Go Beyond Goals And Achieve Your Dream!

As important as goal setting is, goals alone do not ensure that you will achieve the success you desire. A written goal is not some kind of magic talisman whereby whatever you set your heart on manifests in your life out of thin air. That being the case, what is it that makes the difference between a person who achieves their goals and a person who doesn't? The answer can be summarised in a single word: lifestyle. The only difference between those who achieve their goals and those who don't is the way they live each day. Destiny does not determine your lifestyle. Your lifestyle determines your destiny!

The vast majority of people who aspire to success in life aspire to a particular kind of result. They see successful people on TV, at the movies or in their neighbourhoods and they think, "I want that." They look at the wealth, the fame, the physique, the career success, the fulfilling relationships and all the other "results" of success, but they don't look at the kind of lifestyle which led to that success. If they did, they would realise that these successful results can all be had, but not apart from the successful lifestyle which precedes them.

Get this point clear in your mind right now:

You can have any kind of success you desire if you are willing to adopt the kind of lifestyle which precedes that success.

I meet many people who, on discovering that I am a writer as well as a life coach, tell me that they too have always wanted to write. "I have a great idea for a book," they say. "And I'd love to have my name in print... and receive those royalty cheques. It must be absolutely wonderful!"

If you put my life in those terms, then I have to agree. It would be absolutely wonderful to spend my life getting ideas, having my name put in print and collecting royalty cheques.

Unfortunately for the dreamers, there is a lifestyle which precedes all of those results. For example, at five o'clock this morning when everyone else was cosily tucked up in bed, I was in the shower. At five fifteen I was eating a bowl of breakfast cereal. And at five thirty I was sitting at my desk, putting words on paper. And because I have clients to coach today (and most days) I'll be here for a while yet.

I don't want this to sound as though I dislike my work. The fact is that I love writing and coaching. I actually enjoy getting out of bed early in the morning and spending almost all of my day helping people to achieve their dreams. The point I am trying to make is that if you want success as a writer, you have to live the lifestyle of a writer. That means writing, day in and day out.

The same applies to any other form of success. If you want to achieve the goal of being fit and healthy, you need to adopt the kind of lifestyle which places importance on regular exercise and eating habits. If you want to achieve the goal of having strong family relationships, you need to adopt the kind of lifestyle which places importance on regular family gatherings and good communication skills.

Once again, let me put it this way:

Destiny does not determine your lifestyle.

Your lifestyle determines your destiny.

Now compare this strategy with the ones contained in the vast majority of self-help titles and you will find their fatal flaw: Most self-help systems claim that the lifestyle is the goal, the end result of having achieved success. Wrong! The adoption of a properly planned lifestyle is the route to achieving success in the first place. If you still need convincing then consider this: How do you think most currently mega-successful people lived before they achieved the success they now enjoy?

Did Bruce Willis spend five hours every evening watching soap operas or the latest action movies on video? Was Anthony Robbins a regular at his local bar, content to happily watch the evenings pass by with just a few drinking pals and beers close by to keep him awake? Did Meg Ryan spend all day watching daytime television and eating cheese puffs? Was Nicole Kidman content to work in a dead-end job for little money? Did Stephen King spend every spare afternoon at the race track or bumming around with a group of loser friends?

Of course, the answer to all of these questions is no. But aren't these exactly the kind of things that unsuccessful people do all the time? And aren't these the kind of things that unsuccessful people actually defend when challenged about their lifestyles? Yes!

And that's the only real difference between the people who achieve their goals and those that don't - the things that they do day after day, week after week and month after month.

I realise that all of this sounds incredibly simple, but the fact is that personal success is simple. It may not be easy, but it certainly isn't complicated.

About The Author

Ian Bruce, aka The Rational Coach, helps people from all over the globe to improve their lives and achieve their goals both elegantly and swiftly. Visit him today at www.rational-coaching.com

rationalcoaching@aol.com

---

The Importance Of Having A Goal In Life

At the age of twenty two, I read a book that described the importance of having a goal in life. In the books example, a survey had... Read More

Goal Setting Basics - 3 Steps Plus 1

Goal setting seems to be one of the most misundertood, and overly complicated areas of self-improvement. And, well, frankly, it shouldn't be.Once you understand the difference between... Read More

Fear Factor

Is it possible for an individual to pass a course of instruction with high marks and remain ineffective?Is it possible that this person never actually learned anything,... Read More

How To Become A Polished Public Speaker In Just One (1) Day

The fear of speaking in public ranks right up there with the fear of death. I had the same fear myself until I was chosen to be... Read More

Goal Setting - Forget About It

Many motivational speakers and self-help books will tell you that you must have goals. I've even advocated goal setting myself in the past. You write down your... Read More

Decide and Declare!

Did you start off the new year with goals and plans? Are you achieving everything you set out to do? Feel invigorated by your new life?If you... Read More

Focus on Your Goals

Focus is the single most important factor that will determine whether your dreams come true or not. Depending on what your dreams are, there are so many... Read More

How to Keep Your Focus on Your Home Business Goals

As you begin your new home business you will find there will be hundreds of distractions that will fight for your time and attention.If you are new... Read More

Goal Setting and Goal Getting: What Would You Like to Accomplish in 100 Days?

Here's a question for you:What would you like to have accomplished 100 days from now?Why 100 days from now?Well, why not? Besides, 100 is a nice round... Read More

Go Beyond Goals And Achieve Your Dream!

As important as goal setting is, goals alone do not ensure that you will achieve the success you desire. A written goal is not some kind of... Read More

If You Cant See Your Way to Completing Your Goal, Its Time to Check Your Vision

Have you been having trouble achieving a specific goal? Are you allowing other less important things to get in the way of accomplishing what you really want?... Read More

Do you Have the Burning Desire to Lose Weight or Reach any Goal?

NOTE: This article is one of the component parts of the 9-step WTA3 program contained in the ebook titled "The Action Path -Your Key to Success!" due... Read More

Priorities

Last month's edition of Footprints and Monuments was about living your life going Mach3 with your hair on fire. Learning from the past, but passionately waiting for... Read More

Forget New Years Resolutions -- They Dont Work

You can forget about making New Year's Resolutions if you're hoping for a successful outcome. Most aren't worth the paper they're written on.No less than Mark Twain... Read More

Who Needs a Rear-view Mirror? Successful Living by Mastering Our Past

When driving, we need to check our rear-view mirror every few minutes to perceive dangers lurking behind - tailgaters, hecklers, over speeding cars, and drivers under the... Read More

Commitment

A true commitment is a heart felt promise to yourself, from which you will NOT back down, no matter what the circumstances may be!Many people have good... Read More

Cultivating Belief in Your Goals

The Belief That You Can Do It and more importantly, That You Will!First, You must choose one goal and commit to it's achievement. It seems that this... Read More

How Clear is Your Vision?

Wouldn't it be nice to know that there is a way to get what you want? Whether it's in business or your personal life, this article will... Read More

Competition, Jealousy And Goals

Naturally some of us are more competitive than others, but the vast majority of us have a good degree of competition hardwired into us. If you think... Read More

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.The second step is to... Read More

10 Keys To Personal Goal Setting

Does personal goal setting work? Many people want things, situations or accomplishments, call these goals, and then are disappointed when they don't get them. Call desires goals... Read More

Got Goals? Did You Reach Them?

Most of us have goals.Big ones, small ones. But not always do we follow through with them and that...hum?could be dangerous.You see, within a lifetime our goals... Read More

Goal Setting and Goal Getting: The BD3 Approach

Most people have no problem setting goals. At the same time, most people have a great deal of trouble getting their goals.A specific strategy for setting and... Read More

In Pursuance of Your Dream Career

What do u wanna be when you grow up?" " I don't wanna grow up"!! How lovely it would be if we don't grow up and be... Read More

Is that W-A-L-R-U-S?

A few years back, I went to London, England. I needed to get a passport-like photo taken, but the machine I wanted to use was out of... Read More

Getting To The Top By Fits And Starts

I would venture to believe that most people have the qualities to make them a success. Then why are not more of them successful? One observation is;... Read More