Lou Tice

Yesterday, we set out to create some meaningful goals for ourselves for 2012. In fact, I left you with the "homework assignment" of writing out goals for each area of your personal Balance Wheel. Don't worry (which is really negative goal-setting) if you didn't complete the assignment - goal-setting is a life-long "homework assignment." I am confident that by doing this, you are setting yourself on the path to a fun, enjoyable and fulfilling life.

So, now that you have all of your goals, written as if the future you want has already happened, what do you do next? The… >>>

You have your lists of wants, balanced in the different areas of your life. You have checked them against your values, and each supports the other. Now, how do we turn those "wants" into meaningful and achievable goals?

Today, take one of your Balance Wheel sections. One that is always important to me is Family. Traveling as much as I do, it would be very easy for me to lose contact with my children and grandchildren. So, one of my goals is to spend time with each of them, and for them to know that I am always available.

Now,… >>>

Now that you have your list of "wants" or "goals" in your different areas, it's time to check and see how they fit together.  Let's talk about goal-setting for a well-balanced life.

When you think about growing as a person, there are many distinct areas you can consider. Do you want to grow as a spouse or parent, in your social relationships, in your job or career? What about your physical and mental health, your intellectual pursuits, your spiritual life? You can also grow in the things you do for fun or in your involvement with your community.  

Have you… >>>

Did you enjoy your experience of "mind wandering"? I hope so. You see, by taking time to let your mind wander, unfettered by the "have-to's" of the day, you are engaging in a little mental relaxation that should leave you refreshed.

Today, let's do a little organization of those "wants" you discovered yesterday. One of the tools I like to use is what I call a "balance wheel." We've talked about this before, I am certain. Draw a circle, and then divide the circle into six or eight segments, so that you have what looks like pieces of a pie.… >>>

This week, I want to build upon the themes I have introduced since the New Year. I am going to walk you through a process of vision-setting and goal-setting that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. And when we are done, New Year's resolutions will seem like an old-fashioned parlor game.

Ask yourself the question, "Where am I going?" For most of us, that is a question upon which we spend far too little time. And when we do, it is usually because of some situation that has happened, forcing us to take a… >>>

We all know that people can be afraid of failure, but did you know that many people are afraid of success?

No one likes to fail. But some folks are so focused on the possibility of failure that they become over-anxious and unable to perform. Their fear of failure actually creates failure.

There are people who manage to sabotage their own efforts, often unconsciously, not because they are afraid of failure, but because they are afraid of success.

You see, we all carry around a mental picture of ourselves, and if success is not a part of that picture, we… >>>

Here are some things that don't exist: A bad day, a boring book, a demeaning job, and an ugly dress.

Now why do I say that there is no such thing as a bad day or an ugly dress? Shakespeare had this idea in mind when he said, "Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so." You see, if the dress was truly ugly, every single person we asked would say, "Yes, that is ugly." But what are the chances of that happening?

And if the day was truly bad, then no one could possibly be having a… >>>

These last couple of days, I've been leading you to my initial thoughts for this New Year, those of comparisons. Comparing how far we've come, with how far we have yet to go.

Yesterday, I talked about how we shut down our drive, energy and creativity as we achieve our goals. It's natural for us to do this. And it's fine to take some time to celebrate our achievements, understanding that we are doing this by intent and not by neglect.

However, comparing our "today" selves with how we used to be virtually has the same effect as reaching a… >>>

Yesterday, we talked about the value of setting goals, about how a goal creates a gap that our minds are programmed to close - either forward or backward, depending upon how strong the picture is. This is why change can sometimes be difficult, because the new picture of where we want to be isn't as strong as the need to maintain current reality.

In order to move ahead, to reach goals that we have set for ourselves, we need to make the future picture of what we want more inviting, more attractive, more necessary than staying in our current reality.… >>>

With the ending of one year and the beginning of another, I am certain that you've noticed the avalanche of the year's "best" and "worst" lists. They are everywhere, from newspapers and magazines to television shows - even the financial pages. While it's fun to look back and reminisce, I'd like to talk a little bit about a more productive way of looking at where we are.

In these daily messages, I've talked about the need for purposefully setting goals for ourselves, in order to unlock the energy and creativity inside each of us. When we set a goal, we… >>>