Smart Goal Setting
March 10, 2009 2:14 am BusinessIf you’ve been lurking around on the Internet for Ways To Make Money Online, one thing you’ll be seeing a lot of lately is developing the right mindset. Before you even set up a single system, if you’re filled with “what ifs” and negative, self-defeating thoughts, your business won’t go anywhere.
The successful Internet Marketers are those who are determined and focused. So before you even put your toe into the pool of profits, you have to set some goals and change the way you think. My Smart Goal Setting formula will help you…
Why is this such an important first step in your success? It’s an area seasoned ‘net marketers are scrambling to learn because they know that sometimes, the single thing that’s holding you back can be the attitude with which you approach your online efforts and the specific goals you set in place.
For a long time, people didn’t know what made a guru a guru and why some people who tried for months (or even years) weren’t seeing a fair share of the profits. What emerged was that there’s a different mindset between the gurus and everybody else.
I’m going to show you how to think big, seize the opportunities that you deserve, and turn your wishes and dreams into true realities that you can take to the bank!
The Power of Positive Thinking
Right now, there are hundreds of Internet marketing hopefuls who are saying no to their own success. Believe it or not, your mindset is crucial to the way you perform and the way your business efforts succeed or fail.
There’s a right and wrong way to think, talk, and believe. Simply changing your vocabulary can often mean the difference between seeing a 2% change in your profit margin (up or down) and amazing growth that you never dreamed possible.
I have a chart that I refer to on a regular basis. It’s there to remind me not to let negative thinking creep into my thought process and slow down my success. I’ll let you copy it for your own efforts:
Instead of using words like:
· Maybe
· Try
· Hope
· Wish
· If
· Help
· Need
· Can’t
· Tomorrow
· Want to
· Going to
· Well….ummmm….
· Work
· I think
· Can’t afford
· Problem
· But
· Probably
· Have to
I use these words and phrases instead:
· Done
· Finished
· Completed
· I will
· I am
· When
· Assist
· Deserve
· Accomplish
· Today
· Now
· Goodbye, next
· Moving forward
· Create
· Definite
· Committed
· Opportunity
· However, although
· I know, I will
· I choose to
At first, it felt awkward having to forcibly change the way I thought and talked. But I knew that like most people, I had been ingrained to complain and prepare myself for the worst.
Now my subconscious mind – which accounts for about 95% of all of our actions – guides my success without me having to try so hard. I use positive affirmations (verbal or mental accounting of everything that is going good) every day to reinforce my success – and since my income has reached multi-million dollar levels, it’s easy to continue my role.
You may not have it as good as I do right now, so how do you use positive affirmations when you’ve had a rotten day (or year) and feel like Murphy’s Law was written about your life in particular?
I don’t care how small of a good thing it is – take some time (a couple of minutes) at the beginning or end of each day to focus on it. Forget about what went wrong. If you got your first sale, acknowledge it and set a goal for how many sales you’re going to make the next day.
There are an awful lot of people in this industry moaning and groaning about why they can’t make money, why everyone else is, and why they’re failing. If you’re thinking this way then I have the answer for you – it’s YOU!
You are the only thing preventing your success. If you say, “I can’t do this,” then your prediction will come true. You can do it. You will do it. Believe in yourself. People who are failures aren’t true failures – there’s no such thing. They only failed before they allowed themselves to succeed.
Many successful businesspeople have had their ups and downs. Look at Donald Trump – he filed bankruptcy before he built his empire! You may launch a product and realize it flopped because you had your niche slightly off target.
Does that mean you quit and go back to the 9-5 grind, slaving away in a 6 x 6 foot cubicle? Sure, if that’s all you think of yourself. But you can get over the speed bumps and obstacles that try to slow down your success.
And once you hit it – once you see the profit machine start churning – you’ll realize that anything you dream is POSSIBLE. You’ll finally “get it” and be one of the few who continue their success, instead of one of the many who give up.
Setting Goals the SMART Way
The first thing I want you to do is forecast your future. Forget about the negative stuff – you won’t get anywhere harping on doom and gloom. What I want to know is this:
* Where do you see yourself in the next 30 days?
* How about the next 3 months?
* Half a year from now?
* A year from today?
* Five years?
* Ten years?
You’ll notice there’s a healthy mix of short and long-term goal setting that’s necessary for you to begin mapping out a blueprint for your success. When you write them down, use the present tense.
“I am proud that I’m earning six figures and ecstatic that I’m living with my beautiful family in Hawaii…”
Don’t write, “I should be” or “I will…” You want to be living in the moment and seeing it come to fruition. Using future tense is wishful thinking. Using present tense is taking advantage of positive affirmations. Believe it and it will happen.
Use emotions in your goal setting. In the above statement, I didn’t just write, “Earning 6 figures and live in Hawaii,” I wrote the feelings I’ll have when I achieve those goals.
When you use the SMART system, it makes it easy to determine what path you need to take to success. It helps you get everything you want out of life – and then some! Let’s look at what the SMART system is all about:
Specific goals are crucial to helping to reach milestones that are important in all areas of your life. If you’re vague and just say, “I will make more money,” then you might have it come true – to the tune of $1 more this year than you made last year.
You want to put something solid into the equation. Set a date and an amount. “I make $7,000 in September.” But don’t stop there. What will that money do for you? “I make $40,000 in the next 90 days and put down a deposit on a new home.”
It’s better to know how the money is going to help you when planning your goals – even if it’s just to splurge – because it helps you visualize what’s about to happen in your life – and it keeps you motivated and enthused about your daily efforts.
Measurable goals are important because they keep you accountable for your own success. This is a huge pitfall for many Internet marketers. They fly by the seat of their pants and start and stop so many projects that they never realize their full potential.
Measurable goals help you stay on track. They let you evaluate your performance and tweak areas that need your immediate attention. If you’ve spent six weeks on a system that isn’t working, it lets you know so that you don’t waste another six weeks not earning profits!
When you set measurable goals, you can check on them as you’re working. For instance, don’t just say, “I want to be out of debt.” Your specific, measurable goal of “I want to earn $50,000 in the next four months” will let you measure if and when you reach the goal, and also allow you to pay off your debts in the process.
It also turns a negative into a positive. When you’re focused on “being out of debt,” you constantly have to think about the burden of it. When you write about the specific amount of money you’re earning, it’s a positive reflection of your efforts.
It’s also wise to set measurable goals that help you reach your big goals. For instance, if losing weight – 25 pounds to be Specific – were your goal, then you could write measurable goals such as, “spend an hour a day on the treadmill.”
Each day, or at the end of every week, you could measure your results – you either did or didn’t do the work to get you to where you want to be. Then you have a chance to continue working toward your goals or change it if necessary.
Attainable goals are vital to your continued success. If you write down that you’ll make $1 million with your first product launch, you may be setting yourself up for failure.
Your goals should be attainable. That’s not to say you won’t make $1 million with your product launch – it’s been known to happen – but be reasonable with what you can likely achieve.
For example, if you’re only able to dedicate an hour a night to Internet Marketing right now, then a million dollars isn’t reasonable (unless you have a highly unique and in demand idea).
Take into consideration the outside factors that can contribute to your plans – and make sure you leave room for unexpected circumstances. What if you have a family emergency or a financial setback?
You want to reach the goals you set. It’s not bad to dream big, but you have to continue climbing the rungs of success one step at a time instead of trying to leap from the bottom of the ladder to the top in a single bound.
When your goals seem insurmountable, it causes you to get bogged down in negative thoughts and eventually give up on them altogether. This is a common occurrence with ‘net marketers who didn’t take time to consider their mindset.
Relevant goals mean they relate to what you’re passionate about. If you’re not emotionally connected to your goal, you won’t work hard to make it happen. Some people set goals that are so broad and general that it doesn’t help them actually achieve anything.
If you say, “I want a happy life,” that isn’t relevant enough to explain that you want “A seven-figure income this year.” Happiness is different for everybody. Some people making $30,000 a year are extremely content.
Timed goals help you reach a date of completion. If you don’t give yourself a deadline for tasks or goals, then chances are you’ll get infected by the plague of procrastination and never realize your true potential for success.
If you aren’t sure how long it’ll take, make an educated guess. You can always revise your goals – they’re a living, evolving document of how you want your life to unfold.
The only thing you shouldn’t do is keep changing your completion dates because you “just haven’t gotten around to it.” This is unfair to you – you’re sabotaging your own path to success.
You have to remind yourself that your goals are in place. It’s important to have a tangible reminder – write them on a sticky note and put it right on your computer, or carry your goals in your wallet written on the back of your business card.
When you’re able to look at them without having to try to recall from memory what you wanted to do, you’ll be able to take actions that correspond to your individual success.
You’ll instantly be able to see when and if you do something that isn’t aligned with one of your goals. If you eat a Death by Chocolate dessert at a restaurant, then you know that didn’t help your goal of losing 10 pounds in the next 30 days.
Or, in regards to money, if you quit your day job intent on making a go of Internet Marketing, but you sit around all day watching soap operas or surfing sport sites on the ‘net, then you’ll know that you haven’t spent your time toward reaching the goals that you hoped to achieve.
Most people don’t set goals. Do you see them – commuting to work day in, day out – like robots on autopilot? They just do what needs to be done and cross their fingers that it’ll all work out the way they wanted it to – never once considering they have to take the reigns and make things happen for them!
Successful Internet Marketers know that in order to succeed, you have to be focused, driven, and enthusiastic about the endless opportunities and possibilities that are coming their way.
Get emotional about your pending success!
Hype yourself up and drool over the fact that there is no glass ceiling to online profits! When you do this, taking action won’t be a chore – it’ll be an outlet for your enthusiasm and drive.
To your success,
Nick Marks
March 10th, 2009 at 3:59 am
hello nick…
since i am worked blog, news, articles, net social working, got not make money.
now start new goal payplan…
March 10th, 2009 at 4:05 am
i am sudhakar mishra age-54yrs from new delhi(india) i am unemployed wealthless homeless man living my life as poor i have no creditcard also, i am interested making huge money with help of you, i never read in school no any school/college/univercity certificate, no computer knowledge but since 7yrs i am full time playing a game with internet for making money i have great spiritual intuition power for leadership, i can rule internet i know my potencial ability please advise by email to me thanks with worm regards
March 10th, 2009 at 4:23 am
Your statement is very much optimistic. It is full of ideas and guidance to future life. Your comment is to be followed like a bible for a successful life. my queries is wheather from India the internet business is possible since the different inter countries have different laws for a statutory business: Kindly advice: Regards: barik:
March 10th, 2009 at 4:26 am
Your absolutely right Nick.
I always set goals,my goal is to make
50k a month consistently,so as to fund my noneprofitorg.Called “Homes For The Needy”
So if you can help I`d apreciate it.
ASB
March 10th, 2009 at 4:32 am
Great article!
March 10th, 2009 at 4:55 am
i need more help and some one to talk to that are getting some where with what ever they ARE IN.
March 10th, 2009 at 5:17 am
very nice
March 10th, 2009 at 5:18 am
i m ixiting to join this business please joined me
March 10th, 2009 at 5:41 am
your teaching is very instrumental it make me foccuss on where i came from and where i want to go in this onlinework at home business thank you very much for guidance.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:19 am
Great statement, Nick
It`s a way of beeing that I sometimes try to explain to ‘others’ But I cannot always find the right words.
THANK YOU Nick.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:06 am
ok
March 10th, 2009 at 7:13 am
Very good idea! And to be optimistic, too.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:14 am
Great! Blog Nick,
Thanks for a complete confidence builder, I really needed it. See, I purchased a Forex web-site and just started falling asleep for three months.
I was ready to give up! But in this blog you just e-mailed, You have restored my beliefs in getting started in the first place.
I need to work a little harder.
Thanks Nick.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:50 am
i would like to try this but i do not have any money i do not have a job i only have one dime to my name at the end of this week i will not evan have a place to live.it would realy realy save my life if something good would work out..thanks anyhow.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:51 am
yes u right,I need to change but I really poor person,I lost my dream,I lost as leader,I lost my friend and family trust for build wealth and i just like a begger. Can u help me to change my life to a better life?…
March 10th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Excellent article! Your perspective is right on line. Without goals there can be no success. Without direction there can be no journey. With no journey there can be no life experiences. Without experiences there can be no life. With no life success if irrevelant. Goals lead to a relevant,successful life with many joyous journeys that make up many experiences with wonderful memories..Greg
March 10th, 2009 at 8:01 am
Nick, You are Awesome!! My knowledge of the Internet and the Process is not full circle…It has been a short time begining! I will take all your Great information to Heart! Many Thanks…Sal
March 10th, 2009 at 8:14 am
I am one of those people that you are talking about.Glad you didn,t say there wasn,t any hope.I have alot of distractions now and my internet biz has been put on hold.I want to get back to it,but I,m going through a whats the use phase.Thank you for the pep talk and the encouragement and I,ll work on my defeatist attitude.
March 10th, 2009 at 8:42 am
If it’s gonna be it’s up to me. It’s the little things that are everything
March 10th, 2009 at 8:44 am
please could you help me to be rich man i want to make alot of money but i don’t know the way to do it could you help me thank you so much
March 10th, 2009 at 8:49 am
im laid off /i went as far with your instructions and set up click to bank,i was happy but then i went to online afillates and they wanted $84 sad because i dont have $84 should hve done it before layoff,i dont know what to do now i feel stuck
March 10th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Is there a way you can help get mestarted-I am not doing the things that can get me going-is there in time schedule that allows you to do that?
March 10th, 2009 at 9:39 am
you know what, as i read your blog i can see myself in that situation.well both negative and positive ones.your words are not only encouraging and inspiring but fact based as well.i’m hoping…well should i say i picture myself as a successful internet marketer,enterpreneur right now.yeah these words motivate you and keep you focused on your goal aint it.big thanks for the advice.
March 10th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Thank you. It is oh so easy to allow ourselves to get side tracked. It has been said that we choose our joys, and our sorrows, long before we experience them. Amen! Even as I compose this comment, my mind is wondering which of several options available to me will I get to first. One thing is sure, in order to move toward the answer, I first have to end this. Goodbye.
March 10th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Blessings to you mr. Marks,
you have truly provided me with a number of helpful hints that encourages a positive mindset change.
I have been laid flat financially, without any income.Miracilously wonderful things have started to happen. at the present I am at the ground stage of a tremendous project created from a vision God has given me.Without any prior knowledge you have given me more positive input than my own family. I am very interested in your methods and appriciate your mentoring.
I am already looking at things from a diffrent prespective.
Please continue
Respectfully,
Trudy Armbrister
March 10th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Hello Nick,
Your smart goal setting is one of the
best pieces I have read in recent
times.
I would like to receive some more of
such briliant pieces.
STAY BLESSED
TOM APPIAH
March 10th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Thanks for your article “Smart Goal Setting”.100% perfect things you have written and only a few people follows it, they are so called “Guru” on their respective field.Whatever you told all true,though it may look small thing but in result it will be big success.Once more thank you.
With rgds,
Jayanta Saha
India
March 10th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I really appreciate hearing from someone of your status. Too many times have people reached a level such as yours only to forget where they came from.I currently own a small construction company and have always known the power of the internet as a marketing tool but lacked the know-how of how to harness it. Your videos have helped to open my eyes to the world of marketing beyond my wildest dreams and I look forward to implementing them to achieve financial freedom. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Feel free to post
March 10th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Success stories already on this site:
Need for brevity in reading
Reading, there must be a system of brief: Besides these
But I find that there is : I find the video: I am like voice or gentle: the fact is that this system attractive At some time I understand between the lines : thank you
March 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Hi Nick I thank you for your help I have ben haveing some probbloms with my pc for days but i haven’t gave up that is not me .I have a gole set in my life to compet and i well complet it .You toke abot six fegers encome that is whot my gole is to befor the end of this year and I know with my Lord helping me I well compet It. Nick I never geve up and quit gust wating for funding Your frend Bob
March 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Hi Nick,
I agree fully with your blog, but I see a real problem. It’s the same thing I see with a lot of the positive thinking plans. People need to realize that all the great thinking in the world will not make it without just as much positive working.
Your ideas are great but as people say all those positive items, they must be actually working on their goals at the same time. As they set their great goals, they must be working on them. Positive results come by a combination of everything.
Thanks for your ideas,
John Bonzo
March 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Nick,
i quite appreciate this write-up, itn is very interesting and i agree with every bit of it. i am going to read & re-read it everyday.
thanks.
March 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Hi,
I think you shout be right for most of thinks,but depence of carkamstencic you now
best regards
Robert Banchev
March 10th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Hello nick very interesting article i feel very fortunate to have been taught these things at a very young age. Whenever i need to stop and take a moment to get my thoughts together i always think about what i’m thankful for. People closest to me say i’m always trying to hard to get things right. It’s been my burden in life to convince everyone i meet that the glass is half full. A few decades ago i asked a mentor of mine what the secret of life was. His reply was time and money were the same thing and until you learn how to manage both of them you’ll never have enough of either one. Please keep sending your e-mail and that of anyone else with the right mindset. To your continued success from an avid reader.
March 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
im extemely excite about setting up this new business adventure,but unfortunately im still waitin for my free dvd to get me started.i have emailed you on a different ocassion,but still havn ad an answer on how to get it.
all the above info sounds very promising and motivating but i do feel hesitant, after you taking payment,and the goods havent come threw,or do i have it mixed up,do i download it?please can you direct me and help me,after this exciting proposal, I LOOK FORWARD TO A SPEEDY REPLY,many thanks,CHRISTINE CONNLOLLY
March 10th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Thanks for the kick in the rear end I know this works however I know I SHOULD DO IT MORE OFTEN
March 10th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Great reforcement Marks about goals setting. Very well informed and I’m ready to Put some your advice in action. Keep up the good work and thanks
-prince
March 10th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Nick that is great info.It really opens your eyes to the fact that we as human beings are by nature lazy. I guess if we really want to succeed we need to change our way of thinking and do take Action! Writing down our goals is the best thing to do,and taking action is even better.Rodolfo Garza.
March 10th, 2009 at 6:33 pm
i am keep on file and keep going back get i deer.
March 10th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
the reading was very informative and made me realize why I was not success in my past endeavors because i overlook many aspect in my approach to being successful the biggest one of all, my mindset which i intend to address and which will accompany on my road to success!!!
March 10th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Hi Nick,
It is very true that your positive atitude and achievable goal setting are very important to be sucessful. Thank you very much for your ideas to be inspiration and being sucessful,which with your good wishes I will suceed.
With Grateful Thanks
Prakash
March 11th, 2009 at 12:09 am
A message to all members of MYHOT16
Hello Nick!
Your information is accessible and interesting.
Really I do{make} many mistakes which you describe.
But it for people of your circle and who lives basically in the USA.
How to start to work to me and similar to me from Russia.
As to the poor beginner to earn the first dollar to register the site.
At me a question.
It is possible to begin network marketing with zero.
Example:
I the first time on the Internet.
I do not have cash on accounts.
There are examples of such people which can tell as to receive the income from zero.
March 11th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Dear sir,
I don’t know in smart goal setting.but it’s some income.
I living in Thailand.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:13 am
Hello Nick,
I am highly enthused by your smart goal setting ideas; i will adopt them and make them operational in my daily life.
Enyoy your day!
March 11th, 2009 at 2:53 am
You are great, i really want to be greater. your assistant is highly needed.
March 11th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Mr Marks,
I am very greatfull for all your ability to change my life positevelly.thank u.
Please i want to know how to make money online for real.
Please take me as your brother thank you.
Segun.
March 11th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Nick, Honestly speaking I am interested in doing internet business with you. But the problem is that l don’t have initial capital to kick start the business, such that will enable me get LapTop, connect the internet and reach out to prospective clients both in the localmarket environment and on the net-worldwide. So how do I start to actualize the business idaes?
I must confess, It is my privillage and encouraging to receive this mail fromy.
Indeed, l do not know how you can help me o procure good LapTop. If you can send one LapTop, I can source the money the internet.If this is possible, I shall send to you my contact address with which l can send it.
Thanks in Advance.
Your Internet Business Friend.
Mr SMART
March 11th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Your site is very, very educative and encouraging to us that want to start internet business.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Ur write-up is fantastic and insipirationally filled up, but where will i start? The problem with people like you is that even made, they demand money to be helped without knowing that most of the people especially people from developing countries cannnot afford their demands. Help Us! Help Us!! Help Us!!!
March 11th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Thank you, very inspirational. To Nick Marks or who ever wrote this.