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	Getting And Staying Motivated To Achieve Your Goals

	by Audrey Cupo

Everyone has good INTENTIONS when it comes to setting goals but not everyone is successful in reaching those goals. One of the main reasons is that many people loose their motivation early on because the goals they wish to achieve seem impossible. They start off with great intentions and then lose their MOMENTUM.

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH

The problem might be that you don’t have a PLAN of action. You need a plan. And what better time to begin creating that plan to achieve those goals than the New Year! It is the perfect time to think about what your goals are for the coming year. Whether they are large or small, a good plan is a must.

SPILL IT

First, sit down with a pad of paper and just begin by writing down ALL those goals you would like to achieve in the coming year. It doesn’t matter whether they are large or small, they should be included. They can be such things as organizing the garage, take the car for inspection, register for a class at the local college, take your seasonal clothes to the dry cleaner, plan your parents 50th wedding anniversary party, schedule an appointment with the dentist, start an exercise regimen, etc. Anything and EVERYTHING you can think of that you would like to achieve in the coming year should be included on this general list.

FIGURE OUT YOUR TIME FRAME

Next, you need to divide these goals into CATEGORIES -- those that can be achieved in one day and those that are larger in size and will require more of your time. Transfer the goals you have written down onto a list of daily, weekly and monthly goals. In order to do this, I suggest creating an Action List. Go down the general list you have already created and mark a "D" for daily, "W" for weekly and "M" for monthly in the left margin.

SHORT TERM

The goals or tasks that need to be done in a day go on the DAILY list. They should be reviewed at least twice a day to keep them up-to-date. Cross off the tasks as they are completed -- once in the morning to focus on what lies ahead and once in the evening to review accomplishments and lay the groundwork for the next day. Add new items as needed.

MID-RANGE

Next, write down tasks that need to be done by the end of the WEEK. The Weekly List should be reviewed once a day. Cross off the tasks as they are completed. The goal is to be able to move the tasks one by one from the Weekly List to the Daily List to be handled.

LONG-TERM

Then, write down the tasks that need to be done by the end of the MONTH. The Monthly List should be reviewed weekly. This list is reserved for larger projects that will take some time to accomplish, such as organizing your photographs, selecting new furniture for a room in your home, researching insurance policies or investment options. Create a List for each month of the year and as these tasks come up, place them on one of the monthly lists. Break down each large task into SMALLER tasks. If you need to organize the garage, for example, set aside time to tackle one portion of the garage at a time. Smaller portions of the large goal are more manageable and you will not feel so overwhelmed and will be able to more easily reach your ultimate goal. You will be able to focus on your sense of accomplishment on reaching the smaller goals and you will ultimately complete the entire task.

DON'T OVERLOAD

You will find that the size of your daily list or weekly list will vary depending on how many tasks need to be completed. It is important to set goals for yourself that are REASONABLE enough to handle in one day, one week or one month. Be realistic as to what can be accomplished within a given period of time.

GIVE IT AWAY

Don’t forget to write down tasks that you need to DELEGATE to someone else to handle. Don’t be afraid to delegate! You only have so much time in a day and if you take on too much, you will not get anything accomplished. It is much more productive to learn the art of delegation. Make use of your friends, spouse, kids, parents; whoever can handle the task at hand. This will free up your time to do other things.

FITTING IT IN

Finally, don’t forget to make the time to TACKLE the Lists. Keeping a list is one thing, but you need to do the tasks, as well! It is an ongoing process which changes every day. By keeping your Action List in a central location, i.e. a notebook, calendar or digital assistant provides easy access. Get in the habit of checking it and revising it often. SCHEDULE in the time you need to work on your to-do list items and then just do it! Remember, keep it simple!

GETTING MORE DONE

If your overall goal is to just be more PRODUCTIVE, this is the best way to achieve that goal. By breaking them down into manageable categories you will stay motivated to follow through. Good luck!

Audrey Cupo is a Professional Organizer with A BETTER SPACE. You may contact her at , 215-491-5193, or www.4abetterspace.com.

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