How Do You Set Your Goals?

As you can imagine, I hear from all kinds of people about how they are planning for their New Year's goals. I thought I would share a few of these ideas as well as something that I enjoy doing.

Lots of people like to create a "Vision Board" of photos that represent their goals and values. A lot of people make these by pasting the pictures on a posterboard, but I found that my ideas on this changed frequently and I kept wanting to add to it. 

So I made mine changeable...Some of you may recall the post I wrote for Lifehack.org on how to create a vision board wall using cork tiles. Here is a photo from that post (click image for larger version)-- I did mine on the back wall of my closet where I can see it every morning:

In Feng Shui principles, there is a concept called a "bagua map," which is the framework of categories of your life that you use to arrange your home or office, or even your desk. I am not a Feng Shui expert and I don't really agree with or understand everything about it, but the way it was explained to me by a local practitioner, there are nine categories and they each have a corresponding color:

• Abundance-Money-Empowerment (purple)
• Fame-Reputation-Vision (red) 
• Love-Partnership-Marriage (pink) 
• Family-Community-Elders (green) 
• Health-Heart of Chi-Unity (yellow)  
• Children-Creativity-Goals (white) 
• Knowledge-Self-Cultivation-Wisdom (blue) 
• Career-Mission-Life Path (black) 
• Helpful People-Target Market-Travel (grey)

Because I like to categorize and organize things, even my goals (big surprise), I decided to use these bagua categories as an easy way to structure that. Here's a picture of how it turned out (click image for a larger version)-- I wrote in the categories so you can see them, but I blurred out the photos because I think that someone's vision board is pretty personal. You can still see my One Million Dollar Bill and the picture of the back patio deck I would like to build:

Now when I find something new I just add it to the board and I look at it every day. Many of these goals have come to fruition, like my book! (Kindle readers- THANK YOU! The Kindle edition of my book was number 17 on the Kindle bestseller list this week out of 218,000 books!)

Here are some other things people do for the New Year:

• My friend Louise on Facebook quoted columnist Ellen Goodman: "We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential." I love the idea of walking through your house to jog ideas on your goals and make a big exhaustive list.
• My friend Susan makes a theme for the year. I also like doing this. Last year my theme was "Conquering Fear," which kicked off with me skydiving. So that pretty much worked. I did a lot of scary but exhilirating stuff this year! This year's theme for me is "Putting It All Together." 
• One of our readers commented on our previous post that her goal was to "Wag more and bark less." That's a simple motto that goes a long way! 

How about you? Share your goals and thoughts in the comments.

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Comments

[Elaine Shannon]

Hello Lorie,
Thanks for this awesome visual. I know what I am doing this week.:)
Blessings and abundance to you for 2009.
Elaine

[Barb]

I do like you do, though I use cork boards that I can hang anywhere, and I don't color the bagua areas. :D

[allison carter]

I have to tell you... I laughed so hard because I thought the first picture was your clutterless, feng shui vision board.... until I scrolled down.
I prefer funky shway but I like your way too.
-- Allison

[Jane]

Intriguing to see someone else brave enough to declare "disagreeing" with feng shui. It has grown on me since I published my book (All You Really Need), where I objected strenuously. I find the bagua categories helpful and kind of exhaustive, though. The colors? Seems awfully culture-based. Do you agree?

[Sylvia]

Although I have made a lot of positive changes in my life in the last year or two I have really never set goals or used visualizing techniques. I would like to use them to start tackling some of the more challenging issues in my life. I like the idea of this but wonder if setting too many goals dilutes the ability to achieve them?

[Brzee]

Wonderful!! I absolutely Believe in Vision Boards especially if it was in a movie with powerful affirmations. I use the affirmation "I have 1 million Happy Customers Right Now" on mine. Happy New Year and Blessings.

[One Bag Nation]

I think this board will appeal to the visual person in me! I made some affirmations this year rather than resolutions, and I need to put some meat on the bones. This looks like a fun way to do that.

[Genny]

Just took a passion test where I was asked to create a vision board. I like the cork idea. I think it lends to the ever changing visions we have! I especially like putting a theme to the year. We do it for our magazine, why not our personal life to help the focus! Great food for thought! Thank you.

Genny
www.Connectionsforwomen.com

[Annie]

Vision board is really helpful in setting things up in your life.

[Donna]

I am a feng shui practitioner (Black Hat Sect). I find that using this contemporary Western type of feng shui is easily understood. Once understood, it's a lot easier to implement. I have used a similar idea for Vision Boards, crystal & angel healing - all using the Bagua.
Donna
Phoenix Feng Shui and Holistic Services