6. Develop a network of people to help you achieve your goals (and you can help them achieve their goals at same time). First, you must be aware of them. It's a "win-win" situation. Be enthusiastic at all times, because enthusiasm is catching.

7. Take ACTION, that first step...then next will follow naturally ...and far more easily. Nothing can stop you now. "Roll up sleeves" and get down to work. I believe first prerequisite for success is loving what you do. I love writing, although it's very lonely (and probably world's most solitary occupation). Always remember, life is not a 100 metres sprint - it's a marathon. So rest when you feel you need to and don't feel guilty about it (something I have to learn!). Have fun along journey. Perservere and persist in your quest.

Take responsibility for your own abundance and your learning throughout 'game of life'. Appreciate your abundance daily and give thanks to Universe for what you do have.

Have faith in yourself - believe deeply in yourself, but even more deeply in a Power far Greater than yourself... who loves you and wants what's best for you. The spiritual journey may take far longer than you thought, so be patient.

NB:

Always remember,

The measure of success is not money, but learning and growth.

Measure success in learning and growth - nothing else is important. Work is a place each of us creates in order to grow. It is laboratory for experimenting with our potential

10. When working for yourself, this is a time of unprecedented change in your life. Work allows you to put into place skills and knowledge acquired through education. It is a time to experiment with our potential and various demands made upon us. Initially we learn to work in teams, working towards a common objective. Then gradually in our working careers we learn to take on more and more responsibility.

Believe you deserve to be abundant - though not more than others. It's a matter of finding a balance between your ambitions and your responsibilities. Be accountable and socially responsible.

You can't force people to change. Listen to your intuition, truth and love. That is "voice" of Higher Power, God speaking to you.

Wherever you are, what better time to start than NOW!

Craig Lock

* Craig Lock is author of numerous books and articles on money management and life assurance, as well as how to make most of your life. He lives in beautiful and tranquil New Zealand), where he has thetime, space and peace of mind to think about life and write.

GOAL DESIGN

1. ITEMISE - list possible goals - don't analyse at this stage

2. CATEGORISE - personal/family/work (use headings from Wheel of Life).

3. PRIORITISE - relate to what you value and rank.

4. CRYSTALLISE - make specific and clear, use KISS principle ("keep it simple, stupid"). Oops, sorry my dear reader!

Remember that goals are dreams which come true. Most people give up on their dreams too soon or, like me in past, don't aim high enough and achieve them too easily and quickly. Except in writing!

N.B: The essence of goal setting is:

COMMITMENT

DISCIPLINE

DETERMINATION I really believe that. This entire planning process might take a few days.

GOALS

1. If it's not in writing, it is not a goal. It is a New Year resolution. 2. If it's not specific, it's not a goal. 3. 'Goals must be believable, inspirational and expandable'. 4. An effective goal is an exciting challenge. 5. Goals must be adjusted to new information. 6. Dynamic goals guide our choices. 7. Don't set short-term goals for longer than ninety days. 8. Maintain a balance between long-term and short-term goals. 9. Include your loved ones in your goals. 10. Set goals in all areas of your life. 11. Your goals must harmonise with your life. 12. Review your goals regularly. 13. Set vivid goals. 14. Don't chisel your goals in granite/set in concrete. 15. Reach out into future. 16. Have a set of goals for every day, and review results every night. 17. Train yourself to crave your goals. 18. Set activity goals, not production goals (salespeople). 19. Understand luck, and make it work for you. 20. START NOW!

If you don't break your yearly objectives down into first quarterly and then monthly/weekly/daily activity targets, you cannot keep on track. Marathon runners keep going not by focusing on whole course, but on next drink station, bottom of hill, and when pain comes, next lamp post.

The plans we make to achieve our dreams are blueprints for success. A written plan focuses mind on goals. Intermediate steps move one step by step closer to success.

You should regularly review whether you are on track (e.g.. monthly, quarterly, yearly). Goal setting must be an ongoing process. Goals that are no longer meaningful must be replaced by ones that are.

" A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." - Mao Tse Tung I really like that one. No wonder I repeat it so often (the first signs of impending senility, perhaps???).

Mark Spitz, American swimmer, won nothing at Mexico Olympics in 1968. Bitterly disappointed, he dreamt of winning 7 goal medals at next Olympics in Munich in 1972 and set a target of times he would achieve in each event. He won those seven medals with times within 100th of a second of what he had said he would do. He developed his plan and a rigorous training regime. His goal became an obsession which overcame everything else... yet he achieved greatness.

Thomas Edison tried 2000 times to invent a light bulb. He didn't see it as 2000 failures, but rather as a process to be gone through. He didn't take it personally, but saw his efforts as 2000 ways that did not work. Every time an idea didn't work, it got Edison a step closer to his ultimate goal - SUCCESS. That is what kept him going. In a word, PERSISTENCE.

Even countries have set goals. After being defeated n World War II, Germany was totally devastated. However, Germany is now one of economic giants of Europe. Another defeated nation, Japan, which only had .3% of world's land and 3% of population now has 10% of global trade. The nation's leaders set goals for these countries after war, which seemed impossible at time, but were achieved.

The motto: Forget mistakes of past and press on to greater achievements of future. Remember that setting a new goal is first step towards a positive plan of action; because without a goal you have no target, nothing to aim for.

"Challenges are a chance to boost motivation, seize them like gold dust."

SUMMARY

There is nothing more exciting and inspirational than new goals. Our attitude to ourselves determines our ability to set and achieve goals. Whatever your self- image, you project it to other people and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

With positive attitudes (subject of following chapter) and a good self image, your enthusiasm for challenges will be heightened, as well as for life in general. This results in greater job satisfaction, as well as living an emotionally healthy life filled with meaning and purpose. Remember, negative attitudes in other people can easily block your goals. I don't expect people to understand what I'm trying to achieve in my personal goals, but I'm getting there. They are MINE alone and I believe are right for ME! Raise your sights high and dare to be different. In our society we are conditioned to follow leader. N.B: Follow your own heart in setting your goals.

If you've set goals, but have had difficulty with your goals in last 3 months, it may be because of following: 1. Your goals were not realistic. 2. Your goals were not clear and specific. 3. Your goals were not written in present tense. E.g.. 'I have now cleared all my short term debts and I have saved X$ (or pounds')...'I now weigh my ideal body weight of...' Well done "Jumbo"! 4. You weren't really committed to your goals and/or they were not appropriate for you.

A final few words of wisdom (even if I say so myself) to end off this chapter...

WE GET WHAT WE EXPECT

DON'T ALLOW THE FUTURE TO ACT ON YOU

ACT ON THE FUTURE

"There are those people who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who don't even know it happened."

WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT TO BE?

Craig Lock

P.S: WITH FAITH AND PERSISTENCE, YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING YOU SET OUT TO DO.

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." - Johan Wolfgang Von Goethe (German philosopher)