Do you immediately tell yourself what you do well? Do you remember all good that you do? Terrific! Many folks have a tendency to first notice places they have failed or are not doing enough. They think about what they have not done rather than what they have accomplished. They see their personal cups half-empty, rather than half-full.

How about you? If your first thoughts are positive, you have self-confidence. Want some more? There's a secret! Keep your promises to yourself. Yes, when you say that you will spend an hour alone, do it! When you decide on a food program, follow it! When you determine best exercise for you, do it!

Recently I spoke with a woman who told me how well she felt after three weeks of paying attention to her health. She was thoughtful about her food choices, slept well and made time for her exercise of choice. She said that it made her feel good about herself. Of course it did!

It would be very surprising to find an adult in work force who has not heard about goal setting. A Harvard study of their graduates over thirty years found that there were only a small percentage (3%) of them who actually wrote down their goals--and these were most successful! You can be certain that every one of those students had repeatedly heard value of goal setting. Yet only 3% actually wrote down their goals consistently. Imagine what you can do if you both write down your goals and, then, focus on them every day, every week, until they are accomplished!

What is it causes "New Year's Resolution Syndrome"? You probably know one. People make resolutions, work hard at them for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then forget them. Next year, they make same New Year's Resolutions. That is syndrome. It is self-defeating and self-sabotaging. So, why do so many people do it?

They may be making goals that are too global, too extensive, too unrealistic for time frame, body type or current finances. That is not to say that they are not worthy goals. They need to be broken apart into smaller, more specific, attainable pieces. The elephant analogy is still best one I know of to illustrate good goal setting. You probably know it. "How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time." So it is with goals. Make spoon size goals and accomplish them. One you've mastered those, get a bigger spoon!