Why You Must Stop Setting Goals
My goal in life is to have no goals. They get in the way of true progress. Plenty of successful people swear by goal setting. They're praising the wrong behavior. Brain research tells us that the goals don't matter--it's the intention that gets us where we want to go. Intentions and goals are not the same. Goals tend to be arbitrary and number-oriented, such as the number of pounds lost, amount of money earned, number of hours spent in the gym, number of new clients introduced or new products developed. Intentions are big-picture statements about what fulfills you. It's a little harder to measure an intention, but the results are more meaningful. Let's say you want to lose 20 pounds. How will you feel when you do that? What will your life be like if you are 20 pounds lighter? Establishing an intention requires recognizing what will satisfy you. You want to lose weight so that you will feel healthy, strong, fit, confident, attractive, and sexy. The number on the scale isn't what matters most--it's how you feel each day. Here's a weight loss goal: I will lose 20 pounds in five months. Here's an intention: I feel strong, healthy, fit, confident, attractive and sexy. The problem with typical goals is that we tend to get bogged down by our "even though" statements. We tell ourselves that we are going to lose 20 pounds EVEN THOUGH we failed last time, EVEN THOUGH we question our ability to do so, EVEN THOUGH we don't think we'll be able to maintain it. Our minds go directly to the negative images and we sabotage our efforts before we even begin! Here's a thought: Why not create an intention that will get your brain to work for you instead of against you? Intentions allow us to picture ourselves--and how we'll feel--when we are successful. There's no room for failure in the picture. We focus on the positive and powerful feelings we'll have. Intentions are always stated in present tense, as though you are already where you want to be. Instead of saying, "I will be strong, fit, healthy, etc.", you say, "I feel strong, fit, healthy, etc." What seems like a small semantic difference is a huge shift in our brains. The latest brain studies suggest that the most effective way to change our beliefs is to create a mental story of success. We need to picture ourselves as we want to be, and we need to talk about it. Here's the basic formula: See it, say it, hear it. Our unconscious brain sees everything in pictures. It does not filter images based on what our conscious mind considers true, likely or possible. It literally does not distinguish between reality and fantasy. Think of the nonsensical dreams you've had! Language is most fully processed in the brain when there is a visualized image to go along with it. These images and words become linked to create our "truth"-- at least, according to our brains. And that's where it matters most. Say it out loud, and you're engaging your aural learning skills as well. By intentionally creating new images through visualization, we literally create our own version of reality, and as you've probably learned by now, we tend to live in whatever reality we construct. Our potential is limited only by the mental images we choose to develop and store. It's that simple--and that profound. Stop setting goals, and start creating intentions. The secret is to include ALL of these steps: - SEE yourself in the circumstances you desire. Picture it perfectly.
- Craft a one-paragraph story that you would like to be true, and SAY it in present tense, as though you are describing your life right now.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat. Demand to HEAR that same story every night before you go to sleep.
What's your intention? Focus on feelings, not numbers. Picture it, and write it down. Repeat it to yourself until it becomes familiar and beloved--complete with favorite parts, great pictures, and a happy ending. Stop pushing toward goals and start being pulled by your intentions. Let your brain go to work for you. See it, say it, hear it. You'll never need another goal! About The Author Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 80 countries. She serves up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief in her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage. To subscribe, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com. maya@massageyourmind.com
Related News
: Personal Performance Management Starts with MyStrategicPlan - NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)
At 18 or 21, goal is responsible drinking - The Oregonian - OregonLive.com
Argentina And Nigeria - Twelve Years On - Goal.com
Goal personal planning setting success – Here is the secret of ... - Corsavoo.com
US tops Brazil in OT to win second straight gold - Sports Network
Local campuses noted for green programs by conservation group - The Capital Times
Office Politics: Is goal setting holding you back? - Nova Scotia Business Journal
Office Politics: Is goal setting holding you back?Nova Scotia Business Journal, Canada -8 hours agoThe truth is, the traditional goal-setting method is no longer effective, even though most teachers, books, trainers, coaches and schools are still teaching ... |
GAZA STRIP: Siege-busting boats setting sail - Los Angeles Times
Setting the benchmark - Prague Post
Prague Post |
Setting the benchmarkPrague Post, Czech Republic -16 hours agoIt’s my goal to expand that business further. One thing is clear — as long as the market, economy and our clients will allow us to grow and expand our ... |
Fitness success depends on SMART goal-setting - BCLocalNews
Fitness success depends on SMART goal-settingBCLocalNews, Canada -Aug 13, 2008Setting unattainable goals simply sets up failure. If you have a major fat loss goal, break it down into small attainable goals. As you achieve each smaller ... |
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Business Goal Setting and Then Following Through
Your business can't go according to plan if you have no plan.
I Need to Accomplish Something
Do you have trouble taking a day off? Boy, I do. When I take a day off I lie around all day, read novels, eat whatever I want, take a nap, and generally do whatever I want. It's awful. I get depressed, I don't feel well, I don't accomplish anything.
Figure Out the Pebble in Your Shoe
"By asking for the impossible, we obtain the best possible." ~ Italian saying
Develop Your Soul Goals!
Occasionally when I talk with people about goals they seem to interpret the intention of goals as being to get more things. Naturally things are important but there is so much more to goal setting that I wish to share with you.
Seven Deadly Enemies That Stop You From Reaching Your Goals
Everybody on this planet has enemies, rivals and foes. Call them any way you like, but nevertheless they exist, chasing you at every step you make. Nobody knows where they come from, but the fact of their existence was detected on the planet and still nobody knows completely the effective remedy from them. They spoil our lives; put the spokes in our wheel, making tricky endeavors to distract us. The biggest nuisance they cause is that they prevent us from reaching success in life. The only way out of this situation is to disclose them and to wipe them out once and for all.
Action Achieves Goals - Talk Is Cheap
It is very easy and a lot of fun to talk about dreams and goals and a great future. Achieving these dreams is not so easy as all wise people know. We need to build our dreams on the solid ground of action rather than the shifting sands of talk. The Red Indians of America know how to summarize great truths in a few choice words.
Elephants Are Really Big, Arent They?
In fact, this very type font I am using is called Elephant! I looked around and I didn't find any type fonts named Ant or Dog or Cat, Just Elephant.
Want to Learn Something New Today?
How many times do you say, "Gee, I wish I had of learned...?" How often do you avoid new tasks simply because they are out of your "comfort zone" and the task would involve having to learn something new?
Creating Your Vision for Your Business, Career, and Life
Many people go through their daily lives feeling overwhelmed. There are so many things to do and there never seems to be enough time or energy to do them all. Is this how you feel about your business, career, or life?
How To Keep Your Resolutions and Reach Your Goals
Another year has flown by and here you are at the beginning of another year. This is a time when many people assess their life and make "new year resolutions" or set goals for the New Year. Sometimes they are the exact same resolutions as last year!! Did you make some of these?
Broken Sleep
For the past several weeks, I have not been sleeping well. I've been waking up after 4 or 5 hours, tossing and turning for the rest of the night. I have tried to think peaceful thoughts and hoped that I would go back to sleep quickly, but instead I found myself trying to solve numerous problems in my life.
Goal Believing is the First Step to Goal Achieving
We've just gone from "the Holiday Season" to the "Goal Setting Season." Each year, about the time we turn our calendars to a New Year, we hear a lot about goal setting (even though it is sometimes disguised as information about making your New Year's Resolutions). While the research and polls show that most people don't set goals, most everyone thinks about it at this time of the year.
Mountain Climbing Over Molehills
Someone has said that the greatest cause of ulcers is mountain-climbing over mole-hills! Is that the way you get your exercise? Many folks allow themselves to be thrown off course by minor or imaginary threats. Often they interpret these as life-or-death, or do-or-die situations. They put so much energy into their worries that there is none available for progress. Some even believe that worrying demonstrates caring. This is misguided, too.
19 Ultimate Success Tips for your Online Business
1. Your first ultimate start must include written goals and plans.
Halftime: Re-evaluating Yearly Goals
Note: This article was originally written at mid year so it is good reminder around June but the principles are applicable anytime.
One Stroke at a Time
"One stroke at a time." In an interview, Tiger Woods shared this simple formula for success. He further revealed that his habit to focus on the task at hand and not the previous stroke nor the next stroke keeps him self-disciplined. Tiger's recent 4th win of the Masters and being the first golfer to achieve this accomplishment before the age of 30 reaffirms his personal success formula.
How To Achieve Your Goals
The first step, of course, is to set them. You can't get anywhere if you're not heading in that direction. Intention is essential.
Combining the Mind and Effective Goal-Setting
Goals are of vital importance in our lives. Many of us spend our lives without any definite purpose, simply drifting from place to place. Setting goals help us to focus our lives and to advance confidently in a definite direction. Without them, I don't think our lives can truly be complete.
Making The Goal-Setting Process a Partnership
MAKING GOALS: Effective and motivational goals engage employees in work they can realistically perform and complete, and which has been shown to be relevant both to the organization and to the employees' interests.
Plant! -- And Accept The Consequences!
Welcome to Weekly Wisdoms. Last week I found a new way to communicate over the internet with audio. After you listen, if you'd like to try it for yourself, click here for a chance to make your own free audio postcard... Too cool! Have fun! What a busy week! The lumber package for the barn is on the way. Malcolm is here to saw up the rest of the logs for the siding. We are building a new riding arena. Three new potential clients. And we planted 3 acres of grass! Actually we put down twelve thousand pounds of lime, fertilizer, grass seed and clover seed. I feel like a farmer! I woke up this morning thinking about all that seed and what it might look like next year.
|
.jpg)
