Three Keys to Beat Procrastination…Today!

By Douglas Vermeeren
“I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“There’s really no rush to get this done, so it can wait another week.”
“This task isn’t that important anyway; it’ll get done when I find the time.”

All these statements are signs of procrastination. How many do you find yourself muttering on
a regular basis? While everyone procrastinates a task from time to time – whether it’s completing
a work project or cleaning the garage – too much procrastination in your life can derail even the
best-laid plans.

Procrastination occurs for a number of reasons and in varying degrees. The most prevalent
reasons for procrastination are: 1) unanswered questions about the task; 2) unresolved fears
about doing the task; 3) insufficient motivation to take on something new. All of these reasons are
internal, and really have nothing to do with the task itself; they all relate to something the person
has to resolve within him or herself. So if you have a few unfinished projects looming over your
head and you can’t seem to muster the initiative to get them done, put the following
procrastination-busting tips into play today.

Find your passion: If you’re passionate about something, you don’t need an outside
motivator to get it done, nor do you fear the task or have unresolved questions about it. So the big
question is, how do you find your passion? There are actually two routes to take for identifying
your passion: 1) Either it’s some aspect of the work you already do, or 2) It’s something close to
your heart. Keep in mind that for either of these options, your passion doesn’t have to be
something you’re good at; it just has to be something meaningful to you – something that gets
you excited to get out of bed in the morning. Once you can unlock the passion for something,
you’ll find the procrastination disappears.

But what if you’re stuck in a situation or job you’re not passionate about but fear leaving due
to financial or other constraints? How can you beat procrastination under those circumstances?
Always remember … life is too short to be in a situation you don’t like. First consider talking to
your supervisor about new opportunities you can take on within your current position. Chances
are, you once found passion in your current job, but maybe your responsibilities have become
mundane or repetitive and you have lost some of that passion. Taking on new responsibilities will
rejuvenate the passion you once felt. Also, you could consider making a lateral move to remain
loyal to your current company, but take on whole new challenges.

Granted, finances may be a consideration as well. If that’s the case for you, then start looking
for reasons why you are in that job or situation to begin with. Something drew you to that position
initially. Find out that reason and you may be able to uncover some aspect of your current
situation that you are passionate about and that can motivate you to achieve greater goals.

Choose a motivational buddy or dream team: Often, other people can motivate you to
keep going when you’re suffering from procrastination. Your buddy or team can consist of
anyone, such as a spouse, co-worker, boss, or sibling, as long as the people you choose will truly
hold you accountable for taking (or not taking) action. Make sure you choose people you feel
comfortable talking to about your goals and aspirations. Detail to your team exactly what you
want to do and why, as well as how you plan to accomplish the goal. Then, make sure your team
can monitor what you’re doing on a regular basis.
 Think of this approach like having a workout buddy. Even though you want to go to the gym
three times a week and workout for forty-five minutes, sometimes you need another person to
keep you on track and to make sure you actually show up at the gym at 6 a.m. The same holds
true for other goals in your life. So assemble your dream team and keep them apprised of your
progress. With a little help from outsiders, you can beat procrastination and reach new heights of
success.

Get moving: Newton’s Law of Motion states that objects in motion will stay in motion. That’s
why you have to do something, no matter how small, to get going toward your goal and beat
procrastination. Every one of us is full of potential energy – energy that has not yet started in
motion. But once some sort of motion starts, it will keep going. Therefore, you have to take some
step, even a small one sometimes, to start the momentum. Once you do, continuing the activity
will be a lot easier.

Have you ever wondered why the most successful people in the world seem to grow even
more successful with each passing year? It’s because they don’t stop once they’ve started. They
use the momentum and energy they’ve accumulated to reach even higher levels of success.
They get the cycle going and they don’t let it stop.

For example, if you have to write a report for work and keep procrastinating the project, tell
yourself that all you have to do is write one paragraph or even just a couple of sentences. Those
initial words you write will give you the momentum to keep going, and before you know it you’ll be
“in the groove” and will have the entire report done.

Often, small steps are the best way to complete a task and end procrastination; consider the
Great Wall of China. It’s the largest manmade structure on the planet and an amazing sight to
behold. Most people automatically assume that the wall was built using large stones or boulders.
In fact, the wall is constructed with many small bricks, not large stones – life is the same way.
Successful people are simply the right combination of small bricks. Therefore, if you can focus on
the little things rather than on accomplishing the most major things all in one shot, you’ll
eventually have something quite magnificent to behold. Greatness always starts with the little
things, and action of any sort will always stop procrastination in its tracks.

Take Action Today! Procrastination is a deadly killer of dreams, of goals, of careers, and of
life’s happiness. Don’t allow procrastination to hold you back any longer. By finding your passion,
enlisting the help of others and taking small action steps, you can overcome procrastination and
achieve your full potential. So make the decision today to get out and do something. And
remember … nothing meaningful ever happens by accident.
Are Your Success Pillars in Balance?
By Douglas Vermeeren
Most people live their lives like they watch the television. The remote control is in their hands
and they have the power to change the channel to any show they can possibly imagine. But they
don’t. There is opportunity to experience anything they can dream. But they don’t do anything.
They are content to simply watch whatever is on, rather than choose what they really want. The
most important beginning principle for creating greatness in your life is to recognize and then
utilize the principle of personal power and personal accountability.

Every person comes with the built-in ability to choose their actions and reactions for any
given set of circumstances. How we use this ability will ultimately determine all of the outcomes
we will experience in our lives. Those who attain the greatest successes in life do so, not
because their circumstances have been dramatically different from others, but because their
choices have been. It is our personal choices and accountability that have the most significant
impact on the kind of lives we will lead.

Many people do not realize that even the so-called “little moments” can have great impact,
and it may be easy to justify not giving our attention to them because the consequences may not
be immediately apparent. However, an ancient proverb shares this great truth in a different way;
“The greatest walls are build with the smallest bricks.” Our lives are the same, and we must begin
with the little things.

Now, how will you know which little things really deserve your attention? There is an easy
solution for us in prioritizing all things.

Before beginning to sort out “life things” we need to have a system in place. It’s like building a
puzzle. In order for the little pieces to be productive and have value we need to understand what
the big picture looks like. Our big picture is essentially defining what we want our life to look like,
who we want to be and the legacy we want to leave behind. Many people do not invest the time
to answer these important questions. However, if you can do this one step at a time, you will find
that all your questions will instantly become clear, and you’ll be on your path to success.

But what is success? The definition is different for every individual, and only you can define
your view of success. Understand that success is a journey and not a destination. It can never be
a spot of permanent completion. Success is akin to continual growth. Success is a matter of
finding appropriate balance while you are in motion rather than finding a comfortable resting place
to stagnate.

Lasting success is found in the balance of four independent elements. Notice that each of
these success pillars begins with “your feelings about…” Success is very much attached to your
feelings, and gratitude is a significant part of feeling successful.

1) Your feelings about wealth – Success in this area is not based on a specific number on a
bank statement. In fact, it has very little to do with money. But it has everything to do with how
you feel about what you have. Do you have enough to meet your obligations? To live the life you
choose? To be free to pursue the things which are meaningful to you? There are many people
who are extremely rich, but not wealthy. How do you feel about your currently level of abundance
or wealth?

2) Your feelings about your health –Success has very little to do with quantity of a given
thing or an outside measurement. Instead, it has everything to do with the feelings relating to a
certain thing. There are many who suffer from disease, disability and challenge who feel very
successful in this area. Your feelings about your own health are the important consideration for
this issue.

3) Your feelings about your relationships – David O. McKay, a religious leader, said it best
when he stated that, “No success can compensate for failure in the home.” Everything starts in
the home, but relationships also include everyone you interact with. Once I had the opportunity to
climb the tallest mountain peaks in China known as the Huangshan Mountains. After hours of
climbing, our group finally reached the tops of the beautiful mountains. The sun was just rising
and we were so high up we could literally see the curvature of the earth; it was exciting. I turned
to one of my associates who had made the climb with us. I excitedly expressed how beautiful
and exciting this scene was, but his face turned to a look of confusion. “Wo bu dong,” he said as
he looked at me. That’s the Chinese words for “I don’t understand.” In that moment, our
language barrier prevented us from sharing this marvelous experience with each other. The
same is true in our lives. The fullness of success is only enjoyed when we have the ability to
share it with another.

4) Your feelings about your self-achievement, dreams and spirituality. – What are your
inner most yearnings? What is your connection to things of the spirit? How do feel about these
things? Are your needs being met in this area? In some ways this area is slightly more important
than the others. It’s really more of a foundation than a pillar. Until you have these elements being
met in your life you cannot inspire or lift another to their greatness. Without this, you are a lot like
a lifeguard who can’t swim. When you know who you are and you’re confident you are headed in
the right direction, magical things happen for you and those around you.

Take a moment right now and stop what it is you are doing … invest this time in you. Take a
careful look at these four areas in your life and consider how satisfied you feel about them. How
do you feel about your wealth, health, relationships and self-achievement, dreams and
spirituality? What would the situation look like if it were ideal for you?

You may not know all the steps to get where you want to go, but as you look at the significant
little steps, the big ones will appear. Decide that what you will play on your television of life will
be the programs you want to watch. You don’t have to sit through someone else’s dream. You
have the power to turn your life into what you want it to be. It can be a spectacular adventure,
romance, thriller or comedy; anything you dream. What can you do right now to create the life you
want? Remember it is up to you.
Is Goal Setting Holding You Back?
By Douglas Vermeeren
Have you ever set a goal and wondered why you couldn’t accomplish it? You are not the first
person to feel this way. In fact, studies show that more than 86 percent of people who set goals
fail. And, of those who do succeed, a surprising 30 percent find they are not able to maintain the
newly acquired success in the long term. So, why even set goals?

The truth is, the traditional goal-setting method is no longer effective, even though most
teachers, books, trainers, coaches and schools are still teaching it. You have no doubt heard this
method many times: write it down, set a date, make an action plan, and build the steps
backwards from success. Unfortunately, this is NOT the correct formula for success. The world’s
top achievers – the best of the best – achieve success by doing things a bit differently.

Why top achievers don’t use traditional goal setting: The traditional goal-setting method
was developed in the late 1800s in the manufacturing industry; if you wanted to produce X
number of units at the end of the assembly line you would need to do A, B, C, and D and presto –
you would get X number of units. While this method works well in factories, it will produce limited,
short-lived results for people.

The problem is this system only takes the process into account, not the participant. We are
human “BEings” not human “DOings.” This common formula teaches what we can DO but not
what we can BE. Without a significant change in our thinking, behavior and expectations, we can
never develop a habit of success – one that develops regardless of the process we use. Goal
achievement is not just about process; it must first address the participant. If you want long-term
success, being the right person is just as important as doing the right things.

Top achievers get clarity on why they are going: Many goal-setting coaches encourage
their students to gain clarity on where they want to go in order to get there. While this idea is
accurate, most people fail to define what clarity really is.

Many describe clarity as a description of the final destination – where you see yourself in 10
years? Anyone who has tried to define clarity this way has found that it’s extremely difficult to
describe where he is going if he have never been there before. Therefore, this definition of clarity
is incomplete when used in the context of goal achievement.

While you should outline as many of these details as possible before you begin on the road to
achieving a specific goal, you must understand and accept that no matter how hard you try, you
can never really have a complete picture of that end destination.

Clarity is strongest when it focuses on an “inward now,” instead of looking at a “geographical

location.” In other words, clarity has more to do with why you want something than with what you
want. Instead of just trying to describe where you are going, ask yourself why you are going
there.

What does this mean to you? The more personal you can make this goal, the more power
and motivation you will have to get it. Make your “why” strong, and keep digging deeper with
questions until you have a burning desire to attain it. Most of the reasons why people fail to
achieve a specific goal can be traced right back to this one point. Without a reason “why,” no one
really cares about the destination of “what.”
 Top achievers don’t think of success as crossing a finish line, they think in terms of
running the race: It’s very interesting to see posters encouraging people who endeavor to
capture their success by crossing a finish line, because the truth is, true success has no finish
line. Top achievers understand that success is a continual process, and the successes and
failures of today are used to build the powerful experiences of tomorrow. Every opportunity today
is contributing to an opportunity tomorrow. Every experience contributes to learning.

If you cross a finish line today only to rest tomorrow, how can your success continue? Look
for ways to continue to grow and expand, and uncover ways to build each success upon the next
opportunity.

Top achievers set their goals differently, and that is why they achieve successes that others
only dream about. Learning to “BE” instead of just to “DO,” gaining true clarity by finding out “why”
and committing to continual growth is essential in the achievement process. When you
understand and implement the principles of top achievement, dramatic changes will happen for
you.
How to Attain Your Goals
by Creating Your Life’s Opus
By Douglas Vermeeren
Most people want to live a fulfilling and rewarding life. That’s why there’s no shortage of self-
help materials on how to set goals and design an ideal life. However, even with the plethora of
information available on how to create the life of your dreams, many people still feel dissatisfied
and unable to reach key goals they’ve outlined for themselves. What are these people missing?

The key is to know how to turn your goals into performance. A great analogy is to think in
terms of creating your own life’s Opus. Why an Opus? Because that’s what you are capable of.
Some dictionaries define an Opus as the most brilliant composition a music composer creates in
a lifetime. You are your own instrument and you create your personal symphony by what you do
in your life. Realize that you have unlimited potential and that anything is possible. Your personal
symphony can be grand. It can be colorful. It can be inspiring. You can choose it to be anything
you like. Therefore, your personal Opus is really about taking your life and creating the most
incredible and awesome legacy that is within you—that’s how your goals become reality.

So how exactly do you create an Opus or long-lasting legacy? While many people may
believe that creating an Opus is about reaching big and monumental milestones and goals, it’s
really nothing more than a combination of small and great achievements along the way. When
you consistently do little things that advance you toward your goals, you are working from an
achievement process and are creating your own personal Opus.

Unfortunately, after outlining what they want in life, people often feel stuck. They know what
they want to achieve, but they lack the insight on what to do next—on how to create real
performance. The following steps will help you past this stumbling block.

1. Start with a vision of where you want to go: Your vision of your goal needs to be clear
and precise. You also need to understand why you want it. Why is this goal important to you?
These motivating factors in terms of the value you attach to your goals will help you in your
pursuit of them. Part of this vision is to make a definite and committed decision that you’re
ultimately going to achieve what you’ve outlined for yourself. You must believe that your goals are
not just whimsical dreams—they’re determined decisions that you’re going to contribute your
efforts toward to ultimately create your Opus.

2. Have a belief in yourself that you can really do it: If you don’t truly believe you can
achieve your goals, you’ll prove yourself right—you won’t achieve them. That’s why your belief in
your ability to achieve your goals has to resonate throughout the entire goal achievement
process. Never let go of your belief in your ability to create an Opus. Stay committed and always
know that you are on your way there.

3. Build a solid plan: Your goal achievement plan begins with surrounding yourself with
people who have been where you want to go or who are currently going there right now. These
people could be mentors or coaches, or just people you feel comfortable asking questions of. As
you talk with these people and get their insights, remember that this is your personal journey.
There are things that your mentors, coaches or other people may have experienced that will not
be important or applicable to you. Therefore, you need to personalize the information they give
you and analyze the answers to see how they fit into what you’re doing. You don’t want to simply
repeat what they’ve done; you want to create your own unique Opus.
 4. Take notice of everything: As you start with small steps, your probability of success will
increase. All of sudden, steps will appear that you’ll have to accomplish, work will come in that
you’ll have to complete, and actions will become evident that you’ll have to take. You’ll feel as if
you’re being “pointed” toward the path of goal attainment. As you go through the tasks and steps,
you’ll be able to see if your actions are successfully contributing toward your goals or if they need
to be fine tuned. For example, sometimes you’ll take an action, and by doing so you’ll better
understand something you need to know to complete the process, although the action itself didn’t
contribute to your goals in the originally planned way. That’s OK. Everything is important as long
as you learn from it. Sometimes a part of your plan is just learning what the next best steps are.

5. Take the correct actions that will yield the best results: Many people say that the final
step to achieving any goal is to simply take action and do it. In reality, you need performance, not
action, to create a real Opus. Many people today think they’re taking action but they’re not really
getting anywhere. For example, you may know a business person who is always on the phone or
at the office working hard, yet the person never advances. He or she is taking action, but it’s not
the right action—the action isn’t contributing to the person’s overall goals. Real performance is
calculated action to a particular end. That’s why the last step is to take the correct actions that will
get you to that final destination in the most effective way. This doesn’t always mean the quickest
way, because sometimes taking the longer route will give you a bigger payoff at the end. And
that’s what creating your Opus is all about—the biggest payoff for yourself and others.

A Symphony of One : Remember, your Opus is not just what you do; it will be the legacy of
what you become. That’s why a substantial part of creating your Opus is to focus on the legacy
you’re leaving, not just individual goal achievements. You also need to focus on your
contributions—what you give back to society, to your family, or to the people around you. Why is
this important? Because your legacy and your success are your marks on the world, and your
Opus will be filled with contributions of whom you became.

The next time you think of a goal for yourself, think beyond the actual event or task.
Remember that any goal is really just a small step along the way toward your life’s Opus. Having
this mindset from the beginning makes it possible for you to attain bigger and better things, and to
create an Opus the world will want to know about.
Take Action on Your Future!
By Douglas Vermeeren
Be honest … by now you’ve long forgotten the New Year’s resolutions you promised to
uphold this year. You know from experience that those resolutions won’t stick, so stop wasting
your time on them! If you really want to succeed, you need a clear-cut plan and the commitment
to follow it. Only then can you finally achieve the success you’ve always wanted.

But the question is, “How do I plan something as complex as my future?” That’s a valid
question. Unfortunately, many people believe planning for success is a complicated process filled
with detailed charts and timelines, or they think planning is nothing more than stating a few goals.
In fact, effective planning falls in the middle of this spectrum. Yes, you do need goals, but you
need to take those goals to the next level. And yes, you do need details, but the details you need
rest more on what you create in your mind, not what you can calculate on paper.

To find the right balance and create a winning plan for your future, consider the following
guidelines.

Learn the difference between “should” and “must.” When most people state a goal or try
to plan, they do so in terms of “should.” “I should go to the gym more this year.” “I should
schedule more prospect appointments for the week.” “I should do better follow up with clients.”
Realize, though, that “shoulds” rarely get done. Instead, think in terms of what you “must” do. The
word “must” carries with it a sense of urgency. As such, “musts” usually get done. Remember
than an effective plan always begins with a decision (a must), not just a nice idea (a should). We
all have lots of nice ideas, but when you turn that nice idea into a clear cut decision, you
automatically have a sense of commitment and have thereby turned the idea into a must.

Take your plan from fact to feeling: Most people are great at stating facts, such as, “I’m
going to sell 50 insurance policies this month.” Such goals are nice to say, but in order to make
them a reality, you need to attach the fact to a feeling. Why? Because it’s the feeling that
motivates us, not the fact. Realize that no one ever dreams of having a filing cabinet filled with
signed policies. Instead, they have a feeling or desire for what that full filing cabinet represents:
more time off with the family, a new car, an exotic vacation, etc. Therefore, part of your plan
needs to include the facts, but don’t forget to tie those facts to some motivating feelings.

Create a vision using all your senses: Visualization is a key component to any successful
plan. And you’ve likely heard of creating a vision board, when you cut out pictures of the things
you want in your life and post them on a board in your home or office. The problem with the
typical vision board is that it only uses one of your senses—the sense of sight. If you really want
your vision to guide you, you need to incorporate all five senses. Therefore, go beyond the typical
vision board. Pick out a victory song that represents your vision and listen to the song every day
(auditory component). As you achieve small milestones, celebrate at a restaurant (taste
component). Pick a smell that symbolizes success for you (perhaps a certain brand of cologne, or
maybe even the smell of roses) and surround yourself with the fragrance. Similarly, if you want a
new car, go test drive the car. Smell the new car smell, feel the leather, listen to the engine hum.
The point is not only to use a vision board, but also to expand it so it’s not just a matter of sight.

Think through your entire journey to see all the possibilities: Your plan doesn’t just
involve the end result; it involves the journey as well. Therefore, mentally go through the journey
of what it will take to get to the end vision. By doing so, your mind will automatically start solving
problems. It’s a lot like telling someone to notice what he feels in his left foot. Chances are that
until that moment, the person wasn’t thinking about his left foot at all. But the minute you draw his
foot to his attention, he starts recognizing sensations. The same happens when you plan. When
you know the journey and how things are supposed to go, those things start to appear in your life.
Some people call it The Law of Attraction. In fact, those things you suddenly see were always
there. But now that you know where you’re going, you can see where everything fits. So once you
know where you’re going, possibilities begin to appear. The key is to then translate those
possibilities into action, as that is when you produce the real fruit of your labor and move closer to
the end goal. Remember, without action, all you have are ideas.

Write everything down: As you plan, keep a planning journal where you can write your
ideas down. Putting your plans on paper does two things: 1) It ingrains the vision into your mind,
and 2) It helps you determine which ideas are good and which are not. Sometimes you might
discover that what you wrote makes no sense at all, and you’ll realize that you need to go back to
the drawing board. Other times you’ll see how viable your idea really is and how you can build on
it for even more success.

Prepare for defeat: No matter how great a plan you have, you need to plan for defeat,
because along the way you will always have challenges. It’s not a matter of “if” the challenges
appear; it’s a matter of “when.” The key difference between top achiever and those who don’t
accomplish much is based on how they deal with failure. People who don’t accomplish much stop
at the first obstacle. Top achievers find a way through every challenge. Also, top achievers are
not perfectionists, and they don’t wait for ideal conditions before they act. Top achievers are
improvisers. No matter what the conditions, they find ways to improve them and make them work.
You simply can’t afford to wait for all the answers. The world is changing so fast that you have to
act based upon what’s happening now and improvise as you go. That’s the only way to ensure
your plan is a success.

Take Action on Your Future Now: Everyone always wants the next month or year to be
better than the previous ones, but that will only happen if you take action. Use these guidelines as
you plan and your future will fall into place. People always say, “Knowledge is power,” but that’s a
misnomer. The truth is that applied knowledge is power. You now have the knowledge. Apply it
wisely!
Want to Be a Top Achiever? Stop Setting Goals!
By Douglas Vermeeren
When most people make a goal, they state something they want to do or achieve, set a
completion date, create some checkpoints for the goal, and then cross items off their list as they
get done. Unfortunately, such an approach rarely leads to long-term success.

Why? Because the traditional goal-setting formula most people follow was developed in the
early 1900s in manufacturing to enable company executives to monitor the number of units
coming out of a factory by a certain date. It’s a great measuring stick if you’re manufacturing
products, but if you’re trying to improve yourself or achieve something non-tangible, it’s a woefully
ineffective and out-of-date process.

For example, if your goal is to have a better relationship with your spouse, the traditional
goal-setting formula simply won’t work. Can you realistically set a completion date for the “better
relationship” to occur? Can you define specific action steps that will enable you to create a better
relationship with your spouse? Sure, you can decide to do things such as a weekly date night or
spend an hour each day talking with your spouse, but are those items you can cross off a list
once you do them, never to think of them again? Probably not. That’s why the current goal-setting
formula that people use is incomplete.

All goals fall into one of two categories: “Be” goals and “Do” goals. Just as the names imply,
“Be” goals encompass anything you want to be (a better spouse, a more productive employee, a
more successful business owner, a more compassionate friend), and “Do” goals describe
anything you want to do (close 20 sales, attend a child’s softball game, wash the dishes, hire a
new employee). The traditional formula of goal setting only takes into account “Do” goals. Yet for
most top achievers, 80 percent of their goals are “Be’ goals and only 20 percent are “Do” goals.
They’re more concerned with character attributes than arriving at a final destination point. They
know that character attributes often enable them to attain successful levels.

So it’s not that top achievers don’t set goals; rather, they set goals differently. Rather than
use the word “goal,” top achievers use words like “destination” or “performance” or “habits.” They
don’t cross items off a list and forget about them, they build upon their accomplishments to reach
even greater levels of success.

If you want to be like the top achievers and attain new heights of success, then you need to
use the proven “4 P” formula top performers use. By doing so, you’ll be able to achieve amazing
results.

1. Amazing Potential: Every single person has an incredible amount of potential.

Unfortunately, most people have no idea how significant their potential is. The fact is that you can
do anything and you are worthy of anything. You simply need to believe that.

Top achievers have no doubts about their potential. They believe they can accomplish
anything they want, no matter how lofty the desire. If they want to close 20 sales by the end of the
month, they know they can do it. They believe in themselves unconditionally. Therefore, to be like
a top achiever, you too need to believe that you can accomplish anything you dream. The sky’s
the limit, so think big.

2. Amazing Possibility: While you have the potential to do anything you can conceive, you
don’t truly understand what’s possible unless you see someone else doing it or something similar.
For example, for decades no one believed it was possible to run a mile in under four minutes, but
since Roger Bannister broke the “four minute barrier” in 1954, many athletes have improved upon
his record. Once athletes saw what was possible, they pushed themselves to do better and
accomplish more.

The same holds true in the business world. When we see other people close contracts, invent
new products and offer new services, we see what’s possible and we make our own vision for our
future. We recognize our possibilities by what we see and believe. Once we believe it, that vision
turns into a desire. As we believe and desire those things we see more possibilities around us.
Going back to our example of closing 20 sales by the end of the month, as long as we see other
people in our company or industry closing sales, then we see the possibility that exists and we
can build upon that. We may even be able to get specific, such as seeing what specific product
sells best, what price point sells most, etc.

3. Amazing Probability: To make something probable, you need to surround yourself with
people and events that increase your chance of success. Think of it this way: If you were at one
end of a long room, and at the other end was a dart board, people would say it wasn’t probable
that you could put a dart in the bull’s eye. But with every step closer to the dart board you took,
you’d increase your probability of getting a bull’s eye.

Those steps you take forward are what you learn, the relationships you have, the things you
surround yourself with, and the preparation you put in. In our sales example, we could surround
ourselves with customers who could fulfill our objective, other salespeople who could teach us the
techniques we need to know, circumstances where we would have the ability to pitch and sell,
and self-improvement venues that would enable us to think and act like a top producer.

4. Awesome Performance: Most people have heard the phrase “Give a man to fish and he
eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” But the truth is that if you teach a
man to fish he doesn’t eat for a lifetime; he’s just a man in a classroom. In order to eat forever he
has to get out to the lake with a fishing rod and start fishing. So the last step to achieving great
things is to get out there and actually do something. That’s what top achievers do. So if you were
trying to close 20 sales by month’s end, you would now need to put everything you’ve learned
and observed into action. Action, not knowledge alone, is what creates results.

Make Your Life Amazing: All top achievers go through this four-step process. They
recognize their potential, they see the possibilities, and they turn those possibilities into
probabilities by learning and putting themselves into positions where they can gain more
information and surround themselves with the right people. As they accumulate this information
they turn it into performance by actually doing something with it. That’s really the secret to
achieving all your life’s goals.

Remember, success is not an event. It’s a journey. That’s why performance is so important,
and consistent performance is nothing more than a habit. So if you want to be successful, you
need to identify the successful attributes you want to display and make them habits. It’s not
sufficient to do something great once and then expect your life to be brilliant. You need to
continually strive to do bigger and better things. Rather than cross accomplishments off a list, you
need to build upon them so you can achieve even more. Only then can you truly accomplish
everything you want in life—all without ever setting a single goal.
Why People Fail to Achieve Their Goals
By Douglas Vermeeren
Most people claim to understand the importance of goal setting in order to attain a better life,
but in fact, approximately 80 percent of people never set goals for themselves. This is especially
prevalent among people who are not involved in some sort of business or entrepreneurial
endeavor that promotes goal setting.

Even more surprising, of the 20 percent of the population that does set goals, roughly 70
percent fail to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. And when you take into
consideration the fact that many of these goal-setting people strive for easily attainable, small
goals, it’s a wonder that anyone accomplishes anything remarkable at all in business and in life.

When it comes to goals, there are two categories: “be” goals and “do” goals. In other words,
who do you want to be or what do you want to achieve? Within each category, there are four
areas of goals: wealth, health, relationships, and self-fulfillment. So any goal you set for yourself
will fall into one of these areas. When a business professional sets a goal, it tends to be either a
wealth goal or a relationship goal. However, achievement involves all four areas, and success
means finding balance in the four areas. In order to live a successful life, you need both “being”
and “doing” goals in each of the four areas.

But before you rush out and set goals at random, you need to know what traps to avoid.
Following are the top ten reasons why people fail at achieving their goals. Avoid these roadblocks
and goal attainment will be yours.

Fear of success and/or failure: Some people are afraid they will fail, or even worse, they
may actually succeed. As such, they don’t even bother trying to attain a goal. Such people lack
belief in themselves and in their potential. In their mind, if they fail, everyone will think negatively
of them. And if they succeed, people will be envious and think negatively of them. So it becomes
a lose-lose situation no matter how they look at it. But realize that you can achieve anything you
set your mind to. Believe in yourself and your abilities and others will, too.

Lack of understanding about the goal-setting process: Many people mistakenly believe
that goal setting simply means putting a goal on paper, setting a date for completion, marking off
checkpoints as they occur, and then starting all over again. Such a mentality hinders people from
success, because a goal isn’t a one-time thing that you eventually scratch off a list. Setting a goal
is really about changing yourself for the long-term. Goals aren’t short-term, quick-fix things; they
are fixed and immovable destinations that show the world who you want to become or what you
want to achieve.

Lack of commitment to the goal: Even though people state they want to achieve a certain
goal, in truth, they’re really not committed to it. Because of this lack of commitment, they don’t
give the act of goal attainment their full effort. And as with anything in life, if you don’t give it your
all, you receive mediocre results. Commitment is crucial for attaining any goal.

Inactivity: After setting a goal, writing down dates, and setting checkpoints, some people
stop. They never actually take that first step needed to progress toward their goal. But realize if
you don’t get started, you can’t go anywhere. Without action, nothing happens. So if you’ve
created a goal list and now wonder why none of your goals are transpiring, ask yourself what
action steps you’ve taken to achieve your goals. If you haven’t taken any action, now is the time
to start.
 Analysis paralysis: Many people let questions and doubts paralyze them. They believe they
can’t start on a goal until they have all the answers to every “what if” scenario. However, no
matter how long and hard you prepare, you will never have all the answers to the questions you
ask. Additionally, most people make their decisions and/or answer their questions based on
where they are right now, rather than on where they want to go or who they want to become.
Always base your decisions and answer your questions with a view to the future, not a view to
current situations. Your situation will change because of the decisions you make today and will
dictate the success of your journey. So move forward toward your goal knowing that you’ll never
have all the answers.

Lack of a real destination: People often begin setting goals without a solid destination of
who they want to become or what they ultimately want to achieve. But if you don’t have a
destination in mind, then you’ll never know which road to take to get where you want to go. Your
destination needs to be clear – something you can visualize and describe to others. Without such
a clear view of what you want in life, you’ll be forever changing course and falling short of your
potential.

Failing to plan: While many people understand the formula of goal setting, they don’t have a
plan for goal attainment that’s personalized to them and their experiences. In other words, they
neglect the gifts they possess which can help them attain the goal, as well as the people they
know who may be able to help them. We each bring so many unique talents and attributes to the
table, and we know a multitude of people who can help us in some way. Be mindful of these
advantages during your planning process and use the resources you have available to you.

Having too many goals: Some people have too many goals and not enough focus. It’s like
they’re standing in front of a dart board with three targets in mind. Hitting just one target is difficult
enough; hitting three targets simultaneously with one dart is impossible. Therefore, determine the
one goal you are focused on and move forward with that one goal only. Eliminate other goals that
are secondary. This is not to say that you should never have more than one goal. Rather, you
need to realize that you have only so much time and energy. Therefore, chose the goal that will
give you the highest ROE (Return On Effort) and focus on that one goal first. Once complete, you
can then focus on other goals in sequence.

Feeling unworthy of the end result: Some people really don’t believe they’re worthy of
attaining the goal. As such, they self-sabotage themselves. Perhaps they suddenly walk away
from the key contact who will help them with their goal, or they neglect to do a critical activity that
will enable them to achieve their goal. People who feel unworthy usually lack self-confidence, and
confidence is the keystone to goal attainment.

Lack of motivation to change: Finally, many people are simply satisfied with what they
have and where they are in life. As such, they don’t explore what else is available or what greater
things they could achieve. Research tells us that there are only two motivating factors that cause
people to change: Pain and pleasure. And even if someone is feeling pain in a situation, that pain
may not be great enough, or he or she is simultaneously receiving ample pleasure, so the person
doesn’t strive for more. Change and goal attainment only happen when you’re ready to break the
status quo and truly want something better in life.

Goal achievement doesn’t have to be an elusive target. You really can be whom you want
and do what you want. By balancing your goals into the four categories mentioned and avoiding
the mistakes that hinder people’s results, you can achieve any goal you set for yourself and reach
new levels of personal and professional success.