A New Year with The Three P's

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I don't believe in resolutions. They're a great idea, but that's all they are without The Three P's: Plan, Prepare and Persevere. Every new year we sit down with our family and talk about goals. We look back to last year's and talk about new things we can aim for that will help us grow and become better. Goal making is one thing that highly successful people do. It isn't just for business, though, goals help us improve ourselves as we learn more and give up bad habits.

"You are never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream." --C.S. Lewis

Plan

Planning is all about brainstorming and list making. While it's fun, faster and easier to do this in our head, writing things down make them more concrete. They etch themselves a little harder in the brain. When my husband and I help our family set goals, the first thing we do is write them down. We think about ways we can accomplish our ideas. Discussion, research and a little soul searching help us narrow down what's most important that we need to focus on. 

 "A goal properly set is halfway reached."--Zig Ziglar

Prepare

A goal, like a resolution, can't be met without dealing with the details. Once a goal is chosen, the next step is to write it down and then decide on the two to three or more steps it's going to take to reach it. You may find there are things to do, people to contact or supplies to collect. Each step to reaching your goal should have a deadline. Keep in mind, that if you miss your deadline, you extend it, and you keep on working until the goal is met. This brings us to the third P:

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal-a commitment to excellence-that will enable you to attain the success you seek."--Mario Andretti

Persevere

Endurance is the name of the game when you set a goal. There must be an inner desire and personal commitment to take each step and reach for the next. This principle of line by line or precept upon precept will help you make progress. A posted goal sheet with your steps and deadlines is a great way to keep you motivated. A desk calendar or a journal works great, too. Some people like to give themselves a prize when they reach a goal. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as it doesn't diminish the joy and satisfaction you feel when you reach success. 

It's a new year, so think about the spiritual, physical, educational and fun things you would like to

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

strive for the next twelve months. Jot down your goals and put them in an envelope for New Year's Eve 2015, so you can review the old year's hopes and dreams when it ends. Finally, sit down and make a serious commitment on paper to change and to blossom!

Stay balanced,

~Danielle Thorne

Example Goal Sheet

Goal 1:

Goal Deadline: 

Step 1:_______________________

What do I need to do to prepare?

How will I accomplish it?

Step 1 Deadline:

Step 2:_______________________

What do I need to do to prepare?

How will I accomplish it?

Step 2 Deadline:

Step 3:_______________________

What do I need to do to prepare?

How will I accomplish it?

Step 3 Deadline:

Etc.