Take a Girl with a Plan, and

You have a Girl who makes Miracles happen.

 

Best Tips for Creating A Plan and Staying Motivated

• The Ford Foundation did some research on how people attain goals and the likelihood of them completing them. WOW!  I am shocked!  The study showed that only 3% of people actually achieve their goals, almost 90% of the time.
• They found that only 10% of the population even has goals that they want to reach in life, at least well defined ones.
• About 67% have goals and a general idea about those goals, but don’t really have a specific list that they want to achieve.
• About 26%  are people who don’t have any idea what they want out of life, or any goals in life.
• So basically, that leaves about 3% who are actually working toward something and getting what they want, almost 90% of the time.

This information I found shocking.  But why should I?  Because in reality, I use to be one of those individuals in the middle.  I had a general idea of what I wanted, but no specific plan to get me there.

I, like so many others made those New Years resolutions, worked for about a month and then, life got in the way.  Or did it?  Was I blaming life, when in reality I was the one who lost focus and allowed my goals to begin to fizzle out.

I have made myself a plan, and committed to Make myself a Priority.

Download my plan free.   Want to know how I use it?  Keep reading.

 

Not having a clear, defined outline of Steps, was my greatest problem

• Coming up with a goal is never a problem for me.  The problem is defining of what needs to take place over a lengthy period of time.  I am great at accomplishing things last minute.  Give me a class, I’ll pull it off.  Give me a project, I’ll have it done.   But expect me to come up with a long, 3 – 6 month plan, and I have never been able to do it.  I have always blamed my artistic right brain thinking, but now I am beginning to understand that the real problem is not knowing how to make a design and create a plan that works for me.  Well at least until now.   God knows when we are ready.  He sends in reinforcements.  I have been given the opportunity to work with a dear friend in a major assignment.  She is ultra detailed.  Her influence, and need for more detailed information has prodded me to make some major changes.  And thankfully I have.   She once gave me great advice.  When she is planning an event, she starts from the end result and works her way back to the beginning.  Brilliant advice.  By actually starting at the end, you can determine what outcome you truly are seeking.  I had that step down, but it was the next steps that I always missed.
• Start planning backwards in detail.  So in other words, break down the end goal into small steps, and then break down those steps again.  Now you have a plan that can be easily kept up with.  And a goal that you can actually recognize some progress in.

 

A Major Reason Our Goals Fizzle Out is because…

• the goal is not written down.  According to a study done by Gail Matthews at Dominican University, those who wrote down their goals accomplished significantly more than those who did not write down their goals.
• Often goals stay too general.   Greater positive results com from breaking each goal down into smaller steps that can be accomplished each day.
• Another common problem I face is commitment.  Yes, I hate to admit it; but there are times when I simply lose interest.  My commitment level to myself has never been equal to, or greater than, my commitment to another person.  Doing something for someone else brings great satisfaction, but I have experienced burn-out several times, from not taking care of myself also.  Taking care of our own personal needs takes discipline.  I was eager to replace my morning workout with something someone else needed me to do.  The only problem is, my stress level goes up, and I find myself running low on energy, feeling like I am on a hamster ring frantically trying to keep up.

 

 The Best Tips to change this pattern.

• Tip 1: Make a “Commitment to Self”.

  If you do not take care of yourself, who will?  If you are not feeling well, who will take care of those loved ones?  It has taken me a while to not feel guilty, when I give myself more than an hour a day.  I would always allow myself a little bit of time.  But for me to actually cover all of the vital areas, (ie, exercise, healthy eating, focusing my mind, scripture reading, etc), 30 minutes to an hour a day is realistically not enough time.

  Having young children is a challenge, and nearly impossible to find alone time.  Many times I would throw in the towel and give up; but, don’t you do that.  Having a plan helps you get everything done in a a day.  Yes, it may take help from a friend, if you have small children.  But having the time to accomplish this “Make Yourself a Priority” plan is possible.

• Here are a few things that worked for me.
  • I am a morning person.  So, I quickly realized that for me to succeed, getting up early before anyone else, was the best time for me to focus on “Me Time”,
  • When others got busy with a project, I could easily slip away for some alone time to read, work on a project, or enjoy the quiet.
  • Spending time with friends is great; but I have come to understand that doing these little things on my list would fuel my energy,  and last much longer than even a lunch date with the girls.  Trust me though, I will never pass up a lunch date.

 

• Tip 2: Create a Routine that has Simple Daily Steps

  • I have created a routine of the top 4 things to help release stress, and build up my energy to feel motivated.   Each day my focus is to complete all 4.  These are not major projects, other than exercise.  They are 4 areas that need constant attention.  I call it the Fantastic Four.  Four areas that must take priority if we are to feel happy and healthy.

 

 

• • 
  • Everyday…..sometime during that day…..I make sure I give myself these four areas.  For me, morning time is the best to knock out the majority on this list.

• What does each area mean?

  • Meaning:  These activities will give you a sense of meaning.  You are filling and raising the energy of your soul.
  • Focus:  What you focus on is what you experience in your life.  Your focus energy is what regulates your energy to be motivated.  Your focus energy determines if your goals become accomplishments.  It is the sum total of your thoughts, both consciously and subconsciously.   Anxiety is a challenge with every member of my family, including myself.  Taking the time to PLAN what I want, and then DESIGN my thoughts in such a way, that I am able to go out and CREATE my plan, starts right here with the energy of focus.  I have designed a plan, I named, Cre8 Reminders©.  This plan is a quick, easy way to zero in on what my mind is focusing on, and helps me to formulate and create thoughts that are filled with the right motivation and energy to cancel out procrastination, or the tendency to make slow progress.  With the right thoughts I am now empowered to rocket- off in the right direction. (Instructions will be in the course section of this blog, come this January)
  • Quality:  This is the quality of life you are experiencing.  Do you have the energy to do everything you desire?  Are your relationships growing?  Are you developing and growing as a person?  Are you free from depression, anxiety, self-doubt?  A second technique I developed, Positive Motivation by Design©, is a program to take care of your needs and help you understand others needs and how you can help fulfill them.  I have found that I no longer struggle with feelings of self worth, and I am able to understand what others need and focus on building a stronger relationship.  (Instructions will be in the course section of this blog, come this January)
  • Physical:  Exercise, quantity & quality of sleep, food, and even your leisure are strong team players for building your energy on the physical level.  (Note: exercise can not be checked off for leisure.  They are two separate, important components.)

Happiness begins with a strong sense of wellness.  Are you enjoying the adventure?  Because, You are the captain charting out your happy and healthy journey.

 

Keep Yourself Inspired.

Stephen Covey is an inspiration to me of how to create habits for becoming highly successful in your life.  These are a few of my favorite quotes by him.

• • “Make time for planning; Wars are won in the general’s tent.” – Stephen Covey

    Planning is one of the biggest keys to creating a successful future for yourself. The most successful people in the world have a daily, weekly, and monthly goal sheet written out.

  • “If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to keep getting what we’re getting.”- Stephen Covey

    We all want positive change to happen; but, we shy away from the struggles and challenges that come with accomplishing that change.  I tell myself, “you can keep doing what you’ve always done, and keep getting what you’ve always got”; OR, “you can make a change and focus on it becoming a real positive change”.  I generally opt for the positive change.

    Happiness is a decision.  Good health is a decision.  You have the strength within to take on the challenge and accomplish what you want.  So, don’t just set a goal; design and create a Plan.  

  • “I am not a product of my circumstances, I am a product of my decisions.” – Stephen Covey

    As Tony Robbins says,  “Decisions shape your destiny.” Never underestimate the power of making a decision.  Believe me when I say, You are only one positive decision away from changing, this one life you have, forever!

I want to hear what your best tips are for accomplishing your goals.  How do you keep yourself motivated?  Click this link, send them to me, and I will add them to this post.  I will email you back when I have added them to the article.  Thanks for giving me your input.

Submit Your Best Motivation Tip

Leave your comment below about what you think about this statement by Stephen Covey.  

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” – Stephen Covey