Welcome to 2009 and Your New Goals

Optimists love New Years Day. It is the ultimate calendar mark for a positive fresh start.

The negatives of 2008 were many (but so were the positives) and many closed out the old year worried about health of the worldwide economic system. While it has been battered and bruised, I do not subscribe to the "all is lost" mentality of the doom and gloom crowd. Besides, 2008 is so yesterday.

Today the page has turned and we each have a unique chance to reset our individual and collective goals for accomplishment. Dang, it is exciting if you think about it.

If you are not a goal setter, I encourage you to think about having a few things that you want to strive for in 2009. You will be surprised when you have clear, concise, and written goals how much easier it is to make the tough choices in all areas of your life. The fact that you have thought about what you want will make your year better than if you just let life happen to you.

Have you heard the expression "Shit Happens"? Yes, to people who have no idea what they want out of life!

Select one to three goals in each of these areas:

Career Goals. This pertain to your job, business, education, and income. What do you want to do differently in the new year that will bring you more satisfaction in this part of your life?

Personal Goals. These are things that effect your family, home and health. This part of our life brings us so much peace and joy when running well, and so much grief when out of sync.

Soul Goals. Here you need to examine your own spiritual journey. We all have different belief systems, but most people I know (even atheists) has some desire to connect to a higher power.

Make sure all your goals are attainable and realistic for your personal situation, but include goals that involve some hard work and dedication in their accomplishment. The good things in life always come with some level of sacrifice and hard work.

Years ago I began setting goals. Over time I have had people roll their eyes or scoff at my dedication to this process. But much of my accomplishments would never have happened without my focus on goals. I never could have written several books without having clear goals about the projects and dates of completion.

Do I meet all of my goals each year? Nope. That is not the point. Goals are not a guarantee or a magic wand. But they do make it easier when faced with any decision, as I can ponder if my actions will bring me closer or farther from achieving my goals. When I make a bad choice (and I do that often), I can quickly identify that I off course and take the steps to get back on track. With no goals how would you know what progress you were making advancing your life situation?

Embrace the power of the new year and think about where you want your live to be in 12 months. Write down your goals on paper and refer to them often. I can assure you that this process will cause no harm, but it might help... so why would you not even try?

Sure, there will be all kinds of trials and tribulations over the next year, but there always have been throughout history. The press highlights the negatives of the world because it sells papers (well, nothing sell "papers" any more, but it brings eyeballs to the news), But when you have goals, it lets you see past the headlines of disaster.

Happy New Year and Godspeed to you in 2009!

thom