Design Your Dream Year - Final

Design Your DREAM Year A Goal Setting Process That Actually Works

by Tal Gur

"If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." ~ Alice In Wonderland

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INTRODUCTION New Year's Eve. Once again you're about to make your annual set of New Year's resolutions. You haven't achieved last year's but 'what the heck' you say to yourself as you're about to commit to another set of resolutions in the name of tradition. If this sounds familiar to you, you are not alone. Most people think about their goals and dreams too casually, eventually forgetting about them before the end of January. You see, one of the reasons New Year's resolutions fall through is that most people don't take the time to make a winning game plan for achieving their dreams. In fact, people spend more time planning their birthday party than designing their future. In order to achieve big goals, you need more than wishful thinking and sincere commitment to make it happen. You need a solid and proven process that will support you along the way. The simple four step process outlined in this workbook is the result of my lifelong passion to identify the most effective program in attaining big goals. In the last decade or so I have achieved all my major dreams using this process. I obtained financial freedom from excessive debt in less than a year, I completed an Ironman Triathlon and kicked my smoking habit in 6

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months. I built a house for a family in need with no building experience and no funds, and I travelled around the world without the need to ever go back looking for a job. Needless to say, I am a big believer in this process and the principles behind it. I coach others with these same principles. I even created my own goal tracking software based on these principles (now available online at GoalsSoftware.com). So, if you are truly serious about making your dreams come true and living the life you’ve always wanted, you’ve came to the right place. Now, stand back, take stock and get into it. Your job is simple. Go through each step in this workbook, answer the questions as best as you can, and at the end of it you’ll have a simple system to guide you through achieving your big dream within the next twelve months. I am excited for you. I really am. The world is a better place when people pursue and live out their dreams. Enjoy the journey! Tal Gur | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

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STEP ONE: Your BIG Dream "Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Do you remember how easy it was to know exactly what you want when you were young? How simple it was to dream big and believe without a doubt that you can achieve anything? Somewhere along the path of life we all became distracted and lost connection with our dreams. We ended up reacting to circumstances and meeting other people's needs, rather than acting out of conviction and with clear direction. The truth is that most of us have been settling for less for too long. It is time we get back in touch with our innermost wildest dreams and devise a route to fulfill them. I use the word 'wildest' for a reason. Small dreams have no power to drive your heart to its desire. There is no magic in small dreams. No fuel for inspiration. My life experiences support this. When I trained for a short mini triathlon I found myself literally dragging my feet to the gym with no energy. I missed training sessions, continuously found excuses and ultimately quit.

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The same happened when I tried to save a relatively small amount of money for an uninspiring vacation. I simply didn’t have the discipline to follow through. It was only when I allowed myself to be free of boundaries and truly follow my heart that I was able to stick to my goals and keep moving. In fact, setting "unimaginable" goals, which are worth striving for, makes the process easier, more fun, and very much imaginable. So my first message to you today is this: Dream Big. Don't limit yourself and try to be practical with your choices of dreams. Possibilities are unlimited and more realistic than you think. My second message is: Focus. Most goal methods don't work because too many of us try to change everything all at once. Our systems do not respond favorably to excessive amount of radical shifts, which usually cause us to abandon our grand dreams. Years of engagement in goal setting processes have taught me a great deal about the benefits of focusing on one big dream at a time. It is extremely (and understandably) tempting to go and pursue all your big dreams at once but in my experience that usually translates into mediocre results. Instead, in this workbook you'll narrow your list and focus on one big dream. By immersing yourself in only one area you'll be able to extract more wisdom and enjoy the finest quality of focused attention.

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If you're worrying that one dream might not be enough for you, then I suggest you wait until you complete step two in this workbook. Every big dream has goals that accompany it so your plate will get full quite quickly. And, if at the end of step two you still think one dream is not enough, then simply shorten your one year deadline. I did it successfully with my Ironman Triathlon journey and numerous other dreams completing them in 3 to 9 months. Whatever you decide, I encourage you to avoid the temptation to multitask and, instead, focus on one big dream at a time. OK, with that in mind, let's get started. The questions on the next page are designed to help you identify and clearly define your biggest dreams. You'll then have the opportunity to choose one area of your life - an area you've always dreamt of taking to the next level and pursue it well, with all your heart and soul. Enjoy.

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TAKE ACTION 1. What is your ultimate destination? Describe the vision you have of yourself. (This means not just what you want to do, or have, but also what you want to be.)

2. Regardless of whether they seem realistic or not, what are the biggest, most exciting dreams you want to manifest into your life? (Do not limit yourself and do not concern yourself with how you're going to accomplish them. For now, that is unimportant)

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3. Which one of your dreams would you like to actualize this year? (Think about which one of your dreams would radically transform your life and give you most benefits)

4. Why did you choose this dream? What are the biggest rewards from pursing it? Would working toward this dream bring you satisfaction? What would be the biggest impact from achieving this dream? What is at stake if you don’t achieve this dream? What can you learn from this journey? How would you feel if you achieved your dream?

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If you're finding it hard to complete the above four questions, consider the following prompts that can help you generate more ideas. - What are you passionate about? What are you most excited in life? (Think of the things you absolutely love to do. These can be hobbies, workrelated activities, spending time with friends or family, exercise or anything else you can think of.) - What would you do if you knew you could not fail? If anything was possible, what is the first change you would start to make? - When you were younger what were the top things you wanted to accomplish in your lifetime? What were the things you always wanted to invent or the places you always wanted to explore? - What’s one thing you would love to do before you die? What would you like people to say about you when you die? What would you like most to be acknowledged for? - Who are some of the people you admire the most? What would you like to emulate about them? - What area of your life can be upgraded? What area in your life can you work on that would make the biggest difference to your life? For your life to be absolutely perfect, what would have to change? - What’s one way you could have more fun in your life? What can you do right now that would really put a smile on your face? Copyright © Tal Gur | Design Your Dream Year

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- What do you value the most? What do you want more of in your life? What do you want less? What does not support you? - What do you really, really want...?

Still stuck? Find yourself a quiet place with minimal distractions. Perhaps, go for a walk and take a notepad with you. Every time you get an idea, jot it down. If it still doesn't work give yourself a day off and try tomorrow.

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STEP TWO: Your Goals Inventory "Goals are dreams with deadlines." ~Diana Scharf Hunt

Now that you've thought about where you want to be 12 months down the line, it's time to shorten the scope and think about the building blocks of your big dream. Having a clear vision of your dream is important but without the structure of what you need to do, your chances of turning the dream into reality are significantly lower. This is where goals come in. A big dream, such as writing a book or building a house can be overwhelming, but if you break it down into a few components (e.g Write the introduction chapter, Draw a house place, etc) it becomes much easier to tackle. With this in mind, let’s get into the details. In this step, you'll define the explicit and measurable results of what you want and set specific time frames to achieve them.

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You want to write your goals in words that give you a clear and concise mental image of their final result. They also need to be well quantified, objective goals so they can be evaluated. Consider the following goal: "Improve my finances", and compare it to: "Bring my credit card debt to zero ". You get the picture. Lastly, you’ll need to set a firm deadline in order to create a positive sense of urgency. I like 30 days because it's long enough to make your goal happen, and it's short enough to keep you excited about it. On Goal Software, for example, I have a daily counter that counts the days until each goal’s deadline. And to make sure I stay on track, I set weekly checkpoints along the way for my primary monthly goal. On Goals Software, I do this using the Sub-Goals feature.

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One more thing - just as focusing on one dream at a time can make a big difference, focusing on one primary goal each month can be far more effective. When you focus on too many goals at once, you spread your focus and energy thin— two critical components for achieving an important goal. Therefore, it is advisable you focus on one primary goal each month and treat anything else as a bonus. OK, time to work. Let’s put deadlines to your dreams and turn them into effective goals!

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TAKE ACTION 1. Write a list of monthly goals that will bring you closer to your chosen dream over the next year. Note: Just throw out whatever comes to your mind and don't put deadlines (Not yet anyway). Be brief and aim for simplicity.

2. Review each goal, ask yourself the below questions, and rewrite your goals in accordance to your answers: - Does this goal help you move closer to your dream? How can you set your goal in a way that you enjoy the process? How can this goal improve your present reality? Are you motivated by this goal? Is this goal aligned with your values? Is this your goal, or is it someone else's? - How could you make this goal more specific? Would it be clear to anyone else?

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- How could you make this goal measurable? What achievements will you use to measure success? (This can be a number of chapters written, weight lost, units sold, money earned, etc.) What is the best time frame to achieve this goal?(Aim to give a timeframe of up to a month)

3. Once done, write the goals in sequential order and give each one a FIRM

deadline - As discussed previously, commitment to a deadline for achieving a goal adds momentum and certainty.

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4. Lastly, look at the first goal on your list and identify key milestones (e.g Sub-goals on goalssoftware.com) that will measure - and highlight - progress toward achieving that goal.

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STEP THREE: Your Daily Actions "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ~ Confucius

You finally have a one-page summary of your basic plan to make your dream a reality. This plan forms the basis of how you're going to allocate your time and resources, month-by-month and week-by-week. I hope you don't underestimate the importance of what you’ve done so far. From my experience, even if you're not going to look at your one page plan until the end of the year, your chances of achieving your goals are still high. It is now the time to set your plan into motion. Every big dream has to start somewhere and yours is going to start very soon. First, you'll focus on the most important actions you can take today; something which you want to do on daily basis from now on. I’m not talking about having yet another long “to-do list” that never ends. I’m talking about having a concise action list of the 3-5 most important actions to take that will get you closer to your goals. So, rather than a long “To-Do” list, have a short “Will-Do” list.

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And, if you are stuck trying to choose between several actions that all seem important, look at each one and simply ask yourself, “If this is the only task I complete this today, will I be happy with my day?” On Goals Software I have a short list of my top 3 tasks which I review and update on daily basis. I suggest you do the same – focus on small, consistent effort in one direction. Once your Will-Do list for the week is complete, your next step is to simply decide which one of these actions you are going to put into practice immediately upon finishing this book - after all, it is better to start when your intentions and motivations are strong. So, without much loss of time, let's get right down to business.

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TAKE ACTION 1. Look at your first goal and its milestones and identify the primary actions you can take this week that will be most effective in getting you closer to its actualization (Note: The objective here isn't to outline every step from start to finish, but to define the most important actions, as well as to build momentum with the first action you take). Here are some questions that can help you identify these actions: - What new resources do you need to buy? Do you need to allocate extra money for this project? - What research could you do to help you find the next action steps? How can you get the knowledge and information you need? - What new skills will you have to learn in order to achieve this goal? - Who else can help you in achieving your goal? Do you need a mentor or an expert to help you stay on track? - Who is going to be impacted by your new journey? (You want to make sure the necessary people are on board with your plans) - What would your role model do to achieve this goal? If you were your own coach, what advice would you give to yourself?

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- How excited do you feel about taking these actions? How can you change them so you can be even more excited?

2. Now that you have a list of well-defined actions for the coming week, it’s time to choose one action that you are going to take immediately upon finishing this book. Perhaps it’s sending an email or buying a book. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s an easy and simple step so as to offer minimal resistance for its completion. So... what is your first step? What action are you going to complete as soon as you finish reading this book?

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STEP FOUR: Your Supportive Habits "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily" ~ Zig Ziglar We all have been there at some point. We stay on track with our plan for a week or two but then life just gets busy and, before we know it, we lose touch with our goals. This is where habits come in. Habits help us to continue working towards our goals even when we are not motivated. They allow us to transition through our day on autopilot and conserve energy by using less of our limited willpower. Your last step, therefore, is to identify key habits that will support your goals and then incorporate these habits into your daily life. My best advice here would be to focus on achieving a perfect record with your chosen habit for 4 weeks straight. The premise behind this is that after 4 weeks of reinforcing a particular habit you will no longer require willpower to perform the habit. To achieve this, you'll need to track your habits on daily basis by using a weekly planner of some sort. You can use an EXCEL file, an online software, or the table I’ve included at the end of this chapter.

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This one simple method allowed me to maintain momentum during hectic schedule and eventually succeed in achieving long term, more complex goals. As an example, here are some of the daily habits I've incorporated into my life during my financial freedom year: 1. Getting up at 5:00am. 2. No Alcohol. 3. Eating at home. 4. Devoting at least 3 hours a day for building my businesses And here are three primary habits I currently maintain on GoalsSofware.com

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These habits might not seem significant at first, but, as a matter of fact, they played a huge factor in making my dreams a reality. Just imagine how your life would change if you devoted 3 hours a day to work on your goals. What could you do if you managed your energy and financial resources well? How different would your life look if you spent your early mornings doing what is truly important to you? Consistency is at the heart of our goal setting process. Write one page for 365 days straight and you have a book. Learn Spanish one hour a day each day for a year and you are a Spanish speaker. The reality is that your day to day habits will ultimately determine whether you end up living your dream, so make sure you practice yours religiously. With this in mind, let's get into it!

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TAKE ACTION 1. Look at the first goal on your list and identify key supportive habits that will be most useful in helping you achieving your goal. Here are some questions that can help you identify these habits: - What’s one way to get more energy into your life? - What is the unhealthiest habit you have? - When is your most productive time of the day? - What is one thing you can do to make yourself effective?

2. Think about which habits you would first like to adopt and fill the left column in the table below or in goalssoftware.com. (Note: It’s usually best to adopt simple habits first as they are easier to install. You can always add complexity later, but focus on acquiring the basic habit first.)

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At the end of every day, simply give yourself a check mark if you kept your habit and, at the end of the week, tally up the number of check marks and see how you did. Keeping track of your progress every day takes less than a minute, so give it a try!

Daily Habits: Habit

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Achieved

Total: ______

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FINAL WORDS You made it. You can now pick a destination and plot a course. However, none of the information in this book really matters without you taking action. Put yourself in situations where you don't have a choice but to take action. Make your dream public and share it with others. Make a bet with your best friend. Make an appointment. Buy a one-way ticket. Whatever you decide to do, make sure action is your only option. This is your time to take a lead in your own life and live it the way you’ve always wanted. Take the first step. Make that a priority. Then take another and before long you will be right where you want to be. I hope you have a fulfilling journey and a great year! Tal Gur P.S - To track your goals and make action your daily priority, visit goalssoftware.com - It's one of the most the simplest, fastest, most effective software to realize big goals

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WORKSHEET: Your Base Plan My Dream (& the benefits for achieving it):

Goals: 1.

Due Date:

2.

Due Date:

3.

Due Date:

4.

Due Date:

5.

Due Date:

6.

Due Date:

7.

Due Date:

8.

Due Date:

9.

Due Date:

10.

Due Date:

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WORKSHEET: Your Weekly Planner My Primary Goal (& its milestones): Top Actions for this Week: □ 1.

□ 2.

□ 3.

□ 4.

□ 5.

□ 6.

□ 7.

□ 8.

□ 9.

□ 10.

Daily Habits: Habit

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Achieved

Total: ______

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge some of the authors who have inspired me throughout the years. It is through their wisdom and foresight that much of this workbook could come to life. - David Allen - Getting Things Done - Zig Ziglar - Goals - Steve Pavlina - Personal Development for Smart People And finally to Kyle, my beloved partner, who has been giving me her utmost patience throughout the process. Without her gentle encouragements (and great proofreading) I might not have taken the time to finish this.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR My story is being written from many perspectives and enriched by the people and places I encountered along the way. Ever since I remember myself I was intrigued with the endless possibilities of self-expression. I simply see life as a playground to express our deepest desires and experiment with the perceived limits of the physical world. Looking at my life, I have come to realize that my life is not just one linear continuous journey, but more of a recollection of different journeys and experiences. I’ve learned that it is definitely not all about the destination, but more about the journey. And the greater the challenge, the more satisfying the journey becomes. We have an incredible chance to create beautiful things on this planet, a real opportunity to live life to the fullest in a world full of potential and wonder. But, it can only happen if we push beyond the comfort zone, face our fears, and take the risks involved in pursing what we truly want. Live Out The Dream! Tal Gur P.S - Having BIG dreams? Apply to my personal one-on-one coaching program today and make it happen

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