For Successful Goal Setting:
Only Have A Plan "A"

There is a step in successful goal setting that many people miss.

Jecinta Campbell-Hogg - that's probably a name you haven't heard before, but I have a sneaking suspicion it is one that you might well hear in the future (and remember you heard it here first lol!).

Jecinta is a beautiful young 17 year old, who is just about to graduate from high school, who sits with the world at her feet. I've known Jess since she was 7 years old and in recent years she was Connor's #1 babysitter - and I simply couldn't have prescribed a better role-model for my daughter.

Now you may be wondering where is this going? Well, Jess has been picked up by a modelling agency and she's about to head overseas to do some modelling but her real focus is on becoming an actress - she is using the modelling as one of her stepping stones.

As she excitedly told me about her plans, she made the comment that some 'wiser' people have told her to have back-up plans 'just in case'. My response to her was "Ignore them!" I asked her, "Does that advice come from people who are living the life that you aspire to?"

Her response in a moment ....

For Successful Goal Setting Only Have A 'Plan A'

I have read so many books and interviews of highly successful people - and it seems to me the vast majority of them have a Plan A and never a Plan B - because Plan B just isn't an option. If they are excited by, and drawn to something then they commit whole-heartedly to it.

Put a back-up plan in place, guess what you are calling to you - the back-up plan. Having a backup plan, simply tells yourself and everyone else that you don't back yourself. You don't believe you really have what it takes to achieve your dreams.

Give yourself a way out and you give yourself a sure-fired way to sabotage your own success. The biggest challenge, the biggest obstacle most of us face in achieving our goals, dreams, desires is what goes on within our mind. Because you may have experienced some failures in your life, your belief in yourself may not be as strong as it was when you were younger.

So to reiterate ... For Successful Goal Setting ... have only a Plan A

For Successful Goal Setting Give Your Undivided Attention To What You Want

Focus instead on what it is you want and give it your undivided attention. Every time you think of what it is you want, fill yourself with the joyful expectation that it is going to unfold just perfectly.

When you are passionate about something and eagerly anticipating it, then make the commitment to yourself to give all you have to that one idea, to that one focus. To believe that it is yours. This type of commitment is what will carry you through - it's the 'no matter what' thinking that will sustain and inspire you to lose yourself utterly in what you love, what you desire, what you want.

Let me encourage you - it's not as hard to achieve success or your goals as you make it out in your own head - which can often be your biggest obstacle - that space between your ears!

I know that when I first went into business for myself there was a part of me that thought - if push comes to shove and it doesn't work out - I can always go back into a paid job.

As those in my closest circle know, that almost happened in the early days of this business.

Then one day, I awakened with a decision firmly implanted in my mind. I decided, "No, a job is no longer an option for me". That day I completely committed myself to my dream. Amazingly, once Plan B was no longer an option then magic happened. Losing myself to my dream meant intense joy followed - all of a sudden opportunities started coming my way - seemingly out of the blue! If anything was to convince me that successful goal setting started first in my head it was this experience!

I'm so glad I made the decision to only have Plan A. And yes, it was as simple as that - a decision. So for successful goal setting make a firm decision to give your undivided focus to where you are heading.

For Successful Goal Setting You Need to Know What Is Calling You

What dream, hope, desire do you have that you've been sabotaging, because you have a plan B or worse still you're living Plan B? Break off the shackle and give your undivided attention to what it is you want.

My challenge to you is ... ... after reading this article, ask yourself,

• "What dream, goal, desire have I got, that I am running with a Plan B.
• How do I need to change my thinking and the actions that I'm taking so that the only option is Plan A?".

For more tips on successful goal setting you can purchase the book Goal Setting To Align Your Potential. (Or you can pick it up for free (along with over 200 other resources) if you are a member of the Align-Lead-Inspire Club - Join today).

For Successful Goal Setting You Must Bring Yourself Into Alignment

Fill yourself with hope, joy, enthusiasm for your dream and consistently hold those emotions and you can't help but draw your dream to you. Big warning though! If everytime you think of your dream you come from a place of desparation, fear, sadness, uncertainty, disillusionment - you will certainly push it away. You will put the breaks on your successful goal setting process.

The balancing act is to be joyfully expecting your dream to manifest, while being very very happy with where you find yourself today. I love a throwaway line of Abraham's "Happy where I am and eager for more!"

Like Colonel Sanders, of KFC fame, you may have grey hair before you achieve your dream, however, if you can be happy along the way and hold the faith, you can't help but be successful in the truest sense of the word.

I've discovered that when I hold myself to living in a place of delighted anticipation, joyous hope, happy to be experiencing each moment, however, it unfolds ... well life is just delicious ... even when I haven't quite achieved yet all that I desire.

Jecinta's Successful Goal Setting

Back to Jecinta - and this is why I adore this young woman so much - her response to me - (before I got the chance to ramble as I have here with you) - was: "I'm glad you said to ignore it, because that's what I was thinking. I want to focus all my energy into making this work, because if I have a Plan B, it means I don't really believe in myself".

What a wise 17 year old! Do you need to listen to some wisdom from a 17 year old:)?