As I mentioned in Part One in controlling our thoughts and attitudes, visualisation is a great help in setting your personal goals. Use it as a tool, be persistent, like a yappy dog biting at your ankles and you'll get there in
end. (That's a simile, BTW).American John Kehoe has written extensively on this subject in various works. He is one who hibernated in woods of Canada or Alaska for five years contemplating mind and talking to trees, like Bonnie Prince Charlie talking to plants! I should have been a lumberjack instead of a writer; but then I can't imagine myself floating down a swollen river and balancing on a log!
I too am writing in virtual hibernation. Perhaps it's good for writing by forcing one to focus. Anyway, creative juices seem to flow well here in Gisborne, New Zealand. (Incidentally, country has produced some great Kiwi writers).
Some more on VISUALISATION...
Work out what your goal is. What you want to become? What sort of person do you want to be? Picture what changes you want to make in yourself and in your life...for better, of course.
Set stepping stones (or sub-goals) as sign posts along way. To guide you and ensure that you stay on track. They can be your short-term or medium term goals, say one month to one year. The marathon runner doesn't think of finish line , but, lamp post in distance...or next drink spot. Thinking of big picture often seems impossible, so it can be very discouraging. Take small steps... and one at a time. You can get get loads of satisfaction from taking one step at a time. Attaining sub goals can help you with a more immediate focus and it rewards you along way in your pursuit of grand plan. Make daily affirmations to yourself to keep yourself positive and focussed on way ahead. (Remember, affirmations and self talk from Chapter Five). Have written goal checks to ensure that you are on track - on right path. These are a good aid in reassessing your performance and how well you are doing on your chosen path. I've gone so far down my track, if it's wrong one it's a bit late to turn back. I'll just visit soup kitchens! "What a stuff up"! Seriously (for a change) though, it's never too late to change direction; look at South Africa and apartheid, fall of Communism, Yugoslavia, Israel and Palestine... Set priorities. It is important to have flexible goals; they are not set in concrete and can be changed as you change and develop. Remember changing goals in mid stream doesn't mean losing ground (or "the plot"). As long as you grow personally, you are making most of yourself.
SUMMARY:
1. Set big goals
2. Make long range goals
3. Make short term and daily goals
4. Goals should be specific
5. Goals should be realistic
6. Luck is not involved in achieving goals
7. Don't make goals to please someone else - they are for you alone.
It's your life and no one else can live it for you. Listen to your parent's advice; but young adults, you make decision about career you want. Not knowing what I wanted to do after finishing school (and then university), I followed my father into insurance, not thinking that I would have to spend half my working/waking life in that occupation, "dumbo"!
