A long time ago a study was done at one of the most prestigious schools - Harvard, Yale, I don't remember but think it was at the Harvard Business School. They asked a certain number of students in a class how many of them write down their goals, both short term and long term. 3% of the students answered that they do indeed write their goals down on a physical piece of paper, keep it with them and close to them on a daily basis.

They checked back with all the students 20 or 30 years later. The 3% that had written their goals down combined made more money than the other 97% combined.

When I was told this, I began writing my own goals down, and posting it on a bulletin board right by my work desk. Needless to say, I have achieved my goals several times, and keep raising the bar on what I want to achieve...

Try it, it works - whether its making X amount per month, or losing 10 lbs by March 1st.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and Happy New Year to Oprano Family :) May 2005 be the best year yet. :bdance:

I just finished writing on my bulletin board after reading this, "Start writing down my goals". :P Seriously though, I have been to a career coach and this was highly recommended. A little Tony Robbins motivation never hurts either. :)

All of my tasks and long term goals are typed in within outlook/tasks, added to during the day, and checked last thing at night. At one point I had post-its everywhere; this way at least keeps it central and immediately available, plus being able to check back through timelines is always cool. Good advice :okthumb:

There's nothing magical about writing it down. People who write down goals without being told or instructed to do so just happen to be naturally goal oriented and concerned with managing those goals. Thus they are more likely to succeed.

Just writing 'em down wont do the job. You've gotta have the motivation and drive to accomplish them and the management skills to make it happen.

That's something I was anal about when I worked for a law firm, and continued when I was a consultant - made managing multi-tasking a whole lot easier, not to mention making completing time cards for billable hours easy as shit. Need to go back to that ...

I'm happy if I remember to write down a grocery list.

I was engaged to a guy who had EVERYTHING written down - he was 34 at the time and had "By the time I'm 35" "By the time I'm 40" etc. all written down. Kinda freaked me out because he had "Get married" under the "By the time I'm 35 list" and I always wondered if I just happened to be there close when he needed a wife! :unsure:

Biggy,

Like it .

I have gone through periods of doing it and not doing it.

Yr right though , I have achieved them more when I have done it.

so as a result of your post...

I started writing them down.

I'm old...business success is important , no doubt. :) But I find a lot more on my list are things like:

buy my wife flowers ever week , never miss ,always have a dumb reason why I have to make her laugh.
play video games at least twice a week with my eldest son.
Have dinner as a family at least 5 times a wek.

I can remember a list I wrote in my twenties...

there was not a single "personal" or "Emmotional" goal on it.

Priorities change I guess.

We were told to write..
1 yr
5yr
10yr
Life plans btw at college.

I also remember one written at like 17 , no1 I know was make Brigadier by 35. LOL

ok , that one didn't work out lol

But good suggestion.
Helps you prioritise , and thinkm things through...

Thats odd - I usually right my goals down in an ambiguous way so I can only understand them :)

If you don't write it down, it never happened.

Remember the Clancy novel, was it Red Storm Rising or similar, where the Japanese evil guy managed to bring down the Stock Exchange in an attempt to manipulate the financial markets? The end result was that they simply picked up right where the crash occurred a few days later as if nothing had happened after that since there was no written record.

It worked in the book plot ;)

I don't like evidence either.

I don't like evidence either. [/b][/quote]
Exactly :awinky:

Just always have an alibi , or allaby ;-)))

I don't like evidence either. [/b][/quote]
We're going to have to grab a cocktail in Vegas together, Colin, your sense of humor never fails to slap a grin on my face :)

We're going to have to grab a cocktail in Vegas together, Colin, your sense of humor never fails to slap a grin on my face :) [/b][/quote]
I'd like to be there too..

.....to slap the grin OFF yr face ;-))

I'd like to be there too..

.....to slap the grin OFF yr face ;-)) [/b][/quote]
I suggest attempting to use an opera slipper to do so, it might make up for that limp wristed nancy boy lunge you've got.

(sigh)

always with the nancy boy bit...

nah, i just make a list in my head.

I find I keep a rolling to do list

But this year I sat down with my daughter and we talked about and wrote down everything we wanted to do or change this year as well as what obsticles were in the way and what 3 things we could do to faciliate them.

Interesting what 12 year old girls find important.... Not what you think.

I took a course last year called "Best Year Yet" great course, I reviewed what I had written and amazingly enough - I conquered 95% of my goals.

I like the Outlook idea though.

See you in Vegas!!!

We're going to have to grab a cocktail in Vegas together, Colin, your sense of humor never fails to slap a grin on my face :) [/b][/quote]
Let's have three. But will you recognize me clean-shaven? Good luck.

I have a list of the 100 things I want to do before I die. I look at that list a few times a year and try to cross some things off of it. I think it helps to have the list. I don't really do a goals list but I can see where this would be beneficial.

How do you hide it from your wife?

Hmmm, I'll need to take a new pic of you for the phone then ;)

Hmmm, I'll need to take a new pic of you for the phone then ;) [/b][/quote]
I made an ascii of you for mine.