By Denise Michaels

The holidays are over and as a business owner you’ve probably ramped up to full speed again.  Here’s a way to get your new year off to a great start. Light a few candles or start a fire in the fireplace.  As the flames magically leap skyward, it’s a great time to gently review how you did in 2011.

It’s also a good time to chuck the “resolutions” you’ve already broken and get clear about some real goals you can live with and accomplish in 2012.

Every year, I take an afternoon to sit down someplace opulent to write. Usually its a gorgeous hotel lobby – after all, it’s a good idea to get comfortable with financial prosperity. I write my goals for the next year.  I’ve been doing this ritual annually for decades.  If you follow a few guidelines when setting your goals you’ll be more likely to succeed and enjoy your accomplishments.

1.    Write Down Your Goals

There is a sense of commitment that happens when you write your goals.  Use it to help you move forward in the right direction.  By writing down your goals you take them seriously. They have a more important place in your life.  If you decide a goal no longer suits you or isn’t right for you, you can always toss it out.

 2.      Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

That stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Risky and  Time-bound.  S.M.A.R.T. goals let you know when you’ve arrived.  Vague goals like, “I want to be a better person” can be fuzzy and unclear.  How do you know when you’ve arrived?  Set goals where there’s a point where you can say “Yes! I did it!” and celebrate your success

3.      Have a Passion or Burning Desire

Experts say when you have a big enough “why” you’ll figure out the “how” to accomplish your goals.  If you have a big goal, that “burning desire” Napoleon Hill talks about in “Think and Grow Rich” helps.  Your passion will keep you motivated when others say, “no.”  Discover your passion and get going!

4.    Set Goals in Alignment with Your Core Values

If your goals are out of alignment with your core values either: a) you won’t achieve the goal, or, b) you won’t be very happy once you get there.  This means know your core values.  Think about why you get out of bed in the morning and who and what you love.  Don’t set goals meant to satisfy or impress others. Satisfy yourself.

5.      Determine Your Reward Before Reaching Your Goal

Most people don’t reward themselves when they meet their goal.  They say the accomplishment is enough of a reward.  Planning a reward makes the victory sweeter.  A reward, big or small, gives you time to take a breather and acknowledge yourself.  Even small rewards like a cup of your favorite fancy-schmancy coffee if you don’t usually splurge can be a nice way to acknowledge yourself.

6.      Don’t be Attached to the Process.  Be Open and Flexible.

John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.  Our goals should be set in Jello® not in concrete.  That doesn’t mean you should give up.  It means sometimes solutions come to us in unexpected ways.  Don’t be married to certain steps – better, faster, easier ones might be revealed.  Be prepared for miracles.

7.      Visualize Your Goals in Completed Form

Don’t just think OF your goals, but think FROM your goals.  That means visualize your goals their completed state.  Imagine how you will feel.  Are you happy?  Smiling?  Who are you sharing it with?  What do you see, taste, touch, smell, hear and feel?  Make it so real it’s palpable.  Visioning will help attract you towards your goals.

Another great way to start your 2012 is by attending “Occupy Your Life… NOW!” with Denise Michaels and Stacey Hall. It’s a transformational workshop to help you improve your business and your life. Let’s be honest. Constant change is “the new normal” and “Occupy Your Life… NOW!” will help you make the changes necessary to create success in this ever-changing world. It  happens January 26-28th in Las Vegas, NV.  Our Premiere Sponsor for the event is In-Touch Credit Union.  For more information click here now.

Have you ever received little signs, little promptings that  what you want is truly your life and business purpose?  But maybe you hesitate to take big leaps because it means huge changes.  Your passion runs  deep so you want to get it right.

At the age of eight it was clear I was meant to be a writer.  In third grade, I got a book report back with an A++ and two gold stars on it.  I knew I loved writing, but it was a defining moment.  Yes, even for a girl of eight.

As a nurse, my Mom wanted me to be a physical therapist.  I’ll never forget what a good friend told me, “Physical therapy is fine, if that’s what you want.  But when you talk about writing – your eyes light up.”  I dropped physical therapy as a career choice like a hot potato.

I became an advertising copywriter out of college. I did Public Relations which required writing skills. Then, when I purchased my first business, I strayed from what I loved for quite a few years.

When I moved from Michigan to San Diego, I returned to those roots:  I decided on purpose to occupy my life and found clients and did ad copywriting again, wrote business plans, articles and PR stuff.  Still do. Writing helped me create leverage and pay some bills. Mentoring other business owners on how to promote their businesses took on new significance.  Finally, a few years after moving to Las Vegas I wrote the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.”

Writing is now part of my daily activities to market my services as a marketing mentor, trainer and speaker.  However, in 2012 I long to return to the writing that changes hearts and helps people change their lives in positive ways. After all, your business growth doesn’t happen any faster than your personal growth.

Think about what you want to create in 2012 with your business and your life. Consider what brings you passion and joy.  Often there are surprising ways to monetize what you do with ease that’s a challenge for others. Or, you may need to make a few tweaks to the business you already have to make it far more satisfying and financially prosperous.  You may have to get creative.  Making a small investment in the resources to help you open up to new possibilities can be money well spent.  What would it mean to occupy your own life?

Once you’ve thought about what you want to create in 2012, you’re ready to sit down and write your goals. Shake things up by going someplace opulent and full of possibilities.  Three favorites of mine:  the JW Marriott close to Boca Park, Leone Café at Tivoli Village, and, the Loews Lake Las Vegas.  Buy a cuppa something you’ll enjoy sipping for a couple hours and sit someplace and write – on a tablet, in a journal, or, whatever suits you.

Chances are, you’ll increase your income this year and so will I.  It’s important, but only to a point.  People get infected with the disease of more, more, more when they are doing well financially. Money becomes a substitute that we believe we want more of when you honestly might be happier with the same amount of money and more freedom, more creativity and more balance. Money certainly solves problems, but it also can become a way to simply keep score without providing more contentment and joy because you haven’t built those qualitative improvements into your goals. Or, maybe you are doing what you love but the money hasn’t followed yet. Once you master the essentials financially, quality of life brings true wealth.

Writing makes me feel 100 percent prosperous and successful.  I’ve never been a “starving artist.”  My income allows me financial freedom while living my passion.  My husband and I travel, save for the future, enjoy our home and buy a few indulgences along the way. It doesn’t matter that there are no Rolexes or Louis Vuitton matched luggage sets in my life.

Consider the possibility there is a way to make your passion into a successful business.  Or, if you have already started the business – now may be time to make it successful.  You can occupy your own life – and do it now.

So, set goals in all facets of your life.  Yes, of course, set business and financial goals.  But set goals in health and fitness, goals for your most important relationships, and, for your intellectual growth – read more books, take classes, or, attend a workshop.  And if there’s a piece inside you that yearns for deeper meaning, setting spiritual goals may have value for you.

What are you aching to do that would make your life complete even if you didn’t become a millionaire? What steps can you take in 2012 to help make it your best year ever?  Let’s be honest – the economy will keep going two steps up and one step down for most of the year.  Put your energy and passion into efforts that will bring you more joy and more prosperity.

We’re proud our Premiere Sponsor for “Occupy Your Life… NOW!”  is In-Touch Credit Union.   A credit union is a great  alternative to banks for small business owners.  For more information about In-Touch Credit Union click here now.  In-Touch will have a table at our Opening Ceremonies on Thursday January 26th.  They are also graciously providing the refreshments for the event.  Thank you, In-Touch.

Denise Michaels is author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-free Marketing” and a Las Vegas-based marketing mentor to thousands of clients internationally over the last decade.  January 26-28^th Denise will be conducting “Occupy Your Life… NOW!” a workshop experience with author Stacey Hall to help business owners dump what no longer works and learn what does work in an age of ever-accelerating change.  Discover more about “Occupy Your Life… NOW!” at http://www.DeniseMichaels.com/seminar/  

By Denise Michaels

In recent years many of us have become drawn into finally understanding and caring about what life is like, in many other places and among different cultures around the world. We see more clearly how we’re alike and how we’re different from other people we didn’t take much time to care about before.

Look at the common thread running through each of these holidays celebrated by people with different religious and spiritual beliefs:

• The wise men followed the light from a star in the East to leading them to a manger in Bethlehem to find the newborn king bathed in light. That’s the reason for the season: Christmas

• Hanukah, celebrated by the Jewish people is about the miracle of the oil in the lamp lasting for seven days when it should only have lasted for one day and so candles are lit on the menorah.

• The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins when the light of the crescent moon is seen. For 30 days, the fasting ends and celebrating begins when the crescent light is seen again.

• The Winter Solstice is celebrated by Pagans on the darkest day of the year, December 21st, to pay homage to the fact that very soon the days will be more and more light.

• Kwanzaa, a newer holiday for people of African descent celebrates the virtues of Unity, Determination, Responsibility, Cooperation, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Beginning December 26th, a different colored candle is lit each day.

• In India, a nation of 80 percent Hindus, Divali, known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated in November. There are joyful lights everywhere and countless millions splurge on sweets.

• New Years Day is about new beginnings and is celebrated with noisemakers, bubbly champagne, music, fireworks, the ball dropping in NY City and sparkly, light-attracting clothes.

Why discuss the common thread of light in the midst of all the festivities?

Because marketing your business is about letting your light shine. Not being afraid to let others know how proud you are of your business and what you offer to others.

Are you letting your light shine? Are you getting out of your comfort zone a little bit more each day to shine a light on your business and yourself? Or, do you feel uncomfortable when another person let’s his/her light shine? Do you try to pull her down because her light makes you aware you’ve missed opportunities to shine your own light? Do you fall into the predictable pattern of waiting for others to notice you?

I want to wrap up by sharing these famous words from Marianne Williamson’s book “A Return to Love.” Williamson wrote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.”