Astounding Results

I recently came across a quote from Thomas Edison "If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves." As I thought more about his insightful words, I understand how important it is to spend our time living our lives and fulfilling our dreams.


I have found nothing in life gets done without intention. We all have things we want to accomplish in our lives. You can say "I want to", "I'm thinking about" and "I hope", but to make it happen you need a foundation. That foundation is intention. We have to stand behind our dreams to push them along, but how do you get started? Goals are the fuel for your intention. By setting goals you bring awareness and a start to your ideal life.


When writing goals consider all aspects of your life including: health, spiritual, professional, personal growth, family and friends. Goals can provide immediate results if they are are written well. To write substantial goals you must include five essential elements:

1. Be specific. I cannot stress how important it is to write very specific goals that detail everything exactly how you envision it. Sometimes we reach our goals and don't know it because our goal as written has come true, but that is not necessarily what we wanted. Don't let yourself be disappointed, be as specific as you can. This also helps you to better define what it is you really want.


2. Set a deadline. Give yourself a date to work towards. This will put a little fire under your goal and make it real.


3. Make your goals measurable. If you want to lose weight, identify how much weight you want to lose. If you want to spend more time with your family, decide is that one day a week or an entire weekend. Use quantifiable numbers to help you make the goal happen.


4. Be realistic. Goals that are too big or that are too easy can be frustrating. Sometimes it is necessary to take a big goal and break it down into smaller goals. Make your goals achievable and challenging at the same time.


5. Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm generates excitement about our goals and enforces our passion for the things that we are trying to accomplish. Use words like fantastic, mind-blowing, heart racing, and amazing when writing about your dreams. These words give life to your dreams and will make you smile every time.

Here is an example of how we use these steps to write a significant goal. We start with a common goal like losing weight.

1. I want to lose weight.


2. I want to lose weight so I can fit into my clothes again. (specific)


3. I want to lose weight so I can fit into my clothes by December 31, 2009. (deadline)


4. I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I can fit into my clothes. (measurable)


5. I want to lose 15 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I can fit into my clothes. (realistic)


6. I want to lose 15 pounds by December 31, 2009 so I feel fantastic and look amazing in my my favorite clothes. (enthusiasm)

You can see how adding these elements when writing our goal makes it achievable and specific. If you just put down I want to lose weight, you will never do it. Now the goal has teeth, it challenges you to make better choices each day and it motivates you to get to that place where you feel fantastic.

I promise if done correctly, goal setting can be a powerful thing. you will be "astounded" by what you can accomplish. Take a few minutes today and think about what you want. Set 3-5 goals for yourself, write them down and review them everyday. Now sit back and watch the magic begin. What are you waiting for?