The
New Year is traditionally a time of RESOLUTIONS -- which is just
a fancy way of saying that you are setting goals for the next 12
months. But this can be an incredibly stressful prospect for some
people -- it's almost like setting themselves up for failure. The
common sentiment during January is, "I was bad last year and didn't
do things the way I should have, so I'll try to be better this year."
As Keith Ellis points out in "The Magic Lamp: Goal Setting For People
Who Hate To Set Goals," failure to accomplish our goals has nothing
to do with self-worth -- it is almost entirely due to the fact that
we focus on the EFFECT rather than creating a CAUSE. We expect a
change in our lives without setting in motion the thing that will
bring that change into being (Mr. Ellis likens this to standing
on a bare dirt field and demanding vegetables without first planting
a garden!) Achievement of goals requires an initial investment.
But Mr. Ellis suggests that waking up in the morning to the thought,
"I'm going to work on my goals," feels like drudgery. But saying
to yourself, "Today, I'm going to make my WISHES come true," is
more likely to get you moving. Following this line of thinking,
Keith Ellis has developed a series of four steps for assuring that
your goals become a reality, which he has dubbed the L.A.M.P. PROCESS:
LOCK-ON
"Locking on" is all about deciding what you want in life. Unfortunately,
some people are much too limiting in their ideas about what they
can accomplish. Mr. Ellis asks his readers to create a WISH LIST
-- everything that you would want in life if you were absolutely
certain that you would get it. He then addresses a series of issues
designed to solidify your wishes and attach them to a central purpose.
One of the most important questions that Mr. Ellis asks during this
step of process is, "Are you willing to pay the price" to have what
you want -- understanding that you must always SACRIFICE one thing
in life to achieve another.
But unlike most goal-setting programs, Mr. Ellis takes you a step
further -- beyond simply making a list of "wants." He then requires
you to create a PLAN for achieving those desires. What small, specific,
concrete STEPS would you have to take to make that wish a reality?
What is your DEADLINE for accomplishing your goal? When will you
have to complete each step to successfully meet your deadline? And
what LIMITING FACTORS do you face that might hold you back -- not
enough education? Fear? Too little time? What can you do to overcome
these limiting factors? Finally, once you accomplish this goal,
what is your next wish? By answering this simple series of questions,
you find yourself with a well-laid plan for manifesting your dreams.
ACT
Mr. Ellis bases the second step in his goal-setting process on the
law of INERTIA -- "a body in motion tends to remain in motion, and
a body at rest tends to remain at rest." Stated in lay terms, if
you will take one small step toward your goal each day, you will
build up the momentum needed to see it through. Taking that FIRST
STEP is the hard part -- but it's that step that helps you overcome
inertia. Each step after that becomes easier and easier. Of course,
you will be faced with many first steps -- each time you pause along
the route to accomplishing your goal, you will have to overcome
challenge of "getting started" again. So Mr. Ellis suggests that
you ease back into motion -- choosing the smallest, EASIEST action
possible for that first step.
Of course, to really make progress toward your goals, you must build
the right kinds of HABITS. Mr. Ellis suggests that INTERNAL PRACTICE
is the best way to start developing those habits. This is more than
just visualization -- seeing pictures in your mind. You must feel,
smell, hear, and taste what it is like to already be practicing
your new habit. You then translate that PRE-MEMORY of your habit
into a thirty-day commitment to practice your habit daily. But to
make this commitment, you have to carve out a space each day to
work on your goal. This can seem like a real challenge to people
who already feel that their days are overburdened. The key is to
always be asking yourself, "What is the most IMPORTANT (not necessarily
urgent) thing for me to be doing right now," -- and then do it!
This requires some serious perspective about the many "have-to's"
in your life -- deciding which are absolutely required, and which
merely eat up your day. As you work toward your goals, always keep
in mind ELLIS'S LAW -- "even ordinary effort over time yield's extraordinary
results."
MANAGE YOUR PROGRESS
Mr. Ellis compares successful people with a magnifying glass --
they FOCUS their attention, rather than radiating it out in all
directions. But it becomes difficult to focus when we are bombarded
with distractions and other responsibilities, day after day. Mr.
Ellis offers some simple techniques for staying focused on your
goals:
• keep your wish in front of you -- taped to the mirror, refrigerator,
or your desk
• affirm your wish -- REPEAT it to yourself over and over again
every day
• work on one wish at a time
• keep a weekly PROGRESS REPORT to remind yourself that you are
moving forward
• refocus and make adjustments when you get off track
PERSIST
BELIEF causes PERSISTENCE -- which leads to SUCCESS. When you begin
to feel that it is too difficult, that you can't go on, Mr. Ellis
suggests asking yourself the following questions: "Do I believe
I can make this wish come true?" and "Do I believe this wish is
WORTH THE EFFORT?" If the answer is no, you need to deal with your
belief before you can work on your wish. You might have developed
the mistaken idea that self-discipline will see you through to the
end. But success is less about discipline and more about PASSION
-- if you love (or learn to love) what you are doing, you will necessarily
succeed.
Or, you may have fallen prey to one of two classis "wish-killers."
FEAR is a "negative wish" -- the cure for fear is to focus on what
you want, not what you don't want. Thinking like a VICTIM -- feeling
that you are being acted upon by some uncontrollable outside force
-- will turn you from a cause rather than an effect, and kill any
chance you have of fulfilling your wishes. Mr. Ellis suggests that
you permanently exchange the phrase, "Why me?" for "What can I do
about it?" -- reclaiming responsibility for your dreams.
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
--
offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
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