I firmly believe that everyone wants to live his or her best life. The question is what does “best” mean and how do you do it. Oprah talks about living your best life all the time but what’s the first step in the process?

It’s important to realize there is a process and setting goals is just one part of this process. Meaning, if you set the “perfect” goal but then have a negative mindset or get derailed at the first small obstacle, achieving your goal will be tricky. It’s not what we know but rather what we practice. We all need a toolkit or set of rituals. In my book, Living in Your Top 1%, I share nine rituals for success. This blog focuses on Ritual Four: Go For The Goal.

One note before we jump in:

• Don’t worry if your goal seems crazy to others, just get them out on paper and take a small step. The process of writing your goals is very empowering and helps to generate great ideas. Often, the crazy ideas are the ones that change the world.

HERE ARE 7 STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

1. Start with the Ideal Situation

This is your chance to dream. Imagine you have a blank slate, and you can be and do whatever you choose. No obstacles just pure potential. Start with this image of possibilities and then work backwards to see what’s doable right now. Don’t focus on the obstacles when you are getting started. Yes, I am encouraging you to leave the mortgage, kids, and other responsibilities alone for right now. Think about what the ideal vision is for you. Then figure out what you need to do to make it happen.

2. Write Down Your Goals

When you write down your goals, you start to see where you want to go and it’s easier to make decisions because you have a destination. Many people like to keep everything in their mind instead of put it down on paper. Well let me tell you a little secret about these folks, they are also the people who are more likely not to follow through on their goals. Clarity can emerge from writing your dreams on paper.

3. Determine Why the Goal is Important?

Be very clear why you are setting this goal. Is it because your family wants you to do something or does the goal matter to you? Please leave the “should” goals behind.

Is losing weight really important to you? Are you willing to make other sacrifices to make this goal a reality? Or does work really take priority over relationships? Often, we have to make difficult choices when setting goals. Yes, that’s part of the process as well. When goals are important to you, they will align with your values (ie, adventure, respect, honesty, connecting, humor etc).

The question is will you feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment when you achieve the goal? If not, it’s not the right goal. For example, you may have a great goal to be the market leader in your business. But if you really want to be connected to your daughter and coach her soccer team then achieving your business goal may or may not leave you feeling fulfilled. These are the questions you need to consider.  Yes, they are tough!

4. Craft Clear-Cut Goals That Add Meaning to Your Life
Many of us think vague goals are our friends but actually they just derail us in our mission. If you’re planning to get better at golf, be a better leader, or exercise more in the new year, you will need to be much more specific. Say your goal out loud and honestly ask yourself if it’s clear what you are trying to do. Once you have a clear goal, you need to double check that it’s something you really care about (rather than your family, friends, or partner).

Many goals appear specific but they are not. Examples of common vague goals:

1. Get in shape = does this mean lower your blood pressure, have consistent energy throughout the day, lose 15 pounds by your college reunion, or run your first 5k race?
2. Build my business = do you mean open a second store, be featured in Success Magazine, increase revenue by 20%, or get five new clients?
3. Spend more time with friends = do you mean have dinner once a week or schedule a four-day ski trip?

Things happen when you are specific. Vague goals = vague results!

5. Pursue a Goal that is a Tier One Priority

You probably have many things that are important in your life. Write down all of your goals above and then check the three goals that are most important to you (this keeps the process manageable). Your tier one goals are the ones that will make the biggest impact in your life. They are not necessarily the goals that help you make the most money or make you famous but rather the goals that add a deeper sense of fulfillment to your life. Tier One goals can be big or small. Perhaps you want to finish your degree, be debt-free, or change jobs by the end of this year. Whatever is meaningful to YOU is best to pursue.

6. Set a Target Date: This is a tough one but it needs to be done. Just saying that you are going to write a book or lose weight is not really saying anything. Does that mean you are going to write a book in the next five years or lose weight sometime in your lifetime. If you just started working at a new company, it’s probably not realistic to say that you will be promoted tomorrow but it might be reasonable to set a goal to be promoted within six months or the year. You will have to decide what’s possible given everything else going on in your life. Either way, it’s helpful to have a date that you are working toward. Please know, it’s OK to revise the target date as you move forward with your goal. The process is dynamic.

7. Take Small Steps
Slow and steady is a great strategy. Once you have a goal that speaks to you, break it down into small steps. If you want to start a business, perhaps the small step is registering a domain name or ordering business cards. Move away from extreme all or nothing strategies. Too many people think the goal setting process is over once you declare your goal — that’s when the fun starts. Train your mind to take one small step a day and you will make amazing progress. It’s a process; it’s not magic.

TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: One of the best ways to make a difference in your life and our society is to embrace the practice of clarifying your goals/intentions/vision. Goals serve as a road map or GPS to the next stop on your journey. And there will be many stops on your journey.You will find it most helpful to continue to fine-tune your process each year (think Kaizen = continuous improvement). Now is the time to Live in your Top 1%.

About Alissa

Alissa is a Business/Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and author of Living in Your Top 1% (also available on the Kindle and as an audio book). To learn more about coaching with Alissa or having her speak to your team or company, please visit her website. Join Alissa on Facebook and Twitter.

* This post was featured on Intent.com.

Happy New Year!

Here’s to a wonderful year filled with love, abundance and many more top 1% moments for all!

You’re motivated…

You’re excited…

You’re ready to have a great 2013!

Now what? How do you get there? What would a “great” year mean to you?

For those who are open to investing in themselves and doing the work, here’s an empowering and helpful exercise to get you started. This is when you want to think big rather than settle. If you settle when you dream, you will settle in your life. Have the courage to believe in yourself!

A few key things to know before you jump in:

- Any starting place is a good one (whether you had the best year or the most challenging one, just start)

- Leave the shoulds behind. Forget about what society and your friends think you should do with your life and pursue only what speaks to you on an authentic and heart based level

- It’s not a competition. You are striving for YOUR personal Top 1% (and this will mean something different to every mom, CEO, entrepreneur, professional athlete, and college student).

- Align your goals with your values to stay motivated. Your motivation will ebb and flow on your journey, that’s perfectly normal. You have the greatest chance of success when you connect your goals and values.

- Realize that “success” is a process. Oprah, Richard Branson, and Roger Federer didn’t start at the top, they worked very hard and built a team to be where they are today. Starbucks started with one store and now they have over 15,000 locations. Enjoy the process.

- And most importantly, leave the negative self-talk behind. Yes, we all have it, but your work is in minimizing the interference factor so you can let your potential walk through the door.

Give yourself 15 minutes to write out the questions below.

1. Define success? What will a successful year mean to you? Is it about connecting with people, inspiring people, making a certain amount of money, reading to your kids every night, changing jobs to do what you enjoy, or believing in yourself?

2.Write down three or more wins for 2012 that you felt good about accomplishing (ex: writing your first blog, taking a photography class and showing your work, launching a new product, completing a half-marathon, buying your first home)

3. Write down 3 core values (ex: respect, learning, honesty, adventure)

4. Write down three of your strengths (ex: positive outlook, determined, humor)

5. Write down three areas of your life/business that you would like to improve or focus on (ex, health, career, finances, relationships, fun/creativity, personal growth, marketing, business development)

6. Write down at least two goals in each area, be as specific as you can, when will you complete the goal, does it speak to your heart, why is it important?

7. Put a star next to the three goals that truly speak to your heart

8. Focus on one goal at a time and write down three small steps you can take today/this week to start the process rolling (perhaps it’s signing up for a class, calling someone to get more information, registering a domain name etc.)

9. Repeat the process for each area of your life/business with each goal

These are essential exercises to get your creative juices flowing and open to new possibilities. Please share your thoughts or one of your goals in the comments section. It’s empowering to share!

Here’s to a “top 1%” 2013. Wishing you all the best, Alissa

For those who want to dive in deeper with one to one coaching, email top1@alissafinerman.com.

About Alissa

Alissa is a Business/Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and author of Living in Your Top 1% (also available on the Kindle and as an audio book). To learn more about coaching with Alissa or having her speak to your team or company, please visit her website. Join Alissa on Facebook and Twitter.

This post was featured on Positively Positive.

Is it time to retire the daunting word of goal and substitute a more appealing word that resonates with you such as intention, aim, purpose, or desire?

I believe words are meant to inspire rather than drag us down. Ultimately, the responsibility falls on each one of us to bring positive energy into our life, family, team, and society. Therefore, if the word goal doesn’t motivate you, then change it. Your challenge is to design a “goal” that makes you feel alive, engaged, and inspired. As long as your goal means something special to you, it’s a good one.

A more approachable way to think about goals is to view them as a path that will increase the chances of a desired outcome. Setting a goal or purpose is an effective way to make sure you don’t leave any of your potential on the table. Even a small amount of progress can be the momentum you need to make a change. Chances are, you will be further along than if you did nothing.

Think about what you would love to accomplish this coming year that would bring you more joy and fulfillment?

- Do you want to complete your yoga certification?

- Would you like to carve out time to take photography classes?

- Or perhaps it’s time to finally change jobs and do something that you enjoy.

For some, the word goal is a turn-off because it carries too much pressure in the form of showing results and making yourself accountable. All too often we are judged by our results, when in reality, results are simply a reference point to see if we are creating the life and experiences that make us feel fulfilled. Personally, the word goal is a positive energy word for me because it represents moving toward something that is meaningful, fulfilling, and exciting. This wasn’t always the case when I worked in finance but it is now. I feel incredibly empowered when I move outside my comfort zone to achieve something. This feeling of accomplishment helps me think expansively about what else is possible and gives me hope. For example, writing your first blog may give you the confidence to write the first chapter of your book you’ve been talking about. Setting a meaningful goal/intention can take you from impossible to possible.

Too many people stir up drama when they think about setting a goal. Be honest, you plan vacations and use Google maps to get directions, don’t you? Setting goals or intentions are another way to think about making your vision a reality.

I’ve seen clients achieve incredible results when they go after a goal and put themselves on the line. One client set a breakthrough goal for her company, Anna Beck, to have their jewelry featured on Katie Couric’s new daytime show — it happened on her holiday giveaway show. And yes, sometimes you don’t achieve your complete goal or meet the target date and that’s ok. When I decided to write my first book, Living in YOUR Top 1%, I set a goal to publish it by January 2011. However, we had to make some necessary edits and move the date to February 2011. And you know what? I was disappointed but the project was still successful and has inspired thousands (and hopefully many more). Be flexible and do whatever you need to get in the game!

Top 1% Bottom Line: If the word goal doesn’t float your boat and inspire you to take action, then make a choice and change your words. The key is to turn your ideas into action however you can. Don’t get derailed because a simple word such as goal triggers you. Take charge and find an appealing substitute so you can take a step forward.

About Alissa

Alissa is a Business/Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, and author of Living in Your Top 1% (also available on the Kindle and as an audio book). To learn more about coaching with Alissa or having her speak to your team or company, please visit her website. Join Alissa on Facebook and Twitter.

The beginning of the year is both exciting (with all the amazing things you want to manifest in your life) and overwhelming because you have so many things you want to manifest and are not sure what to do first. So congrats on setting a goal. That’s a huge step and a big win. Now the question becomes how are you going to get from where you are to where you want to go?

Goals are a starting point and they help you step up to the plate and get in the game. The only way to stay in the game is by taking continuous small steps to make progress.

Here’s a simple process to get started AND keep moving forward (key word is simple):

1. Write down all your goals, just do a download.
In an ideal world what would you accomplish this year?
- Pursue goals that genuinely excite you rather than someone else
- Ask yourself why the goal is important
- Vague Goals = Vague Results. So be specific!

2. Prioritize the goals that need to get done first
Some goals you pursue to meet basic survival needs and others can be for pure enjoyment.
- Focus on goals that are both important and a priority to you (important is not enough, you need to narrow them down)

3. Identify your top tier goal and focus
The challenge is to identify the most important goal which becomes your Top Tier Goal. These are the goals that help you live in your top 1%! You can also refer to Ritual Four in my book which focuses solely on goal setting.
- The reason we get overwhelmed is because we focus on too many things at once. Choose one goal for starters. You can bring more goals into the mix once you are rolling.

4. Breakdown your top tier goal into small steps
Small steps help to build confidence by generating a series of “wins.”
- Write down all the small steps you can take to make progress on this goal.
For example, I have a client who wants to start his own advertising company. This is a big goal that can be overwhelming. But once you break it down and look at each of the areas of the company (financing, marketing, operations, sales etc), you can start taking small steps in each area.
- Take action on your small steps.

Small Steps = Big Results!

TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: Setting a goal is a major part of creating something but it’s only the beginning. Growth occurs in the gap between saying what you want to accomplish and making it happen.

***
About Alissa
Alissa is a Professional Life Coach, motivational speaker, and author of “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals”. She works with individuals and organizations to help them think bigger, redefine what’s possible, and get results. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more and to take the Living in Your Top 1% quiz, please visit Alissa’s website or her Facebook page.

Note: This blog is a re-post of a guest blog I did for Virgin.com.

“A man without a goal is like a ship without a rudder.”- Thomas Carlyle

In 1995, Andre Agassi became the No. 1 tennis player in the world. When reporters asked him how he felt, he told them: “I’m happy about the ranking, it feels good to be the best that I can be.” But in reality, it was a lie. That was what he expected to feel. What he really felt was empty and unsatisfied. How could this be?

In his book, Open, Agassi goes on to say that he needed a new goal: “The problem, all this time, is that I’ve had the wrong goals. I never really wanted to be number one, that was just something others wanted for me – I wanted to win the French Open.” He later shares that his most meaningful moments were using the prize money from winning tennis tournaments to fund his charter schools to help kids in need. That’s when his life changed (and when he met Steffi Graf).

What about you? Are you still pursuing goals that others want for you or goals you think you should do? Throughout my coaching work, I’ve seen the importance of goals. I’ve also realized that people who make more money, have fancier titles, or additional education do not necessarily set more meaningful or effective goals. So if you are an aspiring entrepreneur, teacher, writer, athlete, mom, artist, or business owner, you can use goals to go as far as you want and reach your greatest potential.

My goal is to help you simplify the process. Let’s get a few things out on the table:

1. No goals = Leaving your potential on the table
2. Vague goals = Leaving your potential on the table
3. Goals without action = Leaving your potential on the table

By the way, there is tons of research to suggest that setting and achieving goals leads to a happier and more fulfilling life. I won’t bore you with the details but you can reference the books, The How of Happiness, Creating Your Best Life, and my new book Living In Your Top 1%.

The bottom line: Goals + Choices + Commitment = Your Results

Here are five strategies to get you rolling:

1. Write Down Your Goals
You’re probably like so many people who like to keep everything in their mind instead of on paper. Let me tell you a little secret about these folks – they are the same people who rarely follow through on their goals.

When you write down your goals, you start to see where you want to go and it’s easier to make decisions because you have a destination. Consider taking 15 minutes to write down your goals in each part of your life (i.e. Career, Relationships, Healthy Living, Fun & Creativity, Finances, and Personal Growth).

2. Craft Clear-Cut Goals That Add Meaning to Your Life
Many of us think vague goals are our friends but actually they just derail us in our mission. If you’re planning to get better at golf, be a better leader, or stretch more in the new year, you will need to be much more specific.

Say your goal out loud and honestly ask yourself if it’s clear what you are trying to do. It’s also helpful to share your goal(s) with a trusted friend. Once you have a clear goal, you need to double check that it’s something you really care about.

Many goals are clear. The question is will you feel a sense of accomplishment and meaning when you achieve the goal? If not, it’s not the right goal. For example, you may have a very clear goal to be the market leader in your business. But if you really want to be connected to your daughter and coach her soccer team then achieving your business goal may or may not leave you feeling fulfilled.

Examples of vague to specific goals:

1. Get in shape = does this mean lower your blood pressure, have consistent energy throughout the day, lose 15 pounds by your college reunion, or run your first 5k race?
2. Build my business = do you mean open a second store, increase revenue by 20%, or hire five new employees?
3. Spend more time with friends = do you mean have dinner once a week or schedule a four-day ski trip?

3. Pursue a Goal that is a Tier One Priority
Your tier one goals are the ones that will make the biggest impact in your life. They are the most important goals. They are not necessarily the goals that help you make the most money or get you promoted but rather the goals that add a deeper sense of fulfillment to your life.

You probably have many things that are important in your life. Write down all of your goals above and then check the ones that are most important to you. Perhaps you want to finish your degree, get out of debt, or change jobs. Whatever is meaningful to you is what you need to pursue.

4. Take Small Steps
Once you have a great goal, break it down into small steps. Too many people think the goal setting process is over once you declare your goal–that’s when the fun starts.

Train your mind to take one small step a day and you will make amazing progress. It’s a process, not magic. We don’t have control over many things in life but you do have control over setting a great goal. Why give up this option for no reason? There’s no excuse to leave your potential on the table because you did not even try. Please don’t let this year pass you by, step up to the plate and see what you can do. Small steps = big results.

5. Set a Target Date
This is a tough one but it needs to be done. Just saying that you are going to write a book or lose weight is not really saying anything. Does that mean you are going to write a book in the next five years or lose weight sometime in your lifetime?

If you just started working at a new company, it’s probably not realistic to say that you will be promoted tomorrow but it might be reasonable to set a goal to be promoted within six months or a year. You will have to decide what’s doable given everything else going on in your life. Either way, it’s helpful to have a date that you are working toward.

TOP 1% SUMMARY: One of the best ways to take yourself to the next level is to embrace the practice of goal setting. If you’re going to put yourself on the line, you might as well use your time and efforts wisely. Having clear-cut goals that excite you and add meaning to your life is one of the best ways to excel in your passion of choice. Now is the time to move into your top 1%.

Alissa is a life coach, speaker, and author of “Living in Your Top 1%: Nine Essential Rituals to Achieve Your Ultimate Life Goals” available on Amazon.com. She works with individuals and organizations to help them think bigger, redefine what’s possible, and get results. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. To learn more, please visit www.AlissaFinerman.com or www.facebook.com/alissafinermantop1.

I write a lot about goals because I love the topic and many people need the help. My goal is to simplify the process so you can set clear-cut and meaningful goals and have an incredible year. Let’s get a few things out on the table:

1. No goals = Leaving your potential on the table
2. Vague goals = Leaving your potential on the table
3. Goals without action = Leaving your potential on the table

Do you see a trend developing? I hope so. Here’s the bottom line: how far you go this year will be determined by your goals. Yes, of course there are other factors but this short blog post will focus on one key variable called GOALS. By the way, there is tons of research to suggest that setting and achieving goals leads to a happier and more fulfilling life. I won’t bore you with the details but you can reference the books The How of Happiness, Creating Your Best Life, and my new book Living In Your Top 1% available mid-February 2011 on Amazon.

When I look on Facebook or meet with clients I am still seeing too many people say they are going to:

1. Eat less sugar (what does this mean?)
2. Exercise more (again unclear)
3. Build their business (ok how?)
4. Spend more time with friends (do you mean talk once a week, take a trip, need to know more)
5. Travel more (where, when)

To be fair, setting goals is not easy. It’s hard to know what’s important to you and it’s intimidating to put yourself on the line.

Although the best way to set goals is to have a strategy session with me, I will provide a few simple suggestions to get you rolling.

1. Write It Down
Spend 15 minutes writing down your goals in every part of your life (Career, Relationships, Healthy Living, Fun & Creativity, Finances, and Personal Growth)
2. Set Clear-Cut Goals in the Core Areas of Your Life
I like to set goals in the six core areas of my life which include: Career, Relationships, Finances, Healthy Living, Fun & Creativity, and Personal Growth. Then read your goal out loud and ask yourself if it’s clear what you are striving to achieve. If I wanted to be a better tennis player would you know what that meant? Doubtful. Ex: I will build my business and increase revenue by at least 15% by the end of the year (instead of I will generate more revenue).
3. Identify Tier One Goals
Focus on what I call “Tier One” goals. These are your most important priorities. Your goal needs to be both important and a priority in your life.
4. Take Small Steps
Slow and steady wins the race. Once you have a great goal, break it down into small steps. Too many people think the goal setting process is over once you declare your goal–that’s when the fun starts. Train your mind to take one small step a day and you will make amazing progress. It’s a process; it’s not magic.

We don’t have control over many things in life but you do have control over setting a great goal. Why give up this option for no reason? There’s no excuse to leave your potential on the table because you did not even try. Please don’t let this year pass you by, step up to the plate and see what you can do.

I’d love to hear your success stories and questions. Please stay in touch with me on my Facebook and Twitter Pages.

Believe in yourself,
Alissa
www.AlissaFinerman.com