Make 2005 Your Best Year Ever - Its Not Too Late!

We are moving rapidly through 2005, and you'll find previouslyintelligent and reasonable people struggling with trying to keep a 'resolution' that they made earlier in the year to push themselves to create change in a specific area of their lives.

If you're ready to make some BIG changes, but you're notsure where to start, or if you have already made somepromises to yourself, but need positive reinforcement andsupport, then this article is for you.

How do you ensure success for the goals you'll set in 2005?First, you have to identify the goals you REALLY want. Notthe ones someone in your life has told you that you 'should'achieve.

First rule: throw out the 'shoulds' from others. You cannotchange your life simply because someone says you 'should'.Often the 'shoulds' from others serve no purpose except togenerate resentment and set you up for failure.

Choose an area of your life - health, career, money,relationships, your environment, fun, personal growth, andthen examine how satisfied you are with that area. What doyou want to change? Where would you like to be a year fromnow? A month from now? A week from now? What do you REALLY want?

Your goal is to make changes that will have you love beingyourself, what you see in the mirror every day, and howyou're living your life. What will those changes look like?Be careful to choose one or two areas to make changes in,because any more than that may have you overwhelmed andfeeling powerless.

You must define for yourself the difference between making adecision and setting a goal. They are not the same, and youcan't succeed at one of them without involving the otherone. Commitment is incredibly important in this process aswell - how many times have you made a promise to yourselfand then not followed through? If you had a friend that letyou down as many times as you've let you down, would thatperson still be your friend?

You need a personalized Success Strategy to help you getinto motion and create positive momentum so you'll keepgoing. You must have a way to hold yourself accountable - tosomething or someone that will encourage you to keepprogressing, moving forward and achieve your goal.

The power of belief can work near-miracles on your behalf,but only if you put it to work on your goals. Your beliefsdetermine the life you have. If you don't like the resultsyou're getting in your life, take a look at changing thebeliefs that are producing those results.

The difference between limiting beliefs and those that canempower you are crucial to your success. You have to makethe decision that you're no longer willing to have theconsequences of limiting beliefs in your life, and replacethem with positive, empowering beliefs.

Setting effective goals in another important piece in making2005 - or any year - your best year ever - I believe that any person, male or female, cannot reach their full potential without setting and working towards goals. There are many reasons people don't set goals, including fear of criticism and fear of failure.

There are several characteristics of highly effective goals,and incorporating these into your personal goal setting willgreatly enhance your degree of success. Writing down yourgoals is one of the first steps toward success, along withstating them positively, and making sure they aremeasurable.

Once you've gotten in motion though, you have to continuallyreinforce your new mindset. Ultimately, it's the actions youtake each day, each week and each month that will determinewhether you are successful in achieving your goals or not.

Find sources of inspiration, positive reinforcement and helpin setting and achieving your goals, and 2005 will be YourBest Year Ever!

About the Author: Dianne M. Daniels is an Image & Color Coach, Consultant and Professional Speaker, and the author/publisher of "Polish & Presence: 31 Days to a New Image". She has helped individuals refine and define their personal and professional image, along with corporations and organizations. Learn how to create your Personal Climate for Personal and Professional Success at http://www.imageandcolor.com