What Does 2004 Hold For You?

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reservedhttp://www.thenetreporter.com-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
With 2004 almost upon us, right now makes the best time tostart setting your goals for the coming year.
Don't wait until December 31st at 11:00 p.m. to throwtogether a list of things you might want to accomplish inthe next 12 months.
Decide right now!
Make a commitment to improving your life and the lives ofothers and not just to make the same old "New Year'sresolutions."
If the simple act of making resolutions were enough, wewould all stop smoking, exercise daily, lose weight, own aluxury car, get out of debt, and earn $100,000 per year!
Sad fact: most resolutions barely make it past January 1st.
But have no fear!
If you're serious about setting and keeping yourresolutions this year, then the Internet can rescue youfrom backsliding on your goals.
Check out these tips for using the Web to keep you ontarget for 2004.
~~ Break Bad Habits ~~
Quit smoking.
Lose weight.
Make more money.
Three of the most popular New Year's resolutions that neverseem to "stick!"
Log on to search engine www.Google.com, put in "break badhabits" and you'll drown under the amount of informationfor quitting just about anything.
However, before you throw your hands up in disgust, you needto understand the point of the exercise.
It clearly demonstrates that the information you need tostop (or start) doing virtually anything to change yourlife exists, especially online.
No matter what you want, somebody operates a website, wrotea book, produced a video, created some articles, or made aCD that contains the answers you need to make changes.
Just log on, hunt down the information, and take action onit.
Some suggested phrases to help make your searches moreproductive: "stop smoking," "lose weight," "endprocrastination," "improve self-esteem."
~~ Talk To The "Future" You ~~
Many companies online will help you keep your New Year'sresolutions by sending you email reminders throughout theyear (for a monthly fee).
But, instead of paying, you can set up your own reminderservice.
Log on to www.timecave.com and sign up for a free account.
Then sit down for an hour or two and think about thechallenges you will face in 2004.
Write yourself encouraging notes in the future about how tostay on track.
Then, over the course of the year, you will receive yourown reminders and encouragement just when you need themmost.
~~ What Makes The Difference? ~~
Choosing to take consistent ACTION makes the differencebetween a wish and a goal!
A "wish" would be nice to have -if it isn't too difficult.
A "goal" is something you choose to act upon daily with aplan and commitment - no matter what!
The best summary I've ever seen of this principle comesfrom the second book in the "Harry Potter" series whenProfessor Dumbledore tells Harry, "It is our choices thatshow what we truly are, far more than our abilities."
(I have that quote taped to the top of my monitor)
The information to accomplish virtually anything is just afew mouse clicks away online and much of it's absolutelyfr^e.
Choose to use that information to make 2004 better foryourself and others.