Every year between Christmas and New Years I take my old day timer and transfer all my current information to my new day timer. I review my goals from the previous year and how much I have accomplished towards those goals. I then set my new goals for the coming year. I always have two sets of goals . The first are my short term goals and the second my long term goals. These goals include my personal goals and goals for each business we operate. I write these goals in the back of my day timer for easy reference through out the coming year. I have found this process to be one of the most important things I have done over my life time in order to maintain my focus and keep some degree of balance in my life.

With a New Year upon us I thought it would be a good time to write about goal setting as we all prepare for the coming year. I believe as individuals we all should have 3 types of goals and each type of goal have two sets short term and long term. These types of goals for me include my career or business goals. My personal or individual goals and last but not least my spiritual goals. The first two are easily recognized by us all and common to us all. The third I separate by choice but many would include in the personal category or an atheist may not include it at all. Some one who is deeply religious may want to call them religious goals. You can see how unique your goals are to you and your life. Interestingly enough money takes a very low priority in my goal setting exercise even though generating enough cash flow to survive is our greatest challenge.

Many people ask me how I manage to keep organized and deal with the challenge of operating multiple enterprises. Trying to focus on multiple problems at once is not easy but part of the secret is setting your goals at the first of the year and writing them down. Committing your goals to writing is part of creating the belief in your mind that the goals are attainable or with-in reach. You see until you commit your goals to writing they are just thoughts in your mind and easily dispersed by the next crisis that comes around the corner. Once you commit your goals to writing they become real. There for you to read every day. By reading them through the year you stay focused and your mind will almost unconsciously keep you on track towards those goals. Napoleon Hill claimed the supreme secret to success is “WHAT THE HUMAN MIND CAN BELIEVE THE HUMAN MIND CAN ACHIEVE” . By reading your goals on a regular basis your mind starts to believe those goals are achievable . By committing your goals to writing you are taking the first step in putting the supreme secret to work in your life. Think about it ! How can you work towards your goals if with-in a few months you can’t remember exactly what they were ?

Speaking of memory I have to say I would never stay on track if I depended on my memory. I believe you need a system to stay organized and on track through out the year. Think of your mind as a computer. As a computer’s hard drive fills up the computer slows down and becomes less efficient. The same thing happens to your mind. If someone were to ask me what is the most important tool in my business arsenal I would have to say it’s my note book. I write everything in my note book. I date and file my note books so I can always refer back to them and each evening or morning transfer important notes, phone numbers and appointments to my day timer. Once I make an entry in my note book I no longer have to try and remember it. My system keeps my mind clear to focus on what I’m doing at any given point in time. Some may use electronic devices and I have a blackberry but I would be lost with out my note book and the simple act of writing things down.

In closing I hope this article will help you in setting your goals and starting you off in 2010 and help in making 2010 your best year ever. I want to thank all of my customers for their support in 2009 and wish them all the best for 2010. In regards to your spiritual goals here is a comment I read “ Religion can be defined as a man in church thinking about going fishing. Spirituality can be defined as a man fishing thinking about God.” Those of us who love to fish can relate to that . One of my personal goals for 2010 is to work less and fish more. One of my spiritual goals is for God to let that be a possibility.

Have a happy and prosperous 2010.

Larry Matthews