The New Year is approaching. Many of us are making resolutions. Make them … break them … don’t let this happen to you.
Resolve this year to be more than a goal-setter. Be a goal-getter. That’s why Bigg Success has the second “g” – it’s the place for goal-getters.
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Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss today's topic on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download___
There’s a great example of a goal-getter from history – Ben Franklin. He is one of our favorite historical figures here at Bigg Success. What a life he lived! He accomplished so much – inventor, author, politician, diplomat, and much, much more!
He also can teach us something about getting goals. As a young man, he wanted to be perfect. So he developed a list of thirteen virtues that he wished to acquire.
An interesting side note is that he found order to be the toughest virtue to obtain. It’s nice to know that even Ben struggled with organization!
At first he tried to acquire all thirteen virtues at once. He failed miserably. Here’s Ben, in his own words:
“While my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.”
Apparently, habits were as hard to break 200 years ago as they are now!
To combat this, he developed a system. Each week, he focused on one goal. He tracked them all, but he primarily concerned himself with just one.
He developed a single sheet of paper for each week. The days of the week were across the top. The thirteen virtues went down the left side. Then he recorded every instance where he failed to live up to his virtue. Each week, each day, he started with a clean slate. If you want to see it, we have a copy of Ben Franklin’s Virtuous System [PDF].
So what can you learn from Ben Franklin?
- You can’t expect what you don’t inspect.
After you’ve set your goals for the year, be sure to use a system that reports your results. You won’t always live up to your plans, but you can see the progress you’re making if you have a system like Ben’s.
- Intention + Attention = Manifestation.
It starts with setting your goals. Then you have to keep your goals constantly in front of you. That’s one of the secrets to making sure you reach them.
- Focus on one goal at a time.
If you try to reach all of your goals at once, you’re sure to fail. So focus on one, and then move on to the next one.
- Don’t beat yourself up.
Ben Franklin started each day with a clean slate. If he didn’t live up to his expectations that day, he knew that tomorrow he would start with no blemishes. Day by day – that’s how you get your goals!
Our Bigg Quote is by none other than Ben Franklin himself:
“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors,
and let every new year find you a better man.”
Resolve to make this year your best year ever.
Next time, with New Year’s Eve coming, we’ll give you a suggestion on how to put your cocktail napkin to good use. Until then, here’s to your bigg success!
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