Setting and Achieving Goals

It doesn’t matter what you want, because you often change your objectives and goals as you move through life. Think about what you wanted in the third grade. Was it the same thing you wanted when you reached high school?

Setting goals isn’t as important as putting forth the effort for the Universe to show you possibilities. If you remain open to messages from the Universe―in whatever form­―you make decisions and set goals every day. Monday’s goal might simply be making it through a hectic work day. By Friday, however, you might decide you want to shed ten pounds by the end of the year. Pay attention to your every day desires; pay attention to all the little wants and desires. Some might not be as trivial as you imagine.

When you consciously select a goal, focus on it. Write it down. The simple act of putting pen to paper strengthens your desire and, thus, your likelihood of achieving your goal. As you put your desire on paper, you are reading it and imprinting it on your subconscious.

Create an affirmation with your intent. Intent is stronger than want or desire. Intent shows that you’re serious about attaining this goal.

Create an affirmation that is in the present tense. The Universe―and your subconscious mind―recognize only NOW, not some future date. By putting your desire/goal in the present tense, you see it as already achieved, and the Universe creates what already exists, even if it is only in your mind.

Create an affirmation that is positive. Words such as “not”, “stop” or “lose” are negatives, and your subconscious can focus on what you do not want, thus negating what you’ve said you want.

“I will lose (or drop) five pounds by Christmas” is counterproductive. If we lose something, we want to find it. If we drop something, we want to pick it up. And “will” implies some time in the future―which Christmas? Shedding weight like a butterfly shedding its cocoon is a good mental image. “I am shedding two pounds per week and I am healthy” is a better affirmation.

Though “I will not overeat” is not as affective as “I am eating healthy foods in sensible proportions,” you can strengthen it even more by saying, “I eat healthy foods and one helping at each meal is more than enough.”

“I will not smoke” is not as effective as “I am a non-smoker.”

If you can measure your success, you are more likely to reach your goal. That is why, for example, some smokers find it easy to gradually decrease the number of cigarettes they smoke each day. The affirmation the first week might be, “Twenty cigarettes per day is more than enough for me, and I am a healthy non-smoker.” During the second week, the affirmation is changed to, “Fifteen cigarettes per day is more than enough for me, and I am a healthy non-smoker.” The affirmation is positive, it is measurable, and this person is very likely to reach his/her goal and be a healthy non-smoker.

Getting on a sensible “program” (eating, exercise, etc.) and naming the program can help. “I am faithful to Suzy’s Sensible Eating Program and I am shedding two pounds per week.”

Gold stars on a calendar tell you when you stay on track. If your affirmation states that fifteen cigarettes per day is more than enough for you today, and if you attain that goal, give yourself a gold star. If you attain your goal of staying on Suzy’s Sensible Eating Program and shedding two pounds a week, give yourself a gold star. Seeing success makes it more probable. You want those gold stars, so you are more likely to behave in ways that will give you a reward. Look at the calendar and see the gold stars and you might think, “I am staying on my program and reaching my goals, so I’ll give it another day.” That day can turn into two or three, and you’ll find you’ve successfully reduced the number of cigarettes you smoked or shed the unwelcome pounds. You have succeeded!

We succeed by selecting an affirmation that is believable, easily remembered, and measurable. Write it on note cards or post-it notes and leave them in places where you’re sure to see them throughout the day. Good places include the refrigerator, phone, dashboard of the car, bathroom mirror. You don’t have to read them each time; just seeing them triggers the affirmation in your subconscious.

You are successful in reaching your goals!