coaching

4 steps to achieving your goals

Date: September 26, 2013
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: coaching, counselling, Lifegoals, psychotherapy, self development, self help

Whether you want to quit smoking, find a new job or lose weight, we all have our very own goals. The problem is, they remain just goals for us, and many don’t take action to achieve them. Some proclaim that they don’t have time; others tell us that they’re impossible.

Well, you can achieve your goals. And it doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. All it takes is some hard work and dedication.

Set the goal
The first step is to establish and understand your goals. I find that writing them down on paper is the best way to get the ball rolling. Without knowing where you’re going, you’re never going to get there.

Go into as much detail as you can. This way you’ll be able to break your goals down into chunks and set your targets, which brings me on to my next point…

Create a plan
Know you’ve detailed what it is you want, and where you want to be, you can start to work on your route. Don’t just aim for the main goal; establish smaller goals that will eventually lead you to your final destination.

Example – if you want to quit smoking by a certain date, don’t just aim to have quit by that point. Make smaller goals to help you get there. So, say in a months’ time, you will have cut down by 5 cigarettes a day, and then up that amount each month. Eventually, when you reach your final destination you’ll have cut down to 0 cigs a day.
The plan is going to make achieving your goals a hell of a lot easier.

Act on it
It’s all very well and good setting your goals out and creating a plan, but if you don’t stick to them the whole exercise is pointless.

It isn’t always going to be easy, but hard work pays off. You need motivation to stick to it, so establish treats when you’ve reached certain mini goals.

If you miss one of your mini goals punish yourself. Do whatever you have to. Keeping on track is going to be the hardest part.

Evaluate
If you’re repeatedly missing your mini goals you need to take a step back, evaluate and then readjust. You might not get it right first time, but if you’re able to assess what you’ve achieved and see where you have gone wrong, you can get there.

We can all achieve our goals, regardless of what they are. It isn’t going to happen overnight, and there isn’t a special formula to get there. We’re all individual so it’s about finding out how best you work.

If you would like some help doing these steps contact me for a free discussion of your needs

Good luck!

Spring

Date: March 15, 2013
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: choices, coaching, counselling, Lifegoals, NLP, psychotherapy, self development

The spring equinox is nearly here (in the northern hemisphere). This tells us that spring has well and truly arrived. Spring flowers are coming up everywhere. Even through snow in some places.

Is your life showing signs of spring? Have you got some key goals decided for this year? Are your plans beginning? Do you know what steps you need to take to bring about what you want to have happen this year?

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

The cycle of the seasons is a great way to give some structure to your plans and progress in your life. The seasons and festivals of the year provide a natural rhythm which can harness our energy effectively and give shape to our life’s journey.

Now is the time to get started on your projects for this year. If you have not already done so, set your self some goals. Get some help to set goals Now is the time to dream of what you want to be like, doing, who to be with, where you want to be, in a few months or a years time. Specific – What specifically do you want to achieve? Measurable – How will you know when you have achieved it? Time limited – When do you want this by?

Decide on some steps that need to be taken to get to your goal. and get your self going! Help to get motivated?

"We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are." – Anais Nin

Date: June 3, 2011
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: choices, coaching, counselling, NLP, psychotherapy, self development, self help
What we perceive is filtered through our experience , values, beliefs and knowledge. We don’t perceive reality  – we perceive our version of reality, a model in our minds. If you keep perceiving as you have always done, your world view will stay the same. Did you know that the person who can create and use the most options in any given situation will tend to be most successful? Try shifting your perception, introduce more options, more choices. Do something a different way, see it as someone you know sees it. If you want different results then do something different! Be different and you will renew your self!

NLP focuses on studying success and how success is created and modelling that success. What have you seen done, that you thought “I wish I was like that”? Watch, study, model that behaviour and practise doing it yourself. It will become you!

So if you don’t like things as you see them – change yourself!
For more information Life-Goals

Helping you make it happen. What do you want to have happen?

Date: March 15, 2011
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: choices, coaching, counselling, Lifegoals, NLP, psychotherapy

The structure of your life is in your hands. Making sure your roots are healthy, deep enough and in a fertile place.  Growing a strong trunk that can support what you want to do and who you want to be. Reaching your branches out into the right areas and directions. Putting out foliage that shows who you are. Producing flowers to attract who you need in your life. Growing fruit that is the satisfying product of your life for your self and those you wish to nourish.

What would you like to have happen? What keeps happening?  What do you want to stop or avoid?  and What do you want to have happen?

Being clear about the structure you wish to create is the first step to a satisfying, fun, happy and joyful life.

For more information

The time of year for planting seeds

Date: January 27, 2011
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: coaching, counselling, NLP, psychotherapy, self development, self help
 It’s the time of year for planting seeds to grow during the year. This has been a regular theme with clients over the last few weeks. I’m not talking about gardening! I’m talking metaphorically about the intentions, projects, developments and changes we wish to bring about in our lives in 2011.

Following the natural cycle of the year, winter and winter solstice is a time for sitting back, reflecting, renewing our energies and dreaming and planning. Do you know what you would like to have happen? If so then now is the time to dream it into being.

Try sitting looking into a fire, or flame if you can’t get to a real fire, and dreaming your dream. Make your dream vivid and exciting. See yourself in your dream doing and being what you desire. Hear and feel the full experience. When you think it pretty vivid and real, make it more so, as if you were turning up the volume knob. Then when its as vivid loud and strong as it can be, let it go. This plants the seed deep in your unconscious mind.

Over the next few weeks, as the light returns and energy comes back, you will find yourself spotting opportunities and taking steps to make your dream happen. 

For more information click Life-Goals

New Years Resolutions Already faded away?

Date: January 18, 2011
Author: Ann Ingham
Categories: coaching, counselling, Lifegoals, NLP, psychotherapy, self development, self help
 
Have your New years Resolutions already faded into last week? Feeling guilty about not having more determination and willpower? Here is the inside news – New Years Resolutions are inherently flawed. What you probably wanted to change was a long standing habit that you have been practising for years to get it just flowing from your unconscious without having to remember to do it. Trying to change it by willpower and conscious trying is not an effective method.

The effective way is to re-educate your unconscious to be creating the new habit you want to replace the old habit with.

First decide what you are going to be doing instead of the old habit. Then practise twice a day seeing your self do the new habit and how great you feel about it. Keep up this visualisation for a month. Once you feel a strong desire to do the new habit start it but don’t try to push yourself to do it. Let the pull of the new unconscious perception and motivation work for you.

Between 30 days and 45 days later the new habit will have become established as part of the new you. and it will stay part of you flowing naturally without thinking for ever or until you replace it with a new vision.

For more information click Life-Goals