1 year from now...9 months from now...6 months from now and the next 90 days.  YES...Take each time frame and imagine where you want to be....STARTING WITH THE FURTHEST AMOUNT OF TIME OUT.  The reason I say to start with the furthest time out is because of this...

Let's say that you want to make $1,000,000 in the next 3 years...that would be $333,333.33/year

That would be $27,777.00/month

$6,944.44/week

$992.06/day

Now in your current business...can you make $1,000/day?  Can you start making that today?  If you can and you aren't...examine the activities you do each day.  Are you doing the volume of the activities required to make $1,000/day?  Are you advertising enough to earn $1,000/day?  Are you talking to enough people to make $1,000/day?  Do you have realistic time committments to do those activities each day to make $1,000 per day?  To eventually make $1,000,000 in the next 3 years!! (We are back to the original goal!!)   A great book to assist in this type of thinking is "The Slight Edge" By Jeff Olsen!  Read it and you will always think backwards before you move forward!!

Now what areas of your life should you be looking at when you are envisioning?

Family...how much time do you want to spend with your family...what does that time look like? Family Game Night? A vacation every 6 months All together? What does the time with your spouse look like?  Your children?  How hands on do you want to be?

Business...Do you want to be the company's #1 Income Producer or do you want to make an extra $25,000 this year?  Do you want to work a 2-3 hour day?  4 hour day?  8 hour day?  You don't care...you'll do whatever it takes?  Are you moving into a leadership position within the company?

Spirituality...Do you take time for devotionals/Meditation?  Attend retreats?  Volunteer at your place of worship?

Fitness...Are you working out at least 20 minutes a day...3 days a week or are you in the gym an hour and a half a day/6 days a week?

Continuing Education...Are you reading a few books a quarter, attending online teleconferences, contributing articles, are you attending seminars monthly?  A combo of all the above?

Lifestyle...What type of environment do you want to live in...what is important to you as far as the home you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear?

Personal...how much time are you giving yourself for fun? Girls/boys night/morning out?  Reading time every afternoon?  How does your hair look?  Do you want to get your nails done every week? This time is strictly for you and not surrounded by work, family or spouse---YOU ONLY!!

Now use these guides this week and go create some crystal clear visions...then log them!

Next week we'll talk about creating a plan...

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Pam