Take a rainy afternoon or a quiet early morning and spend an hour or so looking at the following ten planning areas for achieving your really big dreams.... your lifetime to-do list!

1. List your Top Ten Dreams...your Top Ten "Lifetime To Do List."

List your top ten lifetime goals...ten really important things you dream about doing or accomplishing before your life ends. Do you want to climb Mt. Everest? Write a book? Sail around the world? Be elected to Congress? Don't hold back... go for your wildest dreams...your highest aspirations. Don't critique them or ask yourself "how?" When you finish the top ten, rank them in order of priority and get ready to get started on Number One.

2. List Ten Short Term (30 day) Goals That Will Be Steps Toward List how to fulfill your Number One Lifetime Goal...in very incremental, easily doable steps.

For instance, dreaming of writing a book? Commit to a goal of putting an outline for the plot on paper in the next 30 days. Buy a book on how to get published. Set up a writer's haven. Tell ten people you are writing a book. Want to take a cruise around the world? Make a short term goal of sending away for cruise brochures. Open a cruise account with $25.00, $50.00 or more. Commit 10% of your earnings toward your dream. Celebrate your successes and repeat this step every 30 days.

3. List ten barriers that could be holding you back from reaching your lifetime goals.

Money? Time? Education? Parental Responsibilities? The ol' demon Procrastination? Look for ways to overcome or compensate for these barriers. Pick the number one barrier and then list ten things you can do to overcome or minimize this barrier.

4. List the top ten excuses you use for not achieving your short term goals.

Ban the use of excuses. Post a "NO EXCUSES" sign. Fine yourself $1.00 each time you even think one of your excuses. Add the $1.00 to your "Dream Kitty." Work on eliminating excuses one by one. Awareness helps.

5. List ten healthy daily habits that will keep you healthy and reduce stress as you work toward your goals.

6. List ten personal attributes that will help you achieve your short term and lifetime goals.

Attributes like perseverance, courage, creativity. We often undervalue our own resources. Post this list as a reminder of your best qualities next to your "No Excuses!" sign.

7. List your top ten accomplishments in life.

We also often overlook or downplay what we have already accomplished in our personal and professional life. Looking at your accomplishments in black and white reinforces your confidence and self-esteem.

8. List ten people who will support you in achieving your goals.

These ten people should be people who will unconditionally support, encourage, and celebrate you as you move toward your dream. They are your Circle of Ten....Your Fan Club.... Your Cheerleaders.

9. List ten specific ways your Circle of Ten can support you in achieving your goals.

Share your goals, both short term and lifetime, with them. Share your requests with them and ask for their ideas.

10. List ten specific rewards you will give yourself to celebrate the milestones (however small) as you move toward achieving your short term and lifetime goals.

Never underestimate the value of rewards. They nourish the soul and keep us motivated.

Copyright 1997, 98, 99, 2000 Coach U

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