How much do you want a life of fulfilment? How much do you want to get the best out of yourself? Truly fulfilled and successful people are clear about what’s important to them, have a strong sense of purpose, and set personal goals that drive their day-to-day activities. As we embark on a new year in January 2025, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on our aspirations and harness the power of goal setting to shape the outcomes we desire.
At Mindspan Global, we have spent nearly two decades studying the key elements of goal setting that maximise our ability to achieve the outcomes we truly desire. Through extensive research, we have created and tested the Mindspan 4×4 Method, which has shown to significantly improve success rates when individuals commit to this methodology over sustained periods of time. Allow me to share this methodology with you now.
When setting your goals, it is important to adopt the ‘Mindspan 4×4 Method’. Always WRITE your goals, as this action fires up neural pathways in your brain. Ensure your goals are written in the following way:
- Personally: Use the words ‘I’, ‘my’, or ‘me’ to make the goal personal and meaningful.
- Expressed in the present tense: Write your goals as if they have already been achieved, creating a sense of empowerment and belief.
- Clearly defined outcome or process: Be specific about what you want to achieve or the steps you need to take.
- Include a target date: Set a deadline for when you plan to have achieved your goal.
Once you have written your goals, identify the first few actions you will take to begin the journey towards making them a reality. To enhance your focus, we recommend reading or reciting your goals to yourself every day for three minutes upon waking up in the morning and for three minutes before going to bed at night. This practice embeds your goals into your subconscious mind and keeps them at the forefront of your thoughts.
While writing and focusing on your goals are crucial for creating a success-based mindset, the real fuel for achievement comes from emotionalizing your goals. Here’s how you can do it:
- Positive self-talk: Talk to yourself and others positively about your goals and your ability to achieve them.
- Regular positive visualization: Imagine yourself at the point of achieving your goals every day. Visualize your success and feel the positive emotions associated with it.
- Positive belief: Develop a strong belief in your ability to achieve your goals.
- Strong desire: Create a compelling ‘why’ behind your goals, building a strong emotional connection and motivation to attain them.
Here are a couple of examples to illustrate:
- It is January 2025, and I weigh [insert desired weight]. I feel healthy, vibrant, and have higher energy levels than I’ve had for years.
- It is January 2025, and I have received my exam results. I feel exhilarated, having achieved my target grade of [insert desired grade], securing my place at university.
Remember, your goals can span across any area of your life, such as personal performance, health, fitness, career, family, business, leisure, finance, travel, giving, or charity. When reading or thinking about your goals, engage positive emotions and believe in your ability to succeed. Feel the excitement and buzz of accomplishment that you will experience when you turn your goals into reality. Strong belief and desire stimulate the mind to find a way!
Let’s embark on this journey together, setting meaningful goals and living a life of purpose in January 2025 and beyond.