With January already completed, you should be well on your way to your 2012 goals. If you are not moving forward or know someone that is stuck, I want to share 5 specific steps to get you back on track. Please feel free to forward this newsletter on to others. Knowledge It Forward!

Step 1:  Where do you want to end up?

Knowing where you want to land both personally and professionally at the end of this year is your first major step for success. What’s interesting is that we all know our launch point, because it’s where we stand at this moment. Your destination is a specific list of the major initiatives you have to accomplish, and then, when you reach your destination, what will change for you and others in your life.

Step 2:  Move forward every day

We judge athletes, entertainers, writers, directors, lawyers or anyone we deem a professional, on how they perform. Most of us dislike it when we are judged on our performance. If you think of yourself as a professional, you must think about your fans or clients. The type of performance you expect from others is the same type of performance you should expect from yourself. I’m not saying you need to scream at yourself, like you do when rooting for your favorite team that might be underperforming. But you know when you are giving your best effort and when you are giving just enough to get by. Goal achievers know their destination and they know that every second, minute, hour, week and month of effort moves them closer to their objective.

Step 3:  Find a Coach

Coaching is important for your journey. If you seriously desire to achieve something, don’t be afraid to bring in support to help you focus and stay on track. It’s money well-spent when true professionals hire coaches to help them improve their abilities and skills. Learning has to be a part of your journey; it is the fuel for insight and change. A coach will drive repetition, which becomes a learned skill. Repetition is the key to consistency.

Step 4: Eliminate Distractions

There is one major factor that will keep you from achieving your goals, and that is distractions. One of the greatest distractions is the people in your life. Understand the role of each person in your inner circle. If your friends are not adding value and if their purpose is to present constant negativity, you must understand they are holding you back. Letting people go is part of life. The old adage that people come in your life for a reason, season or lifetime still applies. Reasons and seasons can change. Allowing those changes to take place by moving on may provide the platform for your life to change.

Step 5:  Enjoy the Journey

The journey is where you will navigate the peaks and valleys. It is where you will realize the importance of making it to your destination. The journey experiences are the experiences of acceptance. Realize every day that you are growing because you have a goal that is challenging you to learn, to listen and to ask for assistance from others who may have already been on a similar journey. The fans in your stands who are your family and friends are cheering you on because they understand your focus and desire.

Your Journey
A Poem by Robert Van Arlen

The winds will blow with fervor, only to help you secure your footing.
The season will change, to reveal your forward movement.
You start with passion and end with celebration.
All along the way, your tide of knowledge will continue to rise, lifting everything in your presence.
Don’t give up because you feel you don’t deserve.
Don’t give up because you question your reserves.
Continue each day and enjoy your journey, these experiences are the imprint of what is real.
You are real and you deserve.

Don’t forget to “Knowledge It Forward”!

Enjoy your journey.
Robert Van Arlen