Article Directory :: Self-Improvement/Motivation Articles

Achieving Your Goals - Words Make a Difference

Copyright © 2009 Ainsley Laing

Subscribe to Ainsley Laing's RSS feed using any feed reader!

Republish: EasyPublish
Published: 20Mar2008
Word count: 530
Viewed: 133 time(s)
Bookmark this article using any bookmark manager!
Get Free Content For Your Site

Kids have the most amazing insight if you stop and listen to them. Our daughter has an adult relative who lives far away who said to her "I wish I could see you more often". Do you know what she said later? I don't think he means it, or he would see me more often. Good observation.

Let's look at this more closely. When the relative above says "I wish", this person is indicating that 1) they have not made a decision to make it happen and 2) the ability to make visits more often is not within his/her power. To that, I say poppycock!

The decision to "make it so" is the key. Not the how, or why. For any goal, one just has to decide to it and then figure out how. The how will follow. To achieve a goal, it's crucial to decide to do it. It doesn't matter really how or whether you feel that circumstances are outside your control. The means to accomplish this goal will present themselves after you decide. Waiting to think about it or wish about it moves one no closer to achievement. .. and wastes time that could be used constructively toward the goal.

Ok, ok, Nike beat me to it....

To get what we want, we need to get rid of the words "would", "could", "should", "wish", "might" and replace them with "I will" or "I won't". There's no doubt that the Nike slogan has appeal: Just Do It!

If you look at the cause and effect decision making that we do for so many of our decisions, it's very simple: deciding to do it should be first, then how. How many times have you dwelled on making a decision because you started thinking about the how and got stuck? I have, a lot. Unless I take notice, this is the first place I go. It has kept me from taking positive actions more than once.

Many people are comfortable in their world of would, could and should. It's easier to make excuses for failure that way. No promises made to anyone (including oneself), just wishful thinking. Of course, like our daughter pointed out, it's almost always a failure mindset. Without commitment there is no action.

An easy example of this that we all can relate to is diet and exercise. Many of my friends wish they weighed less or "had a body like X". Deciding to get fit and eat right is the first step. The how becomes evident with a bit of studying and organization. Next thing you know... a whole new fit body!

So, it's more the wisdom of our grandfathers and grandmothers than modern science. It goes like this.
1. Consider decision and its impact to you and your important people
2. Decide to do it or not
3. Then, figure out how

I for one am working on replacing the "would, could, should" in my vocabulary with "I will, I can, I shall and you bet!". I have been amazed at the difference that one simple paradigm shift has made in my life. Just Do It!

About the Author: Ainsley Laing, MSc. has been a Fitness Trainer for 25 years and writes exclusively Body for Mind eZine. She holds certifications in Group Exercise, Sports Nutrition and Personal Fitness Training. She is also a professional engineer and mom. To see more articles by Ainsley visit http://www.bodyformind.com or the blog at http://www.bodyformind.blogspot.com

Bookmark this article using any bookmark manager! Subscribe to Ainsley Laing's RSS feed using any feed reader!

EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here

More articles by Ainsley Laing

Free Report!
Ten Essential Secrets Of Article Marketing ... Grab Your Free
Copy
Now:




We respect your privacy.


Need Content?
Regular Top Quality Content for your Blog, Ezine or Website ...
Delivered Direct,
For Free!

Click For Details



Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Business - General
Computers & Technology
Finance & Investment
Food & Drink
Health & Fitness
Home & Family
Internet Marketing/Online Business
Legal
Pets & Animals
Politics & Government
Reference & Education
Religion & Faith
Self-Improvement/Motivation
Social
Sports & Recreation
Travel & Leisure
Writing & Speaking

More self-improvement articles:

  • Are You An Immortal? (Mary Gabrielle)
    Do Immortals exist? Could you carry the seeds of a special spiritual lineage making you one of these "Immortals" among us? Recognizing your true origins could greatly impact the future of all mankind. This article explores some questions to ask yourself and shares a portion of Mary Gabrielle's personal experiences as they pertain to her visions about The Immortals Project.

  • Tap Into Creative Flow Through Humor (Valery Satterwhite)
    Childhood is often referred to as a carefree and playful time enjoyed without a thought of responsibility. However, a more accurate look at the average youth experience reveals that children experience quite a bit of emotional and sometimes physical pain. Through humor, you can get your blood flowing, your heart beating and step back into the rhythm and flow that is the essence of the playful creative spirit.

  • The Essential Self Esteem Boost (Jed McCall)
    Looking at the problems a lack of confidence can bring into your life. Building up self esteem step by step, investigating some of the reasons for these issues and how to resolve them.

  • Don't Wait Until You Have the Perfect Plan, Take Immediate Action Now. (Loren Fogelman)
    Have you ever felt so strongly about something that you were willing to do anything in order to reach your goal? Even though there were barriers, you knew this was right for you and nothing was going to stop you. Obstacles you previously avoided were now challenges you were ready to take on and overcome. You had a "do anything" attitude.

  • How to Create a Little "Me" Time (Tony Hall)
    From time to time you should take the chance to focus on you and your life. Having clear and definite goals is great but you must always be sure that they are taking you in the right direction. So it's good to be able to take time to reflect and following some simple steps will help you.

  • What Can Entrepreneurs Learn From Confucius? (Brenda Campbell)
    The teachings of Confucius have endured for centuries and remain influential in the thought and lives of many Asian people and other cultures around the world. I wonder what relevance the words of Confucius have to entrepreneurs in today's world of immediate gratification, liberal morals and values and access to endless streams of information? Here is some of what Confucius had to say.

  • Well-Grounded Faith is Alive and Well Today (Dave Smart)
    In India, middle-class citizens flock to the Char Dham Yatra, a pilgrimage to four Hindu temples in the Himalayas. The spiritual appeal of this demanding journey seems to relate to the spirits of place that these temples are situated at. The closeness of Hinduism to spirits of place is common to Native American and other tribal religions, and all these respond to a human need to grounding to specific places in the world.

We Automatically Distribute Articles
To Thousands Of Publishers And Web Sites:

Submit Article
All content is viewed and used by you at your own risk and we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of any of the information. The views expressed are those of the individual contributing authors and not necessarily those of this web site, or its owner, Takanomi Limited.
 
Copyright © 2009 Takanomi Ltd. Company no. 5629683. All rights reserved. | Privacy | Legal | Contact Information