Winning with Goals - The Power of Intention

January is the month of the time worn goal-setting ritual. It is just assumed that setting goals will somehow motivate breakthrough achievement. Have you noticed that just stating a goal works about as well as New Year's Resolutions? For some people, goals can be counter-productive, triggering an anti-goal reaction.

The Anti-goal Reaction
Gene, owner of a financial services company, likes the goal setting model. He says "If we hadn't set goals, we wouldn't have achieved even 50% of what we set out to accomplish." But he wonders, "Why didn't we do better?" Adrian, another business owner, views goals differently. "I achieved 80% of my goals last year. I'm sure I would have accomplished even more if I had just set the goal higher." Bob is defeated by his 40% rate of achievement, concerned about setting more goals because 40% is never acceptable. Be honest: haven't you had some version of this type of negative self-talk at one time or another?

Winning with Goals - the Power of Intention
The magical missing piece is the power of intention. Having your intention clear is the key to achieving the success you really want. Your intention is the goal of the goal or core benefits received from accomplishing the goal. When your intention is clearly defined, achieving your goals is much more fun and the journey definitely more satisfying. Your intentions guide you as to what action to take and when with more ease and grace.

Engaging the Power of Intention
Pick one money goal you've set for this year. Imagine you already achieved that goal? It can be something you have no idea of "how to" accomplish right now. What would you do with the money? What richly deserved core value or need would you be fulfilling by having the thing described above? Examples: security, safety, acceptance, comfort, stability, love, belonging, etc.

Here's how one person clarified their intention
Susan said, "When I achieve my $350,000 income goal, I am buying my dream house. Having my dream home means I will be safe, secure and comfortable, at peace within myself, finally settled into my place." For Susan owning a home represents her core value of safety, security, peace and comfort. The intention is;

"Be safe, secure and comfortable!"

Life is Easier without Fear

One of my favorite things is taking my dog Spenser to our local park. Spenser-time is my time out and a chance for connection with the natural beauty that surrounds us.



Sundays give me extra time at the park! This past weekend, while Spenser doggie did his usual alert observation of everything and anything, I noticed two parents teaching their young daughter to ride a bike on the grassy area. I’m not great guessing ages these days because everyone seems younger than me, but she may have been around 5 years old. Both parents took turns running along the side of her bike letting go and shouting encouragement while she rode some ways on her own on the grass. Mom stayed closer, as Moms will do. Dad measured how far she had ridden, providing proof that she could do it.

I watched quite awhile wondering why they were teaching her on the grassy area since it’s more difficult to ride on grass than pavement. As they got closer, I heard the Mom saying “put your frustrations aside and get back on the bike.” That simple wisdom applies to all of us. But I wondered why make it harder to learn to ride while also keeping a bike steady on grass.

As they drew near, I asked the mom, “Isn’t it easier to teach her to ride on pavement rather than grass?”

"Yes," she answered, “but she is afraid of falling.”

Fear of falling, fear of making a mistake, was making it more difficult to learn ride smoothly and evenly.

Life is much easier without fear, even when 5 years old.

Look for more Wallet Wisdom as we launch our Wallet Wisdom e-book in the coming weeks.

Money is the engine that drives your vision ship

My passion is for you to have a prosperous, peaceful, richly fulfilled life. The simple truth is, you can do more good in the world with more money! That is just the way it is. The world is a better place when you are prosperous - not in greedy or selfishness way, but with integrity for yourself and others.

Money is generated through your creative, focused actions coupled with a solid belief in yourself and a mission to do good for yourself and your family and those you touch.

You cannot grow your business without growing yourself. What this means is your internal beliefs, sometimes those so deeply buried, affect your success in ways you cannot even imagine. I integrate my approach to growing your business revenues because generating significant dollars is not just about money alone; it is about being of service to greater numbers of people, of being a force for good in the world. It is in nobody's best interest for you to struggle.

Learn how to ask for and receive money with integrity at NO cost to you. All you have to do is show up with an open mind, ready to change the way you think about money..

I will be facilitating an Executive Briefing on how to ask for money with integrity, clarity and self-confidence, without discounting.

Just check out www.wealthyu.com/programs/unch_learn.php to register.

Bring your lunch and a business associate that you care about.

Learning to Trust Yourself Will Tame Charlie-Down-The-Block

Have you every known a Charlie? Charlie is representative of people who live in a world where they know the right way and all the others are wrong. He or she says things like, "You are doing the wrong thing," "That will never work!" or "Who do you think you are, anyhow!" Charlie may be a relative or well-meaning friend who, without intending harm, squashes a good idea or business decision no matter the facts or how logical it seems.

Where money is involved, what to do with it and how to use it, Charlie's expertise grows proportional to your lack of self-trust. Charlie remembers every money mistake you've ever made; buying something you regret, losing money on an investment or loaning money to a friend who never paid it back, the list goes on. These mistakes give Charlie plenty of ammunition even if he doesn't know a thing about your life.

Symptoms of too much Charlie include second-guessing yourself and/or stopping or hesitating to move forward even if it makes sense to you. Tips for taming Charlie include:

• Listen politely, remembering it's just one person's opinion.
• Sort out fact from fiction.
• Check in with your negative money beliefs making sure Charlie is just not just saying out loud what your internal negative Charlie is telling you.
• Hold tight to precious new ideas and plans like they were a newborn baby.

Charlie(s) hides out everywhere, so it makes sense to admit to yourself that sometimes Charlie lives within you.

Did you hear what I heard? Ted, you were never a victim

I rarely if ever comment on news stories, but this one touched me. You have probably heard about Ted Williams, a homeless man who always believed he has a God-given gift. If you haven’t seen the story or heard the interviews, be sure to find it and listen. Here's a place to start.

We all see people carrying signs begging for money at the side of the road. Where I live, you see these nameless people in shopping centers almost any day. Ted was different because he put his belief in his gift at the top of his sign. He was never the victim to circumstances. This overnight sensation spent many years believing in himself (when nobody else did) and his higher power. When finally asked, he told the truth in all its nasty glory. He has been to hell and back again, but never became a victim.

His joy and excitement at the blessing of clean clothes, a place to live, food and offers of productive work was all over his smiling face. It did my heart good to see him cleaned up and what a different a day makes.

Then there was the reunion with his mom. He was like a little boy running to embrace his mommy. The first words out of her mouth were not about her joy in seeing him, but about her need to not be disappointed. I understand she is a woman of another generation. But on national TV, Mom says how ashamed and disappointed she had been, but not a word about her son's courage and determination. Her reaction on seeing his sign was shame and embarrassment. Well, Mom, your son was never a victim. He stood tall and proud and only asking for a second chance. How very sad that there is no joy in prayers answered. The interviewer hardly knew what to make of it so she chimed in worrying about him.

Ted, your story is heartwarming and inspirational! You were never a victim complaining about your lot in life. You took 100% responsibility and I admire you. That’s the way I heard it.