February 2015 Newsletter

In January’s Newsletter, Resolution with an Accent, I shared with you on how to divide your goal into manageable portions and again divide it into sections; whereby, that first piece becomes your ‘new goal’.

Now that you have this in your sights – I’d like to draw your attention to what precedes this step. Because goals we set ourselves don’t always result in success.Alignment

Setting your sights on achieving something is all well and good but is the goal you so desire in alignment with your soul?  Is it in alignment with what makes you tick and with what you value?

Have you given thought to what it is that you value in your life? Yes? No? Well, even if you have, entertain me.  Stop just for a moment and consider it.  Just sit there and contemplate what you value.  Are there links between what you value and how you live your life?  Are there common threads?  How do you know what you value?  How will you know when you think you’ve discovered a value?

A ‘Value’ enriches your life and gives it importance.  It’s what I like to refer to as ‘Soul Food’ and I am known to refer to this quote often and have done so for many, many years.  I use this term because it is what I have found to describe the components of life that ‘feed’ the soul and stimulates that deep inner flame which inspires you.

Just to divert for a moment…..I personally believe that every aspect of our life is connected to every other aspect of our life!

Each piece, stage, experience, thought, emotion, memory and observation, etc., forms part of our own unique web and; therefore, continually adds to the evolving whole, which is always expanding.  What I find interesting is that each of life’s additions ‘slot in’ in some way as if there’s a sequential order (unbeknown to us).  That order or pathway has a cross link or many cross links connecting to all other aspects of our life. Hence, my reference to our own unique web which can, ultimately,  influence other aspects of our life – even if it’s in a small and seemingly insignificant way.  I believe this gives rise to our potential.

Potential; the online Oxford Dictionary defines it as ‘having or showing the capacity to develop into something in the future’ (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/potential).  AKA your goal!

Having the capacity to do something is one thing (I believe we all have the capacity). Having the drive, desire, passion; and the determination to fulfil, complete, and achieve your potential is where the success really lives.

I’ll explain it differently; have you noticed that sometimes it’s effortless to complete tasks?  As if you have ‘energy to burn’?  That you could simply, ‘achieve anything’?  And at other times, feel like you are literally dragging yourself through mud to finish something, anything?  What’s the difference, I ask?

The difference, I believe, lies in whether it ‘feeds your soul’!  If it does, then it’s simply effortless.  If it doesn’t, well then, it’s a real drain.

Now to join all this together…..  Does your goal align with one or more of your values?  Will achieving this goal really ‘feed your soul’?  I challenge you to question yourself as to whether it does.  If not, restructure your goal to align with your values and go for it!!

To help you along follow these 5 simple guided steps.

Step 1
List 3 ‘goals’ you would currently like to achieve.  Once listed, also give each one a score out of 100 that reflects your level of desire. 0 = no desire and 100 = highly desirable.

1. My goal is …
2. My goal is …
3. My goal is …

Step 2
Write each of the above goals using the letters a, b or c below to indicate where they are applicable in your life.  For example, ‘b’ may only be applicable in Career and Finance;whereas, ‘c’ may be applicable to all categories.
Career                        ____________             Family           _____________
Social                         ____________             Education      _____________
Financial                   ____________             Physical         _____________
Self-Improvement  ____________              Spiritual        _____________
Are there any goals that apply in the same areas?

Step 3
List 3 significant goals that you’ve set out in your life and have achieved?

1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________

At the time, would you say that they were deep core desires? Yes/No

Step 4
With a highlighter/pen circle areas that are higher than 70%.  For any area below 70%,  ask yourself, “Is this something I really want to achieve at present”?

This process will help to identify whether a goal is more valuable to you than other goals.  For example, one of your goals may be related to ‘further study’ and this is written next to ‘a’.  If ‘a’ has been written next to all categories, it would indicate that you value education and learning.  Therefore, if your current goal isn’t aligned with this value in education, you may not desire it enough to fulfill it. 

Step 5
Put pen to paper and begin to write ‘what is needed to achieve your goal now that you have identified its worth in your life?’ Again, this is a staged process.  For each stage you write, ask yourself, “What is needed to achieve that?” Continue to ask yourself this question at each answer you give until you cannot answer it anymore.  This is where you begin.  Have fun!!