Tag Archives: goal setting

Create Your Best In 2016

“The goal is not to change who you are, the goal is to become more of who you are at your best.”
-Sally Hogshead

Point to Ponder:
Are your 2016 goals, mantras and/or intentions balanced?

Neissa Brown Springmann

It’s been a big three weeks! We’ve celebrated the previous year, pulled 2015 weeds and reviewed and evaluated any unfulfilled expectations, undelivered communication and unfinished business from 2015. YAY! Now we can declare our 2016 goals, mantra or intentions!

For me, the ‘clean the slate’ exercise has been very helpful, as it has done just that, it’s cleaned my slate. Rather than haphazardly write down and dive into a ridiculous amount of overwhelming goals (which I do each year and fail miserably), this year was different! Not only did this exercise provide me with critical thinking opportunities, but it allowed me the time to strategically evaluate what I actually want and need to pursue in order for me to become more of who I am at my best.

While I am continuing to determine specific goals for 2016, I have chosen a mantra and intention: “Grow” is my mantra, and my intention is: “I willingly accept and embrace each new challenge that I encounter so I can grow into and become everything God has created me to be.”

So, how about you? Do you have any goals, a mantra, or intention for 2016? If so, I encourage you to declare it by writing them down. If you have several goals, review them and determine if there is a balance of ‘doing goals’ with ‘being goals’. My guess is for most of us, our goals are lopsided with almost all ‘doing’ goals, such as: exercise three days a week, organize the garage, go to lunch with friends more, do, do, do…..

Of course there is nothing wrong with setting “doing” goals, however to have success and achieve balance (which I know we all want) we must also have ‘being’ goals too. Therefore, as you contemplate your first round of goals (b/c you can always set more), consider having a goal for each of the following categories: physical, spiritual, mental and emotional. This will help create a holistic balance of ‘doing’ with ‘being’, which will be energetically significant in allowing you to have success in being your best, which I know we ALL want!

(Goals, mantra, and/or intention postcard that will be passed out in classes this week)

Action Item:
When declaring and writing down your goals, mantras, or intentions that allow you to be your best, make it a point to be holistic in your approach. By creating goals for each category: physical, spiritual, mental and emotional, you will balance ‘doing’ with ‘being’.

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But Why?

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A Road Map to Your Best Year Yet, Part III

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Point to Ponder:
Have you given much thought to why you are interested in pursuing and accomplishing your 2015 goals?

by Neissa Brown Springmann

Have you ever wondered why people do the things they do, or better yet, why you do the things you do? I ask this because I find that the longer we live the more programmed our brains become, and the less intentional our actions are. Out of simplicity, ease of mind and habits, many of our daily behaviors and decisions become unconscious patterns, and before long we’re driving the same way home, eating at the same restaurants, interacting with the same people, engaging in the same conversations, and creating the same goals….year, after year, after year. Just as all children ask “why?”, and I have been coached and encouraged to ask “why?”, I think its a great question for all of us to ask so we can go deeper into and be more conscious of why we are considering pursuing the 2015 goals that we are.

As you think about the goals you are wanting to pursue in 2015, ask yourself these questions:

Does the thought of pursuing the goal feel daunting, or does it excite me?
Is the goal going to enrich and add value to my life?
Is pursuing this goal really worth my time and do I really care?
Is the goal in alignment with what I want for my life?
Am I setting this goal out of guilt, shame, obligation or an unfulfilled expectation from my past?

The reason why I’ve loved asking myself these questions is because they force me to think. What I’ve learned is that I’m a haphazard goal-setter and don’t give my goals the conscious time and effort they need in order to thrive. I’ve also realized that many of the goals I was setting for myself were left-over goals from the past that I felt I still needed to accomplish. Interestingly, these goals actually no longer resonate with me, they don’t align with my life and I really don’t care. What’s also been enlightening about asking ‘why?’ is that many of the goals I’ve been hanging onto are expectations that I once had for myself or felt that someone else had for me. Now that I’ve let them go, I feel like I’ve been released of unnecessary baggage and unproductive energy.

I think it’s safe to say that each year we all strive to do better and be better than in the previous year. As it pertains to the goals you are considering in 2015, I encourage your “one thing” this week to be curious, and ask yourself why you want to pursue and accomplish these particular goals. For sure you’ll receive many interesting answers and great knowledge to take into next Thursday’s Goals Workshop.

Action Item:
Be curious and ask yourself why you are interested in pursuing and accomplishing the goals you are considering setting for yourself in 2015.

Do You Get in Your Own Way?

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Jane F. skiing like a pro at Lake Escape class

The only thing standing between you and your goals is the B.S. story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it!

WOWZA! Did the quote hit you between the eyes like it did ours? It’s so true! We determine our success, which is directly related to our attitudes and beliefs about ourselves. Don’t limit yourself, judge what you want or worry what others think. Make up your mind and GO FOR IT! Goals always turn out better than you imagined- much like the kid in the video below. I am sure the flip was a goal of his, but not the outcome! SO COOL!

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Who are you going to share your goals with?

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It’s Time to Make Magic Happen!

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Goals are like magnets. They’ll attract the things that make them come true.
– Tony Robbins

Point to Ponder:
What are some different things you would like to do or accomplish by the end of 2013?

Action Item:
Determine 3 different things (be specific!) you would like to do and/or accomplish by the end of 2013 and write them down on the iGnite-provided goals card provided above.

By Neissa Springmann

I don’t know about you, but for me the summer months are fairly unproductive. Maybe it’s the heat mixed in with vacations, but I just can’t seem to find my rhythm, which is why I love September! With school starting, cool temps around the corner and college football (random, but it helps!), I am energized and motivated to get organized, establish a good routine and set goals. September is the fall’s ‘New Year’ and we get a do-over, so let’s take advantage of this ripe goal-setting season and experience magic!

I am an absolute believer in setting goals, creating vision and dream boards and living an intentional life, but I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t need to be consistently inspired to take action. And, not that there is ever a bad time to get serious and set specific goals, but now that the lazy and crazy days of summer are in the rear view mirror and we are entering the final quarter of the year, September is the perfect time to get motivated. Need more convincing? Check out a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program and from the book What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack:

In that year, the students were asked, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” Only 3% of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13% had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84% had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13% of the class who had goals were earning, on average, TWICE as much as the 84% who had no goals at all. And what about the 3% who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, TEN TIMES as much as the other 97% put together.

So, do you believe in the power of writing down your goals? Are you motivated to set up to three specific goals for the fall? If so, take some time to determine what three goals (one physical, one mental, one spiritual) you’d like to accomplish by December 25, 2013. We have created the tool below for writing them down. When you’re filling yours out, here’s one more goal setting suggestion:

Focus on the things you want, rather than the things you don’t want, and like the picture above states, choose a friend to share your goals with so he/she can provide you with support and hold you accountable.

…What do YOU think?

Join the discussion & let’s learn from each others’ experiences
by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. (it can be anonymous!)

Great results cannot be achieved at once and we must be satisfied to advance in life as we walk step by step

What’s Your Monkey Bar?

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“First tell yourself what you want to be, then do what you need to do.”
– Epictetus

Action Item:
Set a goal, back it with objectives, then support it with action, practice and positive reinforcement (and let others support you!).

by Cary Fyfe

The quote and action sound simple, right? At first glance — yes, then when we move forward with the goal in mind, we get tripped up. It’s so easy to dream big and set goals, but not so easy to accomplish them. Why is that? A million reasons like: “I ran out of time,” “I don’t have the resources,” “I don’t have the strength,” “my life is too scattered,” etc. All true, but only if we set our sights on the goal, then neglect to engage in the small steps that enable us to reach the goal. And what are those small steps? Find them in this story about CK, a 4 year-old preschool student of mine:

CK stands alone on the playground, nestled into a shady spot beside the monkey bars. She seems unaware of the gleeful sounds of play surrounding her; she ignores her friends’ requests for her to join. I look toward the object of her thoughtful gaze, and she is intently watching a playmate guide her seemingly effortless way across the monkey bars – back and forth, over and over – reach, grab, dangle, swing, reach again…a natural and unselfconscious dance for this four-year-old peer. She continues to watch, then sees me and slowly approaches, something clearly on her mind.

“I want to do that.” She points to her swinging friend. “…but I can’t” she adds.

I reach for her hand and we walk together to the monkey bars. Together, we survey the ladder — up to the launch, the length of the bars to the ladder on the other side, and the length between the bars. We talk about how the metal is hard on sweet, innocent palms, of how it’s hard to maintain a strong grip.

“What CAN you do on the monkey bars?” I ask. Without answering, she shows me as she climbs the short ladder, affirms her safe stance, reaches for the first bar with one hand, then the other, then turns to look at me again. Where moments before there had been a look aglow with possibilities there is now a cloud, casting a shadow of self-doubt across her face. I smile and urge her forward with a nod, she turns again to the bars, and with the twinkle returning to her now determined focus, she reaches one hand out, then the other, and drops her feet from the ladder. She swings – I will her to hold on. The earlier shadow crosses her face again – I tense every muscle in my body as if that would be the force that enables her to stay aloft. And with my smiles and the excited hurrays of her friends who are now cheering her on, she breaks her personal record for holding that first bar, then moves ahead by reaching out for the second. Does she make it the first time? No. And not the second or third either, but she is now clear about her goal: she is going to cross the monkey bars. She now knows her objectives: to hold on to one monkey bar and swing, to reach for the next bar and repeat, to continue this practice until her goal is reached. Her support when she loses faith? The encouragement of her friends and her teacher, the inspiration of her peers doing what she so badly wants to be able to do, her growing strength from practicing and experiencing small successes.

And she moves toward this goal by doing just that – she practices. And even in her four-year-old world, there are roadblocks. It rains the next day and we don’t make it to the playground. She chooses to play chase with friends over monkey bar practice every now and again. She gets a blister and has to rest for a few days. But in time, she makes it across, and when she does, there is cause for celebration like nothing has ever been celebrated before in her short life. And it is a golden moment, one that launches her towards her next goal: to cross back over again.

So, what’s your ‘monkey bar?’ In other words, what goal/goals are you striving toward? Whether physical, mental or spiritual, this week is our week to allow ourselves to revisit the simplicity of moving forward with our goals and desires, which will move us closer to living our legacy. Therefore, set a goal or goals. Back it up with specific, reasonable objectives that enable you to move towards accomplishing that desired behavior. Then actively practice those objectives in your daily life – again, even in the tiniest ways. Find support and encouragement by surrounding yourself with supportive people, or positive and inspiring readings or situations. You can also share your goal someone who is happy to nudge you gently forward, as you see fit.

“First tell yourself what you want to be, then do what you need to do,” and we will continually celebrate together and for each other like no one has ever celebrated before!

Point to Ponder:
What is something difficult you would like to accomplish this summer, but don’t know how you will make it happen?

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Life is Like Flying a Kite

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The worst thing one can do is to not try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something would have materialized – never knowing. – Jim Rohn

by Neissa Springmann

There’s no doubt that March has come in like a roaring lion here in Austin, making for ideal kite flying conditions. So, this morning my son and I did just that — flew a Spiderman kite. As the winds whipped, Spidey enjoyed several joy rides. He soared right, left, up, down and even found himself in a tree (a time or twelve). There were also plenty of times when he took sharp nose dives into the ground, at which we’d pick him up, throw him into the air and try again. It was during our many failed attempts to have Spiderman fly for an extended and uninterrupted amount of time that I began to see the parallels between life and flying a kite.

Life is like flying a kite. We can wait for the perfect conditions to pursue life-long desires, dreams, interests or to simply try something new, however there will always be extreme winds that temporarily throw us off course and even into the ground. We will also experience times of no wind at all, leaving us with little hope that the ideal opportunity will arise for us to fly. The truth is that as long as we are living, flying is a possibility, a choice that we get to make. We can embrace and even appreciate the sharp and unexpected turns and know that they are part of the ebb and flow process, or, we can allow the nose dives to harden our hearts, leaving us with the ongoing and defeated question of ‘what might have been?’ Either way, it is a choice, it is yours, and that’s the good news.

I leave you with this simple yet profound poem. I hope you choose to fly!

“I never can do it,” the little kite said,
as he looked around at the others high over his head.
“I know I should fall if I try to fly.”
“Try,” said the big kite, “only try!
Or I fear you never will learn at all.”
But the little kite said, “I’m afraid I’ll fall.”
The big kite nodded: “Ah well, goodbye:
I’m off,” and he rose toward the tranquil sky.
Then the little kite’s paper stirred at the sky.
And trembling he shook himself free for flight.
First whirling and frightened, then braver grown,
up, up he rose through the air alone,
till the big kite looking down could see,
the little one rising steadily.
Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,
as he sailed with the big kite, side by side!
While far below he could see the ground,
and the boys like small spots, moving around.
They rested high in the quiet air,
and only the birds and the clouds were there.
“Oh, how happy I am!” the little kite cried,
“And all because I was brave and tried.”

Author Unknown

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Point To Ponder:
Are you waiting for the perfect conditions to try something new or chase one of your dreams?

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Action Item:
Just do it! Don’t wait any longer and FLY!

WEEKLY JOURNAL: Are You Living in the Fantasy of “One Day…”?

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Happiness is an inside job. By exposing your fantasy, you will once and for all dispel the myth that happiness, joy and contentment live anywhere but within you.

-Debbie Ford

Have you ever thought or said, “I’ll be happy or content when__________?” Or, have you ever heard this saying “You’re only as happy as your most unhappy child”? I’m certainly guilty of looking ahead to see what is over the horizon and will be the first to admit that I lack contentment. And, just the other day during an iGnite meeting we discussed the danger of putting all of our happiness eggs into or children’s basket, or anyone’s basket for that matter. If that’s the case, we’ll never get off of the nauseating and emotional roller coaster; therefore, we’ll always deny ourselves happiness, joy and contentment! Happiness, joy and contentment are choices; and thankfully, it’s up to us to find and experience these lifelong fulfilling emotions.

I find the topics of happiness, joy and contentment especially fitting this time of year as goals, resolutions and changes are being pursued by everyone, including myself. After reading the chapter ‘Exposing The Fantasies’ from Debbie Ford’s book The Best Year of Your Life, I was shocked and humbled. I recognized that my reasoning behind fulfilling some of my goals is actually fantasy-driven. Check out what Debbie has to say and see if you too have any “fantasies:”

When we are waiting for one day to come in order to be happy–to experience joy, fun, passion, or success — we are living an illusion that deadens our spirits and robs us of our ability to enjoy our lives right now. There is nothing wrong with future thinking or goal setting. In fact, I believe these actions are imperative if we are to reach our full potential. But living in the fantasy of “one day….” keeps our real lives — the ones you and I are actually living — on hold. Our fantasies prevent us from taking action and making the changes that are necessary to better our lives. Fantasies come in every flavor and are often disguised as goals. They might sound like:

“When I finally get________.” “As soon as I accomplish____________.” “When my husband finally____________.” “When my kids are old enough to take care of themselves, I’ll be able to____________.” “As soon as this _________ period is over, I will diet/get in shape/take care of myself.” “Next year I will_______, and then I’ll be able to_________.” “I’ll be happy when I make more money, live a more balanced life, have a baby, have more time,……………….”

There’s no doubt that timing is everything and the season of our life can certainly influence our goals; however, we must be honest with ourselves and determine if we’ve chosen specific goals as an effort to “one day be happy and fulfilled,” and are postponing the pursuit of a particular goal (as well as our happiness) because we are waiting for the “perfect time.” After all, waiting for the “perfect time” is like believing in mermaids, leprechauns and unicorns. They are nice to think about — but that’s about as good as it gets.

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Point To Ponder:

Are you postponing making a change because you are waiting for the perfect time, situation or opportunity?

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Action Item:
Determine what it is that you are postponing, and break that change or goal down into small, achievable, baby steps. Soon you will see that taking action today is not as intimidating and overwhelming as you originally thought.

By Neissa