Preparing For Greatness Step 4

Happy New Year's Eve!  Hopefully this blog post finds you preparing for a fun and safe evening with your loved ones.  I hope you are also thinking about what your intentions and goals are for the new year. I have only more step after this one to complete my instructions on preparing for your own greatness in 2012 and beyond.  Just to review, the steps so far are:

1.  BELIEVE in your greatness
2.  DREAM without limitations about what your future greatness is going to
     look like and create artwork that reflects it
3.  VISUALIZE and meditate everyday about what that greatness entails
     in order to communicate very clearly to the Universe what it is that
     you want.

Step 4 is to WRITE down your goals and intentions.  Let's start with the goals...

So, it's finally time to break down those big dreams into some manageable goals for the new year.  Start by writing down your dreams and considering some of the steps that you will be required to take along the way to get there.  Mike Dooley suggests that we not got too caught up in "the cursed how's" when it comes to achieving our dreams, but you do need to have some direction and you must take some action if anything is going to come into fruition.  I think that what he means is not to become too attached to those steps as though they are the only means by which you can attain your goals.  Hope that makes sense!

Let's say you have a goal of eventually owning your own business.  I'll use my own aspirations as an example.  My dream is to be become a lifestyle guru of sorts for the masses.   My professional credentials, writing, and connections with people are all critical components to the development of this role so my goals for this year involve me finishing up my post-grad work at Johns Hopkins in Counseling, applying for my license as a professional counselor, applying for my art therapy credentials, creating a profile on LinkedIn, finding other networking opportunities, joining Toastmasters, attending trainings, remaining committed to writing this blog on a regular basis, doing a professional photo shoot and creating a website for myself, and by the end of the year submitting my blog posts in the form of a manuscript to lots of publishers.  Exciting!  I created a timeline for the year for when I can expect myself to have finished each one of these goals. In addition to these I have personal goals as well.

A couple of apps I've downloaded to my ipad that I enjoy using for goal tracking are "Do - Motivational Calendar" and an app inspired by Tony Robbins called "Goal Setting Workshop" by Motivapps.  You might find those helpful as well.  Just find some way that works for you to keep your goals in front of you so you don't forget what you are working on and so you take daily steps towards getting closer to reaching them.

Now for intentions.  Goals are destinations, whereas intentions have more to do with the process.  Intentions are your guidelines for daily living.  They should align with your values.  They should help give structure to your day and be a means by which your connections to others, the Universe, and yourself are strengthened.

Some of my intentions include the following:

- I intend to continue to share my truth
- I intend to trust more that the Universe has got my back
- I intend to choose love over fear
- I intend to live in the present and let go of future-tripping
- I intend to strengthen my connection to my inner guide through daily meditation


That's most of them.  I have a few more. What are yours?  I would love to hear about them!  Write each intention down on a separate individual sheet of paper for yourself and keep them handy for tomorrow.

Have fun with this process and tune in tomorrow when I talk about the 5th and final step in Preparing for Greatness!

Have a happy and safe New Year's celebration!
xoxoxo,
Brooke