Week 10 - The importance of good goal wording

Hello and welcome to week 10! Please remember to tell your friends and family they can join the challenge at any time. They do not need to start at Week 1 and there will be a winner and prize at the end of the 52 week challenge.

The Challenge:
On Week 1 I asked you to write down your goals. Now on Week 10 I want you to do two things:
1) How are your results so far? Are you heading in the right direction? Do you feel successful? Or have you given up or feel frustrated? If you are getting good results then you are all set and do not need to read #2 and congrats! Please share your outcomes in a post. And if you have already accomplished your goal then consider starting a new one!
2) Look at the wording of your goal. It could be you are too vague or are focusing on the negative. Can you think of a way to change the wording so you are more descriptive and positive? Here are some examples:
-I want to lose weight is an example of poor goal wording because you are focusing on weight (negative). The law of attraction states that you get what you focus on. If you are focusing on weight then that is what you will get. Adding the word lose doesn't matter -- your focus is on weight. Also, the word lose is a poor choice because usually we never want to lose anything. You don't like losing your key, money, a job -- usually our minds associate losing as a bad thing. Instead how can you be a winner? What do you want to win? Do you want to fit into a specific pair of jeans? Do you want your tummy or thighs to look a certain way? A goal of "A 29" waist" is a good goal. Notice I left "I wish" or "I want" out of the goal. If your goal is to want something then you have already accomplished it.
-I want to make more money is too vague. How about "I will get a part time job to pay for..."? Or "Make coffee at home and save the money for..."
-I want a new job or hobby is too vague. Why, what, how?


If you have a goal you want me to review with you please let me know. You can email me at solutions@jennygallagher.com and I would be happy to help.

What I'm working on:
I'm reading a great book called Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 ratio that Will Change Your Life by Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D. Being positive doesn't mean you need to be phony or happy all the time. Instead it is your outlook and people with a positive outlook can actually reduce the amount of negativity that comes into their life because some is self-induced.

She mentions a meta-analysis where "The authors gathered nearly 300 different scientific studies of positivity , which collectively tested more than 275,000 people". "What did the study conclude? That positivity produces success in life as much as as it reflects success in life". It's what she calls the broaden-and-build theory which basically states that when something bad happens you can pretty much predict how a person will respond (run, fight, etc) but with positivity and good emotions you can't predict because opportunities broaden depending; and that will vary depending on the person. People get creative and build, produce, or create.

I have always been interested in learning about new studies and ideas that support my mission which is to foster and encourage positive thought and action. It does not mean I always live up to my standards but continuing to learn helps. It inspires me to be a better person. It's not knowing something that matters; it's living it. My way of staying motivated is to surround myself with like minded people/information whenever I can. I understand there are reasons for people to behave badly but that is not where I choose to focus my time and energy.

Make a conscious choice on how you want to move forward and reword your goal(s) if you want. Stay inspired, have fun and try being positive. Enjoy!