The One, Simple, Easy and Most Effective Tip for Realizing Your Goals

Each January there’s lots of good advice offered to help make and stick to New Years Resolutions, and let’s face it, in a few weeks many of us will be on to other adventures as we get consumed in another year’s circumstances. If you’re serious about success, then do this one thing:  each day, declare three “wins”. That’s all there’s to it.

The reason this works is simple. If you measure it, it moves. Any result you want is a matter of making choices. If the choices are relevant and appropriate for the goal, then you have “wins”.  Wins don’t have to be significant to be effective. They just have to be chosen more than not.  The speed toward progress can be measured by paying attention to the choices that make the most impact — in the moment of choice. Sleep in or get up. Eat a piece of fruit or a doughnut. The m ore wins we rack up, the easier it is to see our progress and have evidence we are succeeding.

When it comes to health, it’s pretty simple. Tracking wins or health promoting behaviors, no matter how small,  adds up over time.

8 Tips To Beat Procrastination

Positive Living Expert Diane Lane offers some advice for procrastinators.

 Many of us set goals for 2013 and in January we feel we are full steam ahead. By February or March some of us may start procrastinating – or maybe some of us are already putting our goals off. Author, Psychotherapist, and Positive Living Expert, Diane Lang, explains 6 reasons why we procrastinate and then gives 8 tips on how to overcome procrastination – which if not addressed can lead to feelings of guilt, self doubt, depression, and can lead to chronic procrastination.  Also included below are 8 time management tips to further defend against procrastination. 

With a new year underway, be prepared to recognize procrastination and know how to take action to overcome putting things off. We are all guilty of it at one time or another, but if you realize that you are procrastinating more often then you are getting things done, then it is time to work on it.

Procrastination is the avoidance of getting a task accomplished. Procrastination can lead to feelings of guilt, self doubt, depression, and can lead to chronic procrastination.

Six reasons why we procrastinate?

1. Poor time management skills. Are you uncertain of your goals or priorities? Are you overwhelmed? Are you taking on more than you can handle or are you afraid to say “No”? When you are overwhelmed or not managing your time wisely, it’s easy for you to put off tasks for a later date or spend time doing things are not a priority.

2. Do you have difficulty focusing?  When you sit down to do work or study, do you find yourself day dreaming? Falling asleep, watching TV, etc.? Is it that your environment is noisy? Is your desk cluttered or disorganized? Are you laying in your bed while studying or working?

3. Fear/anxiety – Are you afraid of failure? Rejection or success? Do you spend more time on worrying or asking what if?

4. Low self esteem – Are you constantly thinking negative beliefs or thoughts such as: I’m a failure, I can’t succeed in anything or I’m stupid? The negativity can stop you from getting things done.

5. Personal problems – Example: Break up or divorce, financial difficulties, problems with friends or family.

6. Unrealistic expectations or perfectionism – Do you believe you have to do everything 100%? Are you being realistic? Example: are you taking too many classes at school while working a full-time job?

8 tips to overcome procrastination:

1. After reading through the reasons outlined above, be honest and ask yourself the questions from above? Recognize your reasons why?

2. Figure out your short term goals – goals from now until one year.

3. Write down your long term goals – where do you see yourself in three years, five years?

4. Write an action plan for your short term goals that can be revised every time a goal is completed.

5. Set priorities.

6. Use a to-do list. Write one for everyday and cross off as accomplish tasks.

7. Make sure your goals are realistic.

8. Modify your environment. Eliminate noise distractions – shut the phone, cell phones, TV and radios off. Make sure you have plenty of light. Have necessary equipment on hand so you don’t have to get up to get pens, pencils, books, etc. Don’t get too comfortable when studying/working – don’t study or work in bed. Study or work in a chair at a desk. Organize your area so next time you go to study or do work – your area is prepared.

 

8 time management tips to avoid procrastination:

1. Sleep is very important. You should be getting 50-60 hours a week. If you become sleep deprived, you will not be able to concentrate.

2. Study time should be 1 hour of homework for every hour in class and possibly more during midterms, finals or projects. This can vary depending on faculty and class.

3. Normal amount of leisure time per week is 15-25 hours a week. So, make sure you put time in for social activities and hobbies. Schedule them in and make this time part of your weekly routine. Remember, socialization is a key factor for happiness.

4. Plan your schedule for the week in advance. Make a schedule on Sunday for the week. Have a to-do list for each day. Make sure you have your schedule and to do lists written down.

5. Do your most difficult work at your peak hours. What part of the day do you have the most energy? If it’s afternoon, that is the time you should study, work out, etc. Your peak hours will be when you are most efficient and motivated plus you will have the most energy.

6. Eat right, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If you don’t feel good physically then it will be hard to keep mentally active.

7. Do hard tasks in small blocks of time. Take breaks. Example: If studying for a midterm, plan on studying for 45 minutes then taking a 10-15 minute break and start the cycle again.

8. Study, review, work out, etc. in small groups. Having a partner will motivate you.

BIO:

Diane Lang – Positive Living Expert and psychotherapist – is a nationally recognized author, educator, speaker, therapist and media expert. Lang is extremely mediagenic and offers expertise on a variety of health and wellness topics about creating balance and finding happiness through positive living. Lang offers expertise in multiple mental health, lifestyle and parenting needs.  In addition to holding multiple counseling positions, Diane is also an adjunct professor at Montclair State University.

 

Think Positive

One survey (2007, quirkology.com) suggests that although 52% of people felt confident of success, after a year only 12% had achieved what they set out to do. In fact, forget the figure of 12%. The fact that barely half of the people in the survey had any confidence when they set their goal tells us that sometimes the only thing more traditional than making a New Year’s resolution is failing a New Year’s resolution.

But Let’s think positive. How do we succeed?

To start with, let’s make sure that we have chosen the right goal. It’s all too easy in the post-festive period of recovery to swear off alcohol and rich food or pledge to make the most of your gym membership, but is that the right frame of mind in which to set your January goals? Here’s a question: did your resolution stem from negative beliefs? Tip of the day: I there’s a “should”,” need to”, “have to” or a “must do” driving your goal,  spending a little time examining your motivation is often a shortcut to success. Does your mind’s soundtrack have any of the following helpful reminders?  The most common goals often do:·

1) get fitter (I’m unhealthy)
2) lose weight (I’m too big)
3) give up smoking (I smoke too much)
4) give up drinking (I drink too much)
5) spend more time with my family (I’m not a good father/daughter/etc.)
6) be more organized (my life is chaotic)
7) be less stressed (I work too hard)

These are all potentially good resolutions, but they are all built on negative foundations. If we are to succeed, building a positive future result to live into is easier to  work with. Here are seven ‘think positive’ tips for resolution success:
1. Focus – always choose only one goal to follow at each time.
2. Realistic milestones – make it easy to notice when you’re succeeding; e.g. Never tell to your self that you will be better with money in your future; Do say, I will reduce my overdraft by £50 every month.
3. Make a NEW New Year’s resolution – picking the same one that didn’t work last year just returns you to old feelings of frustration.
4. Use positive language – if you are concentrating only on “finishing” to smoke then you will be ending only to “finishing” to try; is always more efficient to have in mind and concentrate on the positive outcome to help you to stay focused.
5. Long-term benefits – think about why you’re doing this; e.g. why do you want to lose weight? What will it give you? Concentrate rather on the new wardrobe rather then on the necessary plain salad.
6. Go public – telling others about your resolution takes it out of your head and puts into the real world. Facebook and Twitter are ideal for announcing your resolution, posting your progress and then receiving your friends’ encouragement to succeed.
7. Positive reinforcement – be kind to yourself; regard any slippage as temporary and all success as worthy of reward.

Whatever your resolution, this early stage is the time to check you’re on the right course, give yourself a boost and think positive

Dr. Antonio Marsocci founder of Think Positive and now well known motivational coach and speaker invites you to be a part of his world. Why not change your emotional outlook on life today, Antonio and the brand itself believes that by seizing your opportunities and mixing around positive energy anyone can achieve.
www.thinkpositiveliving.co.uk