Success is Easy, But so is Neglect

People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn't matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I'm a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.  In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.  It is not the lack of money - banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity - America, and much of the free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books – libraries are full of books - and they are free! It is not the schools - the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors. Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply, neglect. Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life. Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more ... and on and on it goes. So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of "easy to" and "easy not to" that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, "easy"; but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.

Goals Achievement

If greatness is your goal, whether in your business life, your personal relationships or your own personal growth, here are some guidelines to get you on your way. Greatness is possible! You can achieve the goals you set for yourself and you can make a difference in your own life and those who live and work around you! Set greatness as your goal! Here’s how:

Identify greatness for yourself. While there are some basic generalities that most people would consider great, there are broader definitions of greatness, ones that each individual sets for him or herself. For example, most people would consider Mother Theresa great while only some would consider Donald Trump great. Helping humanity is a broad generality while building a real estate fortune isn’t. So what you need to first do is ask, “What does greatness look like for this company, organization, family or for myself?” From there you can develop values and a mission statement etc. But if you don’t first identify it, you’ll never reach it.
Maximize targeted end results. As Covey says, “begin with the end in mind.” What end results do you want. Be specific. Come up with all of them. Maximize them. Leave no stone uncovered. Set out for yourself all of the goals or end results you must hit in order to reach greatness. Write them down, memorize them and distribute them broadly (if doing this for a group). Maximize your targeted end results!
Make distinction your endeavor. What is the endeavor of the great? Usually it is to distinguish themselves from the average. They seek to rise above the rest by the quality of their product or service. Everything goes toward the goal of making themselves distinct from the run of the mill. That is their mission. And in doing so, they make themselves great!

Map your effort thoroughly. The three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location.” In reaching a goal, the three most important words are “plan, plan, plan.” Okay, “execute” and “persevere” work too, but go with me here! Too many people wish they would achieve something but never write down a plan for getting there. When I want to go on a long trip I don’t just wish to get there. I plan on how to get there. I get a map, I figure out distances, times etc. Map out your goal thoroughly. This will help you achieve greatness.

Regularly take time for regeneration. Achieving greatness is hard! You will care more, work harder, and take more lumps and setbacks than the rest. So you will need to take time to regenerate so you can fight again another day. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. Your emotions need rest. Your spirit needs rest. I firmly believe that a person who rests well can do more in less time than the one works without setting aside time for regeneration. You may be able to reach goals without rest, but somewhere along the line, you will fall harder and longer if you aren’t regularly regenerating yourself. So take your vacation time this year!

Have a strict evaluation process. Every plan and goal needs an evaluation tool. And it should be a strict evaluation process. This is how you objectively decide whether or not you are proceeding toward your goal. If you have the right evaluation tool and you look six months into it and you aren’t hitting the goals, perhaps you need to change the goal or the way you are going after it. The evaluation process is not to be underestimated in its importance!

Take somebody else with you. True greatness is not individual. The one who becomes great spreads the reward of greatness around. Incorporate many people into the plan and let them eat of the fruit of success. I live in an area that has literally thousands of millionaires created by a company that had a vision of greatness. And while yes, they experience the reward, the rewards then go out many levels through the whole community, from businesses that support our community to non-profit groups, churches, and schools. True greatness blesses those many levels away.
Learn to party! Party? Yes! What good is greatness if you can’t enjoy it? And not just the final destination but also the entire journey. Be sure to stop along the way and relish in your movement. Celebrate small and large victories. This keeps the sprit high and the big mo rolling! Spend the money, buy the food and blow up the balloons – it’s time to celebrate!

How to get your Goals - Guaranteed

“Goals” is a topic that many people talk about, both in a positive as well as a negative sense. Some people are goal maniacs and others think they are a waste of time. Me? I am somewhat different. I just care about one thing – results. Goals: write ‘em down; don’t write ‘em down, I don’t care. Just get them! Achieve them! Live them! That is the only thing that should matter about goals, right?

If the only thing that matters is that we achieve our goals, then let’s talk about ways that will guarantee that we get our goals! There is such a way… and here it is:

 First, be realistic.

Too many people get hyped up by people promising them the world and they set goals that simply aren’t realistic. Then they are disappointed and then decide that “goals” are bad. But wait a minute. Don’t I teach that anybody can achieve anything? Sort of. We have to be realistic. The best example is that a seven-foot center who plays basketball will never be a world champion jockey. A person who is five feet, two inches could be, given time. This is the difference between a realistic goal and one that isn’t. Take some time and set a realistic goal or goals. This will make your goals guaranteed from the get go!

 

 Second, memorize your goals.

Set them in stone in your mind. Know what they are. Prioritize them in order of importance and memorize them so that if anyone asked you, “What are you top seven goals?” you could answer immediately. This will embed the goals and the desired outcomes into your mind, which is the seed of action.

 

 Visualize your goals.

Some people are really into this. Some people think it is total hooey. I am in the middle. I do not think that there is anything “magical” about the visualization process, but I do think that taking some time to regularly envision your dream and goals is a great thing. It deepens your desire to get your goals. It puts you into a frame of mind where you operate in a peak state. So, don’t overdo it, but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater either. Put your goals deep into your mind by visualizing them periodically.

 

 Set time frames.

Don’t let your goal be, “I want to lose twenty pounds.” Instead, let it be, “I want to lose twenty pounds in four months.” Again, a reminder to be realistic. But you can do wonders for your goal setting if you break your goals and put time frames on them. This gives it a sense of urgency. It makes it some thing you are working “toward” rather than working “on.” In fact, I would suggest setting long-range time frames, mid-range time frames, and short-range time frames.

 

 Spend time and money on your goals.

Realize that any goal worth achieving is worth spending your resources, specifically time and money, on. Buy books, go to seminars, join associations, hire a coach, etc. Whatever you need to do to get your goals! Spending time and money will seed your dreams and you will reap the end result far beyond what you put into it. Big dreams have big costs, but even little dreams have a cost associated with them so count the cost.

 Surround yourself with people who can propel you to your goals.

Never underestimate the power of the people around you to either drag you down or lift you up. Poisonous people can destroy your goal by systematically draining you of your passion and desire and replacing it with total pessimism! Passionate and positive people can invigorate you with renewed energy and a mind set on the dream. Get around people who will energize you!

 

 Act on your goals each and every day.

Even if it is just a small step, it will leave you closer to your goal each and every day. If you have a savings goal, set aside even one dollar a day. Take a jar and empty your change into it at the end of each day. If you want to write a book, write each day, if even just two paragraphs! Small, step-by-step actions will produce the goal – guaranteed!

 Be persistent!

I have long said that if the three most important words in real estate are “location,” “location,” “location,” then the three most important words in getting what you desire are “persistence,” “persistence,” “persistence.” In fact, be tenaciously persistent. Be ruthlessly persistent. Look, there will be all sorts of barriers and obstacles you will have to overcome if you want to achieve your dream. Dreams don’t just roll over and die. You have to attack them! Go for it and don’t give up! They can, and will, be yours!

 

Can you get your goals – guaranteed? You bet you can. And you will, if you put into practice the above principles.
If you…

• 
  Be realistic.
• Memorize your goals.
• Visualize your goals.
• Set time frames.
• Spend time and money on your goals.
• Surround yourself with positive people.
• Act on your goals every day and…
• Be persistent.

You can get your goals – guaranteed!

Relate your Dreams with Emotions

'No-one knows exactly what dreams are, but one theory is that it's your brain's way of stopping your emotions overheating,' he says. 'Which means while your unconscious mind churns away turning out all your crazy imaginings, it's also working out solutions to any problems or issues you're facing. And because dreams are intuitive, not logical, they're especially useful when it comes to discovering your true, gut feelings. 'That means once you learn to tap into your dreams, you can actually learn to use their lessons in waking life. 

 

How to read your emotional dreams...

'Don't take your dreams literally - they speak to you in symbols,' says Hamilton-Parker. 'Everything in each dream - the weather, how you feel, the theme, the scenery, the people and any sounds, numbers or colors all mean something. For example, an icy landscape may mean your feelings are literally frozen, you're not expressing yourself, while hot and tropical might express your passion. "Even the people you see in your dreams could be symbols of yourself, not actual people. For example, if you see your mother, it could be an expression of your nurturing side.'

Dreams Get Rid of Emotional Arousal

It has been agreed for some time that dreams deal with emotion. However, not all emotion causes dreaming. Only emotional arousal unexpressed while awake causes us to dream. So, for example, if you have a screaming row with your partner you are unlikely to dream about it as the emotional arousal was allowed full expression. However if you become angry with someone at work but cannot express it then this frustration will probably be played out during dreaming

Don't Like Your Dreams? Forget Them!

Most dream researchers think it is worthwhile to remember your dreams, and they have tips for improving your recall. But the evidence we have presented here suggests something else: they are not important, so perhaps not worth remembering. So, unless you find your dreams fun, intellectually interesting, or artistically inspiring, then feel free to forget your dreams. If they just upset you or leave you puzzled, then why bother with them?

But how does one forget his or her dreams? Well, since we've found that thinking of dreams as useful or important is the best predictor of high dream recall, then maybe telling yourself that they are not useful or important will lower your recall. It also helps to turn your attention to the external world and events of the forthcoming day when you wake up -- don't lie there and daydream and let your mind drift because that might lead to dream recall. And if you do happen to remember a fragment of a dream, don't try to recall the rest, just ignore it.

Of course, if you enjoy your dreams and they don't bother you, dream away, and have fun!

And, Yes, Dreams Have Their "Uses"

Even if dreams have no physiological or psychological functions, human beings gradually invented uses for them. In more technical terms, dreams have an "emergent" function that develops through culture. For example:

    * In a great many societies, dreams are used by shamans to diagnose illness (often thought to be caused by evil or angry spirits) and to enter the spiritual world. In that sense, shamans were the first psychoanalysts, and Freud and Jung are modern-day shamans.

    * In some societies, dreams are used to find game, predict the weather, or prophesy about the future. In our society, at least since about 1900, they have been used in psychotherapy, although not as much in recent years when the emphasis is on short-term therapy and on thinking sensible thoughts. Dreams can be an "occasion" for a reticent patient to talk more personally, especially when we note that people do not take as much personal responsibility for their dreams as they do most of their other thoughts, making dreams easier to talk about.

    * In our society, dreams are also an excuse to say something intimate to someone, maybe a tentative way to see if a deeper relationship is possible, as in "I had this nice dream about you last night."

    * Finally, the phrase "I had this dream last night..." is a platform to say whatever nonsense, lie, or fantasy someone might have on his or her mind, because there's no way to determine if the claim is true or not. Now, we have every reason to believe that people are honest when they are reporting their dreams for academic studies, as we explain in our section on representative samples and the quality of our data. But, when the popular dream hustlers tell you of their amazing dreams and promise that you can have similarly amazing dreams if you buy their book or attend their workshops, then hold on to your hat -- and your wallet.

But Dreams Have Meaning

Cut not the wings of your dreams,
for they are the heartbeat and the freedom of your soul.  

Do you dream? Or do you believe that dreaming is a waste of time? Are your dreams connected to your future desires? Years ago I read a quotation attributed to Louie Armstrong. He said that Dreams are goals with endings.

This doesn't mean that dreams have no "meaning," that they make no sense. To the contrary, dreams correlate with age, gender, culture, and personal preoccupations, as evidence on this site and in many research studies suggests.

"Meaning" has to do with coherence and with systematic relations to other variables, and in that regard dreams do have meaning. Furthermore, they are very "revealing" of what is on our minds. We have shown that 75 to 100 dreams from a person give us a very good psychological portrait of that individual. Give us 1000 dreams over a couple of decades and we can give you a profile of the person's mind that is almost as individualized and accurate as her or his fingerprints.

Set your Goals in the light of your Dreams

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up."

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don't believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world
are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want.
And if they cant, make them.

 

It is wonderful to have a dream. It can also be wonderful to have a goal. True, there is a school of thought that maintains we should not need goals. We looked at this view a few months ago. My own perception of this viewpoint is that it applies to those goal-lists that time management folks advocate. They can be useful, or a burden, depending on where you are in your personal growth. Today, though, I am looking at something different.Today I am looking at the difference between having a dream and having a goal.
A dream is a goal without legs. It is a wonderful thing to have, can be the guiding passion of your life, but unless you clarify it and give it the legs to move toward you, getting there is going to be very much a matter of luck.

To transform a dream into a reachable goal you must clarify it, provide the details, make it so clear that you can see it, feel it, know what you will feel like when you get there. This works for you in many ways.
*It clarifies what you want to the point that you will always be attuned to anything that is relevant. Opportunities will not pass you by unnoticed.
*It shows you what you need to do to get there, step by action step.
*It makes false detours and dead ends less likely to distract you.
*And perhaps the images you carry in your mind and heart will echo out to the universe for manifestation.

The clearer and more vivid the image, the more likely are all of these things to happen.

As an illustration, I will use a dream someone might have regarding a career, but the principle remains the same whatever the nature of your dream.

Let's suppose that you yearn to work outdoors and close to nature. Someone asks you to tell them more, but you can't. You don't know. All you know is that you want to work outdoors and close to nature. This is a dream. Why is it not a goal? Because it is not specific. That description could fit many occupations, including park ranger, beach bum, safari tour guide, farmer, landscape gardener, migrant worker, beekeeper or many more.
There is a saying, "be careful what you pray for, because you will surely get it, but not necessarily in the form, and at the time, that you expected." This applies particularly when your thoughts are not specific. Imagine putting out a prayer and a wish to the universe that you find a job that involves being in the outdoors and close to nature, and having your prayer answered by falling into a job as a beekeeper... when you are truly terrified of insects!

This is not bad luck, it is bad management. Bad management of your own desires and intentions. Both your own unconscious and the universe need clear direction before they can begin to manifest a path, let alone get results. If you are to harness your own energy and that of the universe so as to bring your dream into reality, you need first to create it in imagination.
Okay, let's start again. You want a job working in the outdoors and close to nature. Buy yourself one of the many books on the subject of career choice that will help you to CLARIFY. Ask yourself those annoying questions that any career counselor would ask you.
What sort of work do you want to be doing? Do you like people? Do you like animals? What kind of animals? (There's a big difference between working with a friendly kitty-cat and working with large wild animals who would prefer that you not be sharing their space.) Do you enjoy structure or freedom? And be careful of this one, because we all think we want freedom until we find ourselves working alone and without guidelines or supervision. For some people this works fine, for others it is far more threatening than they had realized.

For every image that comes to you, follow it, ask yourself how it fits, how you will work with it, and what comes next, until your dream is as vivid and enthralling as a five star movie. Know in your heart that this is what you want to be doing with your life, that it is a job you will enjoy so much that you'd love to do it even if you didn't have to earn a living. Then put THAT image out there for manifestation. This time there will be no mistakes.
When I write "Put it out there for manifestation" I am not saying that you then sit back and wait. One of my mother's sayings is "Pray as if it all depends on God, and then work as if it all depends on you." It is good advice. But now, with your mental picture in place, you know what it is that you are working toward.

What you DON'T need to put out to the universe is exactly how this manifestation has to happen. If you do, then you are limiting the way in which you and your goal can come together. In truth there are more paths to your goal than you can imagine. It is fine to choose one that you will work on, with a couple of fall-backs in case of obstacles, but be careful to remain clear that these are not the only alternatives. Whatever it is that you seek, it may be manifested in ways beyond your wildest dreams.