Top Time Tip #130
People Who Want To Set Goals, But Can't Get Started (Or Don't Know How)

I'm a qualified librarian by my first career choice, but by the time the incident you're about to read happened (back in the mid-1980s) I'd spent the previous eighteen years being a farmer's wife and/or raising six kids (who all turned up in a nine-year period). Five I birthed and an intellectually handicapped foster son completed the package. When this story begins I'd returned to the workforce three years earlier, forced by economic necessity after my first marriage had broken up. However, in the small provincial town near my home, the only job I could get that even partly used my qualifications was a part-time teacher aide position in a school library - at very low pay on a government work scheme. It was so poorly paid that I still qualified for some single parent benefits as well!

I was grateful for the job and the school hours were great as far as the children were concerned. However, after a few years I became tired of the endless efforts to keep things together on a subsistence income. We were just above the breadline - an ice-cream for everyone once a week was the height of luxury!

At that time I knew nothing about success principles. I was like a rudderless boat, getting by from day to day. But once I learnt about goalsetting, life changed dramatically.

However, this blessing came in disguise.

One day I noticed an ad in the local paper for a new town librarian. I became very excited. At last - a chance to get off the poverty trap. The previous incumbent, another single mother (and that point is relevant to the story!) had just run off under rather dramatic circumstances with a local headmaster.

I rushed in an application. Here was a chance for me to practice my vocation properly - I knew I was a good librarian.

My strongest competition was the woman already caretaking the position. She was also the wife of a well-liked and respected local businessman. However, I soon found out that I was the only qualified candidate - the other lady was just thinking about doing the library exams whereas I'd spent five years training and working in larger libraries further south before becoming a child-raising machine. Surely, if there was any justice in the world I would get the job!

The interview with 12 local dignitaries - businesspeople and council representatives - came and went. It was pretty intimidating but, full of hope, I went home and waited - and waited - and waited.

Days went by. Why were they taking so long? Where was the letter, where was the phone call?

Nearly a week later, still hoping, I drove into town for groceries. A neighbour was meandering down the other side of the road. She spotted me.

'Robyn', she called out, waving vigorously. Clearly she wanted me to cross over for a chat. Surprised, for we weren't close friends, I obeyed the summons.

With no preamble, she said importantly, 'Have you heard about the library job?'

'No'', I replied, somewhat puzzled. I knew that in a small town the grapevine was often faster than the mail, but this was a strange messenger. She had nothing to do with the council and certainly hadn't been on the selection panel.

'Oh', she said, puffing with pleasure at being the first. 'They decided not to give you the job. They reckon solo mothers are unreliable.'

I saved my tears until out of sight of her malicious eyes. But - what a favour those risk-averse people did me.

Two things happened. The first was a fiery determination - 'I'll show the %$#@!' (I didn't know how but I wasn't going to take that slap lying down).

The second was one of those serendipitous events that just 'happen' and my first real introduction to goalsetting. An old school friend loaned me a little book about visualisation and goalsetting - and it changed my life. In a few short pages it opened up a whole new world.

I discovered success principles taught by wisdom writers in every culture and faith over countless centuries. For the first time I realised that I didn't need to just go with the flow; I didn't need to be that ship without a rudder; I didn't have to just 'take what comes'. There were principles I could apply that would help me create the kind of life I really wanted.

Within one year I was out of the town and in a better-paid job. Within two years I was in a major city working in real estate (not a career I'd ever expected to stumble into!) sometimes earning mo re in a month than I'd earned in a year on government handouts.

Today, the world of that broke and sometimes quite desperate young single mother, surviving on government handouts, has been completely reshaped. There have been many learning opportunities along the way - it hasn't all been a smooth ride! However, tapping into this field of personal development has been an incredibly powerful and positive change agent.

As I've learnt to work with those success principles, wonderful people and opportunities have showed up in my life. (If you've been reading this ezine for some time, you'll have shared some of those experiences with me.) These days I give thanks for a wonderful life. I travel the world with work I love, have a very happy home-life with my second husband, my children are happy well-adjusted people and all making great contributions to society, we live in a beautiful setting, and the people I work with are terrific. And I'm blessed by the friendship of many wonderful people and privileged to be able to sometimes contribute value to other people's lives.

If there is one single change factor in my story, more than anything, it's the knowledge of how to set goals. They change our lives.

But, in every course, speech and event at which I speak, on average less than 3% have current written goals

Yes, many more know in their heads some of what they want. But, the greatest power in the whole goal-setting process is taking them out of our head and getting them onto paper in some way. (And that's a larger conversation than we have space for here!)

The two biggest reasons people give for not having clear written goals are:

1. They don't know how

or

2. They don't think they've got time.

So, if you fit into the 97% but do know what your goals are and can make time - may I be so bold as to strongly encourage you to get them down on paper. And you won't need the GIFT I'm about to give away. Stop reading - the rest is not for you!!!

On the other hand, if you can identify with those two reasons above, and reckon a bit of guidance or a framework to help you would be very useful, keep reading for I've got a very special Christmas gift to you.

Actually, for the people who are QUICK to ACT it's TWO gifts! as a reward for taking action. I want to support people who are serious about mastering this life-changing habit.

GIFT ONE

The first gift is a special price on our very powerful 'Getting a Grip on Life - Goals Toolkit'. We developed this some years ago to help support people with their goal-setting. It's a simple process (when you know how!) that guides you through the steps. You'll feel as though you've got me sitting beside you, walking you through the decision-making process via a powerful filtering and questioning method we developed.

Within about 20 - 30 minutes you'll have a clear view of what you want. And then you'll very easily create your own visual map, using the colourful template you'll find in the Kit. It takes the hesitation, pain and uncertainty away!

So. Here's My Christmas/New Year Gift To You

It's available ONLY until December 31st -SORRY - OFFER NOW EXPIRED

at this very special price. Instead of the normal $79. you'll get it for