An excerpt from The Power of Discipline
by Brian Tracy
Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals, and then to work toward them every day, will do more to guarantee your success than any other single factor.
It seems that only 3% of adults have written goals and plans, and they earn more than the other 97% put together.
Why is this? The simplest answer is that, if you have a clear goal and a plan to achieve it, your focus is fixed on a set course of action. Instead of becoming sidetracked by distractions and diversions, your time is focused on a straight line from start to finish. This is why people with goals accomplish so much more than people without them.
The tragedy is that everyone thinks they already have goals. But what they really have are hopes and wishes.
A wish has been defined as a “goal with no energy behind it.” Hope is not a strategy.
Goals that are not written down and developed into plans are like bullets without powder in the cartridge. People with unwritten goals go through life shooting blanks. Because they think they already have goals, they never engage in the hard, disciplined effort of goal setting, the master skill of success.
USA Today reported on a study a couple of years ago. First, researchers selected people who made New Year’s resolutions. Then they divided these people into two categories: those who made New Year’s resolutions and wrote them down, and those who made New Year’s resolutions, but neglected to write them down.
Twelve months later, they followed up on the respondents in this study. What they found was astonishing! Of the people who made New Year’s resolutions but neglected to write them down, only 4% actually followed through on their resolutions.
However, among the group that took a few minutes to record their New Year’s resolutions, 44% followed through on them. This difference of more than 1100% proves the simple act of crystallizing resolutions or goals on paper increases likelihood of success.
In my experience (Brian Tracey) of working with several million people over the past twenty-five years, the disciplined act of setting goals, making plans for their accomplishments, and then working on them daily, increases the likelihood of achieving your goals by ten times, or 1000%.
This does not mean that goal setting guarantees success, only that it increases the probabilities of success by ten times. These are very good odds to have working in your favor.
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As you ponder your goals and objectives for 2019, keep in mind a “category” for health. When we think about goals, we may often set multiple categories to envision our future achievements such as financial, relationships, career, etc. However, keep in mind that none of these things mean anything without your health. What do you want to achieve with regards to your health for 2019? What changes will you make? Nutrition? Exercise? Overcoming a health challenge? Or simply making sure you are in optimum health in order to support and achieve your other goals? Do you want to be healthy OR just not be sick? (proactive vs reactive) How are you going to achieve this and what methods will you use to help improve and maintain your health? I would encourage everyone to remember that “things in your life work better when you’re in proper alignment” and “it’s easier to keep you well than to get you well”. So, consider alignment, good posture and prevention as part of your list.
What ever and how ever you decide to think about your health, remember, at Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy in Yaletown, we are always here to assist you in the best way that you decide. We always welcome your questions and we are here to assist you to achieve your health goals. As we start this new year, I would challenge you to examine your health habits, and shift your energy towards making proactive, preventative health decisions – write them down and review them periodically. Make this year the one where YOU took charge as opposed to reacting to a crisis!
Best wishes in 2019,
Dr. G
