This post is part of an ongoing experiment series centered around success and getting life back on track. (specifically mine, but these steps will work for yours too).
Today I’m giving you the second step in the process and some details of the goals already listed.
Remember this is an experiment, and at all costs it should be fun if it isn’t an enjoyable experience then there is less likelihood that you will actually follow through on the process… Did you notice that yesterday when I posted my goals that they all have an upbeat feeling to them? This helps me in part with goal number 4 (meditation and a positive mental attitude).
Step 2. – Make yourself accountable to your goals so that they are not just willy-nilly dreams (set specific time frames and tell people about your goals).
Notice that I have already accomplished this in part, just by blogging about it (everyone now knows what my goals for the year are). I do need to enforce some stricter times (other then just within the year) to these goals to help make them a reality, after all someday doesn’t ever come along its always right now.
Goal 1 is an ongoing process, I think I’m a great Dad, and more importantly my kids think so, but there has been a lot of turmoil in their lives, specifically in the last few years. So I need to ensure that I come up with fun and creative ways to grow our relationships stronger then ever before. (we will re-visit this one).
Goal 2 is a breeze providing that I can remember that life is far to short to take seriously all of the time and loosen up. (again, an ongoing process that we will re-visit).
Goal 3 is something that I can make firmer. I need to stop smoking (this would be congruent with better health), and even though I have some stressful days in the very near future, I do want to stop, so from today forward I will smoke at least one cigarette less each day (I currently smoke about a pack (25) a day). That will have me down to zero smokes before the end of this month. (hows that for a timeline?) I already know that nicotine addiction is so retarded that I never even really experience a physical withdrawal its a 99% mental addiction (the physical withdrawal isn’t strong enough to wake me up in the middle of the night), I also know that my main trigger is coffee (with lots of cream and sugar), so I will switch back to tea which I drink black and that too helps to achieve this goal.
Goal 4 I placed into my daily routine by waking up 30 min earlier starting yesterday, I spent the first 30 minutes of my day in quiet meditation, I typically have done this off and on several times a week for years and I uses a relaxation technique at night (and have for years), I started adding in a chakra centering meditation about a year ago and I’m enjoying the calmness and clarity that it has brought (i’ll document the details in a future post).
Goal 5 I need to get a move on, I think that I will follow the lunar months for this one, that will give me 13 songs in a year, were coming up to the first quarter of the moon cycle (so from full to full were a little over half way). I’ll start with finishing “I Could Have Lied” by my favorite band (The Red Hot Chili Peppers).
Goal 6 will be an ongoing goal. I went back to teaching last year (after years out of the teaching loop and my head in the IT industry) I have plenty of knowledge in all of the classes I’m teaching, and most of my students love me, but proficiency is more then just understanding and knowledge. Its the ability to apply it.
Goal 7 is hopefully being met by the posting i’m doing here, and the teaching i’m doing (one of the reasons I love teaching) but I will find other things that inspire I’m sure as the year progresses. (will re-visit).
Goal 8 will take some planning, I will spend a minimum of 68 seconds of focus on a synergistic mind mastering group and see what the universe shows me in the way of direction (this is where the documenting of such things gets exciting). (will re-visit)
Goal 9 ongoing and on track, still longer then I would like to have, but the start of something new usually has that over abundant eagerness too it, I’m sure that the post will start getting smaller at some point (I have taken the liberty of scheduling a few of these so that they roll out on time, even if I sit down and brain fart two or three out at once) 
Goal 10 has been kicking around for about 10 years in my head, its time to get it out on paper and see what opportunities exist to get legs under it.
Goal 11 shouldn’t bee too hard and will be enjoyable. Who doesn’t like to laugh?
Goal 12 is a problematic entry. I have always made good money (well anytime I have applied myself to it) my personal challenge here isn’t just to make the money… its to get my spending under control so that through I can go buy a house. And of coarse meet goal 13 … I think that were underway with these (will re-visit).
Goal 14 (because who said I can’t add to my list) I want to successfully implement the GTD methodologies in every aspect of my life. I have been listening to David Allen for about a year and have only scratched the surface as far as actually implementing his insanely awesome system for keeping a clear head and getting things done. I want to make this an additional goal for the year and track the progress here as well…I’ve already done my clean sweep, and processed a whole bunch of things, but I want to get into the weekly review habit (I’ll use 2 hours every sunday for this). I can’t encourage everyone enough to take a good open minded look at this material and see how you can fit it into your own life.
Thats enough for today… I hope that your playing along and have setup some goals for yourself … the new year is coming quick. ; -)
