When Should You Start Your Goals?

Well, I promised I'd be back 'tomorrow' and it's been a week.

A family emergency got in the way and I've been offline all week but I'm finally back with another (hopefully) thought provoking message to help you achieve your goals faster : )

Today I want to answer one of the MAJOR questions I always seem to receive about achieving goals.

"When Should I Begin?"

Believe it or not, it's a really common question!

People are of the belief that there is some special 'buildup' they have to go through in order to achieve what they want or that they have to 'prepare' or 'get ready' or have all their ducks in a row before they can finally go after what they want.

They tell themselves they'll start to pursue their goals...

...tomorrow
...next week
...next year
...when the kids get out of school
...when the kids go back to school
...when there is more time
...when things settle down
...when there are less bills
...when there is more money
...when the moment it right

And all the while they delay the pursuit of those things that would make them happiest because of... something. Some 'reason' for why they couldn't possibly go after their goals right here, right now.

So here's my answer.

(I think you know it already) : )

Start right here, right now with whatever resources you have at your disposal to build the life that you most dream about having.

You see, you can carry on dreaming about the things you want or you can do something about them.

You can let the daily routine of your current life run the show or you can make the changes you want to see.

You can keep putting off and delaying your happiness until 'someday' or you can begin doing the things you know you are capable of doing TODAY!

The choice is yours.

You have the power to choose.

You see, it's all too easy to fall into the same old routine of saying to yourself 'someday I'll do it but right now I just have too much on my plate'.The truth is, you will ALWAYS have tons of things to do, tons of people to see, tons of places to go, chores to be done and bills to be paid.

That's life for us all, right?

But if you don't at least START building the life of your dreams, regardless of how busy, tired, stressed, broke you are then you stand zero chance of ever getting there don't you?

So start today my friends.

Start today.

You don't have to do much. You don't have to change the world in an afternoon. Just change one thing. Do one thing different to how you did it yesterday and you've begun to move your life on a different course. This is the REAL 'secret' of goal achievement.

It's taking action.

But you knew this already, right? : )

Truth, Joy and Love

Dax Moy
http://www.themagichundred.com


P.S - What one action are you committed to taking TODAY? Write it in the comments area... I dare ya! :)

Was The Secret Wrong About Goal Achievement?

Have you seen the movie The Secret?

If you have you'll know that it practically became the goal-achievement 'bible' overnight due to it's very simple, yet very powerful message about how you can be, do and have practically anything in life that you want as long as you do one or two key things.

They are:

1. Think about what you want on a regular basis
2. Think about it positively

That was it really. That was the 'secret' of The Secret!

Now, I'm not knocking this at all, far from it. First off, most people (myself included) can be really unfocused and unclear about what they want and spending any time focusing has got to be really beneficial, right?

And thinking positive, well, that's just obvious isn't it? After all, going through life with a dark cloud over your head is not really going to help you feel good about even STARTING your goals, let alone achieving them is it?

So I've no real problems with the advice that The Secret shares, it makes sense and, truth be told, thousands of people have already gone on to achieve great things as a result of following this simple advice, but again, there are a lot of people who couldn't seem to make it work for them and are now dismissive of the who goal achievement 'thing'.

Maybe you're one of them?

I certainly used to be.

I had already tried the whole positive thinking thing and holding my goals uppermost in my thoughts but still, the bills piled up and the same old hassles that were always in my life before were still there so I did what most people would do. I gave up the whole goal-setting thing as a waste of time and, for a time at least, focused on plain old fashioned hard work.

And it was just that.

HARD work!

Sure, I got results after a fashion but the work I put in always seemed to be greater than the results I'd get back. I know you know that feeling!

Then one day in the shower it hit me.

Most of what I'd been told about goal achievement was wrong!

In fact, I suddenly realised that although it was a nice sentiment, thoughts DON'T become things, but rather, they can become things if they're used correctly, but that thoughts themselves are pretty powerless.

I figured that that if thoughts really did automatically become things
then most teenage boys would materialise pretty young girls into their bedrooms. After all, this is what's on their minds most of the time, right? : )

Sounds funny, I know, but if you think about it, it's true. After all, if thinking clearly of something that's important to you, holding it in your mind and thinking about it a lot works to bring goals to life, then it should work, right?

And as to thinking positive...

I'd always been told that thinking positive was a critical step to making your goals come to life, but again I realised that this couldn't really be true. After all, if being positive made your goals come to life you should be able to sit in the middle of a busy road, smile and say 'I won't get hit, I won't get hit, I won't get hit" and sure enough, all the trucks will completely miss you.

Not a strategy that I think I'd like to try : )

It all makes sense doesn't it?

The idea that you can't just put on a happy face, think about your goals and have them come to life?

I think so anyway : )

So what's the real 'secret' to goal achievement?

Well, I guess it's simply that there isn't one. Not as in one hidden thing that once exposed will bring your goals to life. It's more a case of having a strategy that is proven to work rather than relying on hope or wishful thinking.

What's the strategy?

It's coming... I promise!

I'll tell you tomorrow : )

Dax Moy
www.themagichundred.com

P.S - What do YOU think are the not-so-secret secrets to achieving success? Go on, add your thoughts on this... I dare ya!









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The Secret(R) is a registered trademark of TS Production LLC.

The Myth Of The Balanced Life... And How It Stops You From Achieving Your Goals

The Questions I've been receiving lately about how to achieve more of your goals even faster have been great!

So many excellent questions have been asked that I'm sure I'll be answering them for ages to come : )

Today's question is excellent...


"Dax, thanks so much for sharing your time and insights. My big question is how you create a sustainable life/routines/etc. where you're moving towards your goals without burning out. I've been following your program and "failing forward" but it happens in fits and starts."

Charlie

My Answer...


Hey Charlie

I love this question!

I think it’s so important to understand how life ‘fits’ into our goals as most people give themselves a really hard time in this area.

I think it stems from the ‘work/life balance’ myth that says we’re supposed to strive for balance in all areas of our lives.
I couldn’t disagree more!

You see, when you try an balance work with home, income with outgoings, letting your hair down with following the big plans you’ve laid out for yourself, you are, in effect, pulling opposite ends of the same rope and, well, going nowhere.
Life, I believe, is not so much about balance. It’s about integration.

Just like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle must fit together in order to reveal the whole picture, so too do aspects of our own lives have to integrate and fit with the other pieces of our ‘life puzzle’.

The best way to do that, regardless of what you’ve been told, is not to seek balance but to allow different parts of who you are to have their ‘time in the sun’ so to speak.

I like to think of us as all being slightly schizophrenic. Weird, I know, but it serves to help me to understand this better.
Let me use myself a an example;

I’m a Dad.
I’m husband.
I’m a son.
I’m a brother.
I’m a writer.
I’m an entrepreneur.
I’m a fitness coach.
I’m an inspirational speaker.
I’m a journalist.
I’m an athlete.
I’m an adventurer.
And I’m so much more besides!

(So are you!!)

Now, it’s pretty easy to see how each of my personalities has different needs. My needs as a father are different to my needs as a husband and different again to my needs as an entrepreneur. If I try to ‘balance’ these instead of integrate them I make zero improvement in any area as each one has a different set of needs.

The dad in me needs to be home to do more with my kids, the entrepreneur needs me to travel more, work longer hours, write, speak and more.

If I balance the 2, then my work doesn’t grow and my family quality improves only slightly (if at all).

However, if I follow the integration idea then I ‘allow’ myself the freedom to put my life out of balance for specific periods of time to achieve certain goals. For example, I work harder than normal and for longer hours than normal for 6 weeks whilst bringing a new project to life. The new project brings me greater income and that new income is spent on…

…my family, with whom I now take a month off to travel the world and see interesting things.

Can you see how the integration model allows for more results in your life?

Understanding that the imbalance is where the results come from is the key to success, I believe, and should not only actively pursue an imbalanced life, but go further and try to create the imbalances of our own choosing.

The beauty of this is that you never burn out. You have new targets and new inspirations and new goals to work on all the time and you’re using the imbalances in a positive, constructive and guilt-free way.

Everybody wins : )

Truth, joy and love

Dax Moy
******************************************
Grab YOUR Copy Of The fastest
Goal Achievement Program on the planet
at http://www.themagichundred.com
******************************************

Oh yes, I almost forgot... duh! : )

My 'mystery' MAGIC Hundred last weekend had me accomplishing another great goal.

Take a look!

Finding The Inspiration To Achieve Your Goals

It looks like this 'ask Dax' series is proving pretty popular. I'm getting so many emails in my inbox at the moment that I'm really jammed up. So I'm giving priority to mails that are posted here on the blog. (This is a polite way of saying 'thank you so much for trusting me with your question but please, can you not fill my email inbox up as I literally can't read any of my mails) : )

Today's question comes from David and it's a very common one that I hear way way too often.

Read on...


"Dax,

My biggest problem is believing change is possible and that all the positive words have real substance. I'm in my 50s and have been through a lot. When in my late teens I got hooked on motivational books and have read lots of them: Napoleon Hill, Zig Zigler, Brian Tracy, etc etc etc. I did Tony Robbins 30 day Personal Power program, etc. etc. etc. After getting all pumped up I really believed I could conquer anything I would set my mind on.

I have tried many times to act on my dreams but have been knocked down so many times I have lost count. I truly hate what my life has been. I'm just struggling to survive. Now that I am past my prime please tell me how I can believe I will ever have anything other than what fate has given me. Where can I find the energy, the focus, the drive to achieve something new?

I apologize that it's not just 2 short questions, but that's where I'm at. It's just not connecting this time. How can I believe in dreams once again?"

David




My Answer...

Hi David,

thanks so much for your question. It's an interesting on and one that I think many of my readers will be glad you asked.

First off, it's interesting to hear you talk of all the books you've read as these are amongst MY favourite books and programs too and have definitely shaped my life over the years. I recognise that feeling of being 'pumped up' by reading something motivating and the feeling of 'YES! I CAN DO IT!'

I also recognise the 'deflated' feeling that we often get after reading material like this too. After thinking of all the possibilities and then looking at the actual nuts and bolts realities of our lives, it can often feel like we're even worse off than before... if we let ourselves.

You see, as great as any book or motivational program or seminar is, all they can really offer is motivation and nothing more.

Motivation is an extrinsic factor, meaning that it comes from outside of us and relies on someone giving us the support, the information or simply the feel-good-factor to get up and get on. There's nothing wrong with this, of course, but motivation in and of itself is weak and cannot be relied upon for success.

After all, if it requires the physical presence of someone/something else to make you want to take action, then whenever that person or thing is not there for you... you won't!

So motivation is weak.

Inspiration, on the other hand, is something entirely different.

Inspiration is intrinsic. It comes from within. It's the purpose, power and passion that YOU have already, brought to the fore and focused with laser-like precision onto your goals. With inspiration, you never need to worry about whether or not others believe in you, whether or not you've failed in the past or whether or not there's someone to guide and support you.

When you're inspired, none of this matters.

YOU become the energy source for your goals.

This is REALLY empowering as it now puts YOU in the driving seat of your life again.

So, how do you get inspired?


It's easier than you think!

First, be greatful.

Seriously, take stock of what's gone well for you in life. The experiences you've had, the people you've met, the places you've travelled, the things you've done. Be thankful for it all.

It's important to do this because inspiration seldom (if ever) occurs when you're feeling bitter, resentful and negative about life and yet, seems to find its way to us easily when we feel positive, happy and upbeat.

So literally write a list of everything you have to be thankful of.

EVERYTHING!

Second, focus on what you want. What you REALLY want in your life.

The things you want to be, the things you want to do, the things you want to have?

Write them ALL down. Every single thing that comes to mind. The big, the small, the realistic and the ridiculous.

You see, inspiration isn't a logical thing. It's a heart thing. A feeling. An emotion.

So writing your goals down is about how they will make you feel if they came true. How they would change how you feel about life and yourself.

Interestingly, you don't even have to accomplish them to make yourself inspired. The very act of acknowledging them and starting the ball rolling on seeking them out is enough to start your own inspiration.

Third, play 'What If?'

'What if' is a great game!

What if you got that job?

What if you made that money?

What if you bought that house?

What if you started that company?

What if you wrote that book?

What if you started that charity?

What if is amazing. It opens you up to possibilities that weren't there before and, in doing so, inspires you.

The great thing about what if is that you can stretch it out as far as you like and gain more and more inspiration from it.

What if you started that new business, earned that million dollars a year bought that new house, bought the holiday home in Fiji, retired by 40 and wrote that book? What would like be like then? : )

If you can extrapolate and imagine even a little, you have the power to become inspired and to achieve amazing things. All you have to do is identify the first step and build up from there and you're already changing your life, right?

Finally, for this answer anyway, give back... in advance!

If you know what your 'what if' strategy looks like and you know what you'd like your life to turn out like then you must have a fair idea what you'd do when you finally 'make it' in life. Hopefully that success also means some element of giving back, helping others, contributing, even if only in some small way.

It's only right when you think about it; if you've been allowed to take from the 'pot of life' then it's right and proper that you should put a little back for others too.

So look, instead of waiting for success to happen to you before you give back, try to invent ways to give back in advance.

I've always tried to find ways to give away my knowledge, skills and abilities in the areas of motivation, inspiration and yes, perspiration (my 'day job' is a fitness professional, personal trainer and lecturer in sport and exercise) and have numerous newsletter, blogs, communities, audio recordings, reports and public seminars that I do for for free as part of my own giving back strategy.

Funny thing is though, the more I give away, the more success I seem to attract. I sell more books, audios and mentoring programs BECAUSE I'm putting back into the pot.

How could YOU put back into the pot? Not only is it the 'right thing' to do, but it's profitable too.

The thing is David, (and all) fate has 'given' you nothing. But it hasn't taken from you either.

You're never too young or too old to start pursuing your goals and dreams but the thing is, don't rely on motivation to make them happen. Grab motivation when you can, but don't rely on it.

Instead, use the steps I've laid out above to find inspiration in your life and you'll never have to worry about IF you'll be successful, it'll just be a matter of when : )

I hope this has helped.

Truth, joy and love

Dax Moy

www.themagichundred.com
The Fastest Goal Achievement Program On The Planet

How To Fail... and Still Win!

Wow!

I asked for your biggest 2 questions to do with motivation, success or goal setting and I certainly got a bunch. Not just here but through private messages and emails.

Honestly, I'm stunned at the amount of questions I received here...

Anyway, let's get down to it shall we?

I'm going to try and answer 1-2 questions a day so bear with me whilst I work through them all ok?

The first questions are from Marilyn...


"Hi, Dax:

1. How do I stay focused on my goals if I end up keeping some of them a secret because of a significant other who is very negative and ridiculing? I think I know the answer but I guess I needed a second opinion, Doc. :-)

2. I too have had a Dickensian childhood and was able to overcome a lot of it using only my own inner strength with no support (long story). Having said that, how do I keep from beating myself up when I make a mistake towards one of my steps for a goal or even just keep my get-there-now-itis under control? I know I have the strength and control but sometimes I get a little bit of a war going on - like 1 side is hang in there your almost there, the other - you're too this - too that - not practical - that sort of nonsense.

Thanks a lot Dax for any suggestions."

My Answers

Well Marilyn, as for question 1 and staying focused in the face of ridicule I think you have to do several things.

First, remind yourself that this is about YOU. Not your kids, your husband, your work colleagues or anyone else. You.

You see, you can't do things for other people. You can't do things because of other people and you certainly can't NOT do things because of other people. Not if you hope to be happy anyway.

Abraham Lincoln once said 'you cannot help the poor by becoming one yourself' and I agree. And this goes for much more than money. If you have no belief in yourself, you can't help others to believe. if you have no joy in your life, you cannot help others to find joy in their.

You simply cannot give what you yourself do not have in abundance.

Where am I going with this?

Simple!

Your job is not to 'win over' or gain the support of your partner. It's nice when that happens but one shouldn't rely on it. Your job is to begin, small at first, then in larger and larger amount, to gain an abundant store of successes in your life. Likewise joy. Likewise happiness. Likewise love.

Find these things wherever you can and build YOUR life to be the shape that YOU want it to be.

Let no-one stop you.

No one.

If sharing your dreams brings you ridicule then don't share them with those that would ridicule you. Share them with like-minded people only. You can find them forums and communities like www.daxmoy.ning.com and others. Find that small spark of your dreams and kindle a small flame from them, then help it grow by sharing them with those who are also pursuing theirs.

In short, get strong. Create a store of your successes. Don't stop.

The truth is, not all people share your dreams. They have their own. It's a shame though when some people, especially those who claim to love and care for us, feel the need to trample on ours.

It hurts. That's natural. We're human.

But still, don't stop.

Never stop.

Your dreams are the reason you're here : )

As for your second question, you WILL make mistakes.

Knowing this should free you.

See, if you KNOW you're going to make mistakes, you can stop worrying about 'whether', 'if' and 'when' and simply pursue you goals and dreams anyway, 'safe' in the knowledge that at some time in the future, you WILL screw up.

Now, isn't that a weight off your mind : )

Instead of looking at mistakes as 'screw ups' or failures, and feeling negative about them, ask yourself "Did I fail forward?"

By this, I mean, ask yourself "Even though I failed in relation to the target I set, am I closer to my goal now than I was before I started out on this goal?" If the answer is yes, then you should seek as many opportunities to fail as possible, take more action, take more 'risks' for every 'trip', every stumble, every fall is bringing you ever closer to your ultimate goal.

It's a lot faster than playing it safe and NOT setting out at all for fear of failure, right?

I always tell people that ask me (and I mean it) that I'm the biggest failure I know.

And I don't feel negative about it. In fact, I feel positive!

You see, I've failed more things than anyone else I've ever met personally, but only because I attempt more things than anyone else I've ever met personally : )

Yet, with each failure, I learn more, my abilities grow, my confidence grows and I add to my skills and knowledge. In short, I fail forward.

Stop fearing failure Marilyn (and everyone) and simply pursue what you want in the knowledge that, at some point, you'll fall flat on your face.

At that point, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over.

Truth, joy and love

Dax Moy
www.themagichundred.com
From Serial Goal SETTING To Serious goal GETTING!