I trust you completed your assignment. Do you feel like you have a better understanding of the tremendous benefits of goal setting, why most people are afraid to set goals and some of the important things to consider when setting them?

There is still a lot to be done so lets get going!

When we think of goals and goal setting people tend to think of career, money or some other material desire. The truth is that we can and should set goals for the different areas of our life. These include the spiritual, psychological, physical, relational, vocational, financial and recreational. Ultimately, your success is determined by how balanced your life is between these different areas. I know though, that because of our values, each of us will place a significantly different emphasis on each of these areas.

In this lesson we will discuss values. You must understand the values you live by before you can set goals successfully. This requires that you invest the time and effort to discover who you really are, what you stand for and what you believe in. As Sacrotes said The unexamined life is not worth living. People who are clear on these things go on to enjoy great levels of success.

Imagine dreaming about a vacation, taking it and having a miserable time. You wanted to be in a place that offered privacy and solitude. You ended up in a cabin in the mountains-peaceful and serene but what you really wanted was to be on the water by a quiet lake or remote beach. The same thing can happen if the goals and objectives in our lives are not based on sound values. The outcome, however impressive could leave us dissatisfied and empty. Far too many people spend many years toiling painstakingly to climb the ladder of success only to get there and ask Is this all there is? Because they were not clear on their values they ended achieving goals that left them totally unfulfilled.

Your values are your most fundamental beliefs. As within, so without. Actions incongruent with your core beliefs will leave you negative, unhappy and unsatisfied. Clarify them and you will create a solid framework upon which you can build your personal & professional life as well as all the other important aspects of your life. Consider the following:

1. What are the four most important things in your life?

a.

b.

c.

d.

2. If you won five million dollars right now, tax free and time and money were not an issue for you, what would you do with the money?

3. What would you do and how would you spend your time if you discovered you only had six months to live?

4. What gives you the best feelings about your self? Look back over your life. What gave you the greatest feelings of importance, significance and uniqueness?

Now that you have read through the above questions, devote some time to answer them thoughtfully. Your success doe not lie in simply reading this lesson but in completing the exercise. Once finished check to make sure that the goals you set are congruent with your values.

Keep On Pushing!