The Hard Part of Goal Setting

I want to take a small break from our series on How to Start and Market a Profitable Online Business to talk about something that has been on my heart and mind as we come to the end of this year.

Every where we look we’re hearing about New Year’s resolutions and goal-setting for the coming year (that’s if the world doesn’t end today) (He He). If you’re reading this then I guess someone was wrong.

From the time period of me being seventeen years old until last year the only goal I had was to get at least six hours of sleep a night, seriously. At seventeen my parents said if I didn’t obey their rules I had to leave, so I left. I lived on friends couches and cars for a while until I met my wife.

I met her and we were married three months later and got our own place. So from seventeen on I was a “working man” sometimes working two or three jobs to pay the bills. The idea of setting goals and changing my life/chasing my dreams was the last thing on my mind, it wasn’t even on my mind at all.

Last year I said enough was enough, I had to come up with a game plan to change. By chance I had come across Zen Habits and really liked how Leo wrote. As I was reading his blog I ran across a post about NOT setting goals and I thought I would give that strategy a try.

Now here I am at the end of a full year of trying this strategy and the one thing I realize is that everybody has to find what works best for them. I accomplished some amazing things this year but to be perfectly honest with you and myself, not half as much as I could have if I had set goals for myself.

I’m not going to go into the benefits of settling goals verses not setting them, my goal in this post is to conquer one of the hardest parts of setting goals: making myself publicly accountable! I tried no goals this year, next year I’m setting goals for myself and I need you to help me follow through with what I say here. Can you do that for me?? (Please)

Here are my goals for 2013:

Weight loss: I WILL lose 140 pounds.

Be Brave Z!

Three years ago I lost 132 pounds in six months. I ate 1,2oo calories a day along with working out for four hours a day. I lost the weight but didn’t learn what it really takes to be healthy. Last year I gained the weight back plus 30  pounds. I’m back on the weight loss journey now and in the last four months have lost 30 pounds and back to exactly where I started, I now weigh 332 pounds (it hurts to write that).  I know now how to truly be healthy, it’s a lifestyle!

I’m tired of carrying this weight and if I’m serious about teaching people how to change their life then I better lead by example. I want to lose the weight by the time my first published book comes out in May. So I need your help, please reach out to me from time to time and ask me how it’s going. Ask me if I’m staying away from the sweets, call me out!

My book: I WILL sell 60,000 copies of my first published book.

[image error]I was blessed with my first two self-published ebooks, selling over 75,000 copies to date. My very first published book comes out in May and I want to knock it out of the park. My publisher took a chance on me and decided they believed in the message, I would love to prove them right.

I will continue to go out there and focus on helping people truly change their lives, that’s first and foremost. I know as a result people will buy the book, it’s packed with useful information. You can help me spread the word by checking out the book on Amazon and if you like what you see, hit the “like” button. Thank you

Speaking: I WILL speak at 4 events that pay more than what I made this year.

I was incredibly blessed this year to speak on four different continents, it was an unbelievable experience. As a beginner speaker I wasn’t making experienced speaker money. I wanted to learn and build my portfolio so I made sure I got as much as I could.

In the coming year I want to be a little more picky about the events that I accept now that I have world-wide experience under my belt. Plus I spent a lot of time away from my family this year and I missed them like crazy, so if I am going to be away, it has to be worth it.

 I’m also going to limit the number of events that I speak at because when my book releases I’ll be touring the country signing books, speaking at events in those cities. Stay tuned because I could be coming to your city and I would LOVE to meet YOU in person

Travel: I WILL take my family to Kenya, and Hawaii. I WILL take my wife on a trip to London and Paris.

Nairobi, Kenya

As of you already know we are moving to Hawaii next year! I also want to take my family to Kenya and meet my entire family. I want my kids to see how other children live and how blessed they are, I want the whole family to see how blessed we are. We are planning the trip late next year, so please pray for us.

My wife has been absolutely amazing as I’ve chased my dreams and had an insane schedule. I want some US time and I want it to be amazing. I want her to have a once in a lifetime experience and I’m sure Paris and London will help

Business: I WILL create at least two killer products that truly help people.  

My goal with all of what I do is to help people. I want to take all of the questions I get and create two products that will help people accomplish all of their goals and dreams. I have a few ideas in mind but if there is something that you would like help with, please let me know in the comments.

I don’t just want to throw something out there just to say I did, I want to put my heart and soul into something amazing and useful. This will of course be for sale  and help me grow my dream that supports my family Stay tuned…

Determine what works for you and take action!

You know what would be a dream come true? Seeing posts everywhere of people announcing their goals and see them take action on their goals.

You have to do what works best for you but I strongly encourage you to take this last week of this year and figure out what you want from next year. Take some time to figure out what your dreams are and a game plan to make them a reality. Be specific about your goals otherwise you won’t really have any measuring stick.

Be realistic and don’t try to do too many things at one time, focus. Bed BOLD and make your goals public to keep yourself accountable. Last but not least, take action. Theories, dreams and hopes are great but they’re absolutely nothing without taking action.

So I have to ask: What are some of your goals for 2013?

If you need help with planning or taking action, I’m here to help. Don’t hesitate to reach out (I won’t charge you a cent). If you do write a post about your goals for 2013, please share the good news with me here