Setting Goals Using the SMARTEST Method

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Setting Goals using

The SMARTEST Method



Setting Goals using

The SMARTEST Method

Brian McAleer



Copyright © 2014 by Brian McAleer.

ISBN: Softcover 978-1-4990-0105-1 eBook 978-1-4990-0104-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval

system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 04/25/2014

To order additional copies of this book, contact:Xlibris LLC

1-800-455-039

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[email protected]



Contents

Acknowledgements ....................................................................................... 7

Foreword ..................................................................................................... 9

Summary ................................................................................................... 11

Introduction .............................................................................................. 15

How to use this book .................................................................................. 23

Chapter 1: S—How to make your goal “Small & Specific” ....................... 27

Chapter 2: M—How to make your goal “Measurable & Manageable” ....... 39

Chapter 3: A—How to make your goal “Attainable & Achievable” .......... 51

Chapter 4: R—How to make your goal “Realistic & Relatable” ............... 68

Chapter 5: T—How to make your goal “Time-Framed

& Task-Orientated” ........................................................... 82

Chapter 6: E—How to make your goal “Energised & Excited” ................. 99

Chapter 7: S—How to make your goal “Stated & Shared” ...................... 128

Chapter 8: T—Take the First Step .......................................................... 147

Chapter 9—The Eleven Principles of Success ........................................ 157

Conclusion: The Road Ahead . . . ............................................................. 163



7

Acknowledgements

Book’s never just happen; they are the combined experience of years ofreading, writing, learning, soul searching and questioning. I have taken thisroad for the past ten years, and met many people along the way who helpedshape me and thus, were part of this book becoming a reality.

To my first mentor, Steven Bettles, who taught me to actively follow mypassions and that persistence creates opportunities. To Bill Kendall, wholead the way on a little youth project all those years ago and inspired me

to become a Youth Worker. To Tim Kedge, who is no longer with us; yourenergy and vision for children has influenced not just me, but countlessothers. To Sandy Ewing, for coaching me at the start of my journey andencouraging me to pursue Life Coaching myself. To Keith McGinn, forbeing my teacher of Youth Work;. you shone the light on my own yearningto train others and continue to learn for my entire life. To Rachel Anastasi,Life Coach Extraordinaire; your commitment and excitement for coaching,and life, lifted me up when I was uncertain and pushed me beyond my

limits. To Mark Collard, for inspiring me to live a life of my own design;doing what I love and doing it the best I can. Your guidance and influenceled me to write this book in the first place, and I appreciate our friendship.To Emily Gowor; your wisdom and passion was a real kick-starter in myown journey, with your daily emails and tips integral to the creation ofmy first book. To Dr. John Demartini, for imparting your words of wisdomand genius onto the world. From seeing you speak, listening to your audioCD’s then joining you on The Breakthrough Experience, you awakened

the magnificence within and helped me clarify my greatness. And a bigthank you to Xlibris for publishing my little opus here; your patience andencouragement on this long journey was very much appreciated.

To the people who have followed The SMARTEST Method from itsearliest days, when it was just a blog in the making. Your interest and



8 Brian McAleer

readership kept me going as I developed this idea and fleshed it out. I knowyou will enjoy what the book has in store for you.

Of course, I couldn’t leave this page without acknowledging those

closest to me. Firstly, to my parents for being such strong supports, teachingme the value of work, appreciating everything you have and never settlingfor second best. To my sisters for teaching me the many mysterious waysof women, and bringing out the man in me. To my closest mates, who I’veknown since high school. We’re still hanging out and having fun! That’s agift and I appreciate our friendship and the company more and more as theyears continue.

Lastly, to my own little family. My gorgeous daughter Lucy, who cameinto this world in 2013; your bright smile and happy face light up every dayand you’ve brought out the best in me. I’m proud to be your daddy. And tomy beautiful wife Nicole; our love and connection is deep and you’re mybest friend. Your ongoing support as I pursue these crazy dreams and goalsis so important and I cherish everything about you. Looking forward to therest of our lives together as one.

And now over to you, dear Reader. I would like to thank you forchoosing this book as the next step in your journey. The path to personalgrowth and self-awareness is long and winding, offering many options and

ideas; I appreciate you considering the idea I present to you here. I believein it whole heartedly and also believe you will be pleasantly surprised asyou move through its pages. And this is just the beginning . . .



9

Forewordby Warren Frehse

Brian writes from the heart and this has the seeds of a best-seller withinit. In the noisy distraction of life, getting what you need, let alone what youwant is increasingly difficult. Brian sets out the steps you really need toboth achieve and believe in yourself to really make a difference. He gentlyguides and persuades you to become better than what you think you are.He helps to open up your true potential. He takes you beyond the smallself to unearthing the Big Self within you. That’s what really sets this book

apart from the typical goal setting stuff out there. This is powerful. I’ll sayit again, this is really powerful! Brian lives, eats and breathes what hepreaches too. His own story is weaved through the pages, making the stepscome alive, so you actually feel his journey interwoven with the one youare about to take. You actually feel you have a trusted partner with you. Hequotes the greatest thinkers in this field. This is the book that you don’tleave on your bedside table. You take it with you . . . to school, college orwork. It is your friend and guide to a new future. Once you start it, you get

the urge to live it, then everything changes . . . for the better.

—Warren Frehse, Author, Manage Your Own Career:Reinvent Your Job; Reinvent Yourself



11

Summary

Short on time? Not sure if this book is for you? No worries!Here’s a summary of The SMARTEST Method and what

you can expect from using it to set your goals.

Each chapter dedicates time to each part of the method. You will betaken through a process of self-analysis and personal review before youstart putting your goal together. This helps the whole method make sense

and become integrated into how you then approach your outcome.

S—Small & Specific

Small—the method begins with you setting a goal that is sizeable,chunked down and won’t require a lot from you too soon. The area ofperspective is explored and the benefits of being in the game of successfor the long haul. Ideally, your goal should be the stepping stone to a bigger

goal.Specific—getting associated to your outcome through your senses, you’ll

soon know what it looks, sounds, smells and feels like as clear as crystal.Being able to describe your outcome freely and descriptively will start tocome quite naturally to you.

M—Measurable & Manageable

Measurable—beginning at the end, you will be instructed on how towork backwards in identifying your step-by-step process. Or learn how tofind a coach/mentor who has achieved the goal you want and the processof modelling how they did it to achieve the outcome. These methods/strategies/steps become your measurements and what you refer to so youcan stay on track while working towards your goal.



12 Brian McAleer

Manageable—we’ll explore how to work on a process you feel like youcan manage, proceeding to gradually push yourself out of your comfortzone further, with each step and each goal. This chapter will ask you to be

genuinely honest with what you feel you can manage, but also reminds youto keep in mind that you make yourself feel the way you do. Once you’velearnt to master your feelings, you’ll then be asking yourself “What’s reallypossible?”

A—Attainable & Achievable

Attainable—learn how to set a goal that is either a real, tangible itemor result you can attain or which others will give to you, either physically ormeta-physically. Look at what you have around you and what others haveachieved before you that was attained through a proven strategy.

Achievable—considering what you believe is possible; for others, theworld and yourself this part of the method helps you to realise that you havethe power to create your own beliefs which propel you forward or hold youback. You will uncover which of your beliefs are moving you towards yourgoal and what other beliefs could also help you., as well as looking backover your own list of personal achievements through life. These make up

the foundation of who you are and what you are capable of.

R—Realistic & Relatable

Realistic—you’ll be reminded and empowered that what’s realisticis different for everyone and you determine your own reality through yourimagination. In regards to the realities bestowed upon you, this chapteradvises you on the art of responding rather than reacting. Once learned, this

will make you the Master of Your Destiny instead of a victim of your owncircumstances.

Relatable—at this point, you will revisit your goal and honestly answerif what you want truly resonates with you. Looking inward to what inspiresyou, your true passion, and most importantly your highest values, you willconnect your goal to these aspects. Once you’ve done this, you won’t requiremotivation to work on your goal—you will be driven to succeed!

T—Time-Framed & Task-Orientated

Time-Framed—before working out when and how often you willwork on your goal, an activity in this chapter will help to define how youperceive and manage your time. Rediscovering how you spend your timeand learning how to maximise it will reignite your appreciation for this



13Setting Goals using The SMARTEST Method

ever-precious commodity. From here onwards, you’ll begin to make the mostor of your time. Then, when you achieve your goal is really up to you.

Task-Orientated—a goal shouldn’t feel like work, but you’ll have to

work to make it happen. This chapter will instruct you on how to turn yoursteps into tasks, each with a beginning, middle and end. Implementingthese tasks repeatedly until they’re almost effortless for you, then becomeyour new habits. This chapter will assist you in strategically breaking downyour goal as well as sustaining the outcome if it needs consistent workbeyond it’s realisation, i.e. staying fit, building wealth, etc.

E—Energised & Excited

Energised—thinking of your goal as a vehicle, it needs fuel to get itmoving. This fuel is your energy. The more energy you put in, the moremomentum and power your goal will have. You’ll learn how to tap intocreative visualisation, positive language and uncovering all your reasonswhy you want the outcome. This is a very powerful chapter that takes yourgoal to a whole new level and brings it to life.

Excited—creating excitement around your goal by looking forwardto the outcome with huge anticipation, will get you pumped about taking

action every day. This is achieved through connecting your goal to alleight of your life areas, as well as imagining how you’ll change once you’veachieved it. We’ll go one step further and explore how your goal could be apart of something bigger! You’ll also learn how to actively excite yourselfeveryday through the power of Affirmation’s.

S—Stated & Shared

Stated—this step will empower you to stay true to your goal andyourself, for when the going gets tough Declaring your own self-worth,and living with integrity and assertiveness are the focus here. In teachingyourself to be congruent with your goal by talking, walking, living andbreathing your outcome, your desire becomes a powerful statement.

Shared—discover the power of Accountability by sharing your goalwith a partner; someone who will hold you to your word, offer support, andprovide you with feedback and positive reinforcement as you progress.

Aspire to have your outcome benefit other people and get them involved inthe process. In accepting that we often do more for others than ourselves,this chapter will inspire you to make a difference with your goal and leaveyour mark on the world.



14 Brian McAleer

T—Take the First Step

Take the First Step—the journey of a thousand miles begins with

a single step. To kick off the process of working towards your goalproductively, you will be lead to take action as soon as you’ve completedthe planning process. We’ll also look at the definitions of success andfailure, and how you can use both to serve you. By this point, you will beready and willing to make things happen and let your vision and faith carryyou to where you need to go.

After you’ve worked through the method, you will also be provided withthe Eleven Principles of Success; those extra gold nuggets to use along theway. The final chapter is the conclusion, which hints at how life will bedifferent for you once you’ve set a goal using The SMARTEST Method.



15

Introduction

I can predict you are a person who has already found some success inlife. If you’ve picked up this book, I’ll take that as a sign you like to thinkoutside the box. With a title like “The SMARTEST Method” many mightassume this was a book for the already wise, intelligent and knowledgeablepeople of the world. Or maybe a way to make yourself smarter? That’s notthe case. As you’ll see over the following pages the title is actually anacronym for a goal setting method that is not what you might expect. And

there in lies its power.Having taken elements from other goal setting methods, I don’t claim

that what I’ve written here is completely original. However, the combinationof various methods of personal development and success building havebeen brought together here to give you a method that will speak to the manyparts of you.

This is not just another goal setting book. Yes, it will teach you howto use The SMARTEST Method, but you will also be taken on something

of a journey. To prepare you for this journey, allow me to ask you thisquestion; how well do you know yourself? Would you say you have a prettygood idea of who you are as a person? Whatever your answer is, rememberthis important point; life is not about finding yourself, it’s about creatingyourself. You can be whoever you want to be. The goals you set determinethe success you experience. What you do with that success is what definesyou, thus you create yourself from the very beginning.

“Formal education will make you a living; self-education willmake you a fortune”

—Jim Rohn, Entrepreneur, Author &

Motivational Speaker (1930-2009)



16 Brian McAleer

What is The SMARTEST Method?

You’ve heard of the SMART way of setting your goals right? This is one of the

most well known and widely used methods of goal setting. You may have firstheard of it back in high school, especially if you studied business or commerce.And its use goes beyond the classroom. The SMART method is still used todayby businesses and organisations across the world.

There are several versions of SMART goals, but typically the acronym breaksdown in the following way;

S—Specific or SimpleM—Measurable or Meaningful A—Aligned or AchievableR—Relevant or ReasonableT—Time-bound or Trackable

I was resorting to the SMART way of setting goals for some time beforeI stopped and realised that there was something missing from that formula.Sure, it worked in getting me to set achievable goals, putting a deadline on

them and feeling confident that I could achieve them. But then, I wouldwalk away from my freshly written goal with no motivation. No one knewabout it either, which meant I didn’t have support or encouragement. Andmost importantly, I wasn’t taking action straight away. I was waiting till thenext day, or after the weekend to get started. Have you done this? I’m surewe all have. We tend to wait for the perfect try; when we feel a certain way,until everything else is organised and settled first, or we wait in hope thatsomeone will come along to give us a kick in the butt and get us moving.

But if you’re quietly hoping for that to happen, you can be waiting forever insome cases.

So here, I present to you “The SMARTEST Method” of setting andachieving your goals. You don’t just want to be smart at what you do. Beingsmarter is marginally better and there are goal setting strategies that holdthemselves to be SMARTER. You know and I know that you would prefer tobe the smartest one. Or even better, the smartest version of yourself .

Smart vs. Intelligent

But before we go any further, it’s worthwhile to address the meaning ofsmart and how it differs from intelligent.

Smart and intelligent are not the same thing, which is why you don’trequire high intelligence to use The SMARTEST Method. Being smart is an




acquired status, and is earned through effort. You learn about a particularsubject and if you go on to be seen as a professional in that subject oryou can inform other people about it in various ways, than you would be

considered smart in that regard. The general consensus on our personallevel of intelligence is that we are born with it. Our intelligence is measuredby our IQ (Intelligence Quotient), and you can determine that from avariety of tests. If you can become smarter in something, can you becomemore intelligent? That’s debatable. Some would say you can’t increase yourintelligence and the IQ you have is what you get for life. Others believe thatintelligence can be increased, through an assortment of brain exercises.

To be honest, the argument between the meanings of smart andintelligent is such a broad topic, we don’t have the time to delve anydeeper with it in this book. But I’m aware the question of the differencebetween the two may have been on your mind. To clarify my position onthe topic, I am not saying that reading and using The SMARTEST Methodwill make you smarter or increase your intelligence. Rather, this book willwork with the fundamental aspects and characteristics of your psyche andnatural abilities. You already have these within you; it does not need to beearned like smarts do, and it doesn’t need to be increased like intelligenceapparently can. No work is required to earn this part of you and it cannot be

measured by a number.Human potential is vast and almost unlimited in its capability to

imagine and create. Your mind is an incredible tool, and if you’re notaccessing the many dimensions of its power, then be prepared for that overthe following pages.

Working smarter, not harder

In my opinion, there seems to be a stronger emphasis today than everbefore on working harder—as hard as we possibly can. And I won’t arguethat hard work can pay off, but why work so hard that you don’t allowyourself to enjoy the benefits? We push ourselves to the limit in the work wedo, often to the point of exhaustion, burnout or in some cases, death!

We seem to fear that if we don’t work hard, driven by a sense ofurgency, constant panic and an ever present sense of anxiousness, thenwe won’t get the job done. People are hesitant to relax at work, worrying

they might become too complacent, thus not be seen by the “Powers ThatBe” as working hard enough. Then we worry we might lose our job and beunemployed, with no way of providing for ourselves or our families. Wheredid this fear come from?

We work longer hours, more often and for less pay. Some of us worktwo jobs or more simply to pay the bills. Granted the cost of living has



18 Brian McAleer

gone up everywhere and for everyone, but that’s only set to continue. Ontop of the rising costs of everyday life, we’re living longer lives, and withan ageing population, we’ve got millions of Baby Boomers around the

world retiring or just about to retire, who don’t have as much money asthey need to fund a nice lifestyle in retirement. And with people livinglonger, you can expect the next generation living up to 100 years of ageor more! You might be wondering what this has to do with setting goals?Glad you asked.

This is the 21st Century and the time of the Entrepreneur is with us. Youdon’t have to start your own business or be a multi-millionaire, but it’s worthtaking some time to consider how else you can diversify your income andcreate as many options for yourselves as possible. Business’s and industries aredropping like flies. No one’s job is safe anymore and just about everyone isexpendable or replaceable. I know that sounds grim, but that’s the reality of ourcurrent economy. On that note, in what other ways can you spread your wings?Are you tapping into your full potential? There’s success, money and influenceto be found there, believe me. And the key to taking control of your life andending up where you want to be, is to set some clear and definitive goals foryourself. That’s where this book can help you.

Think you don’t have goals? Think again!

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you are constantly working towardsa goal of some kind. If you disagree with me, and would state that you’rean easy going person who goes with the flow and doesn’t plan too muchin life, stop and reconsider that. Even if you don’t have a conscious goalyou’re currently working on right now, you’re heading towards somethingin life. Whether it is a certain financial status, your climb up to a

professional level, some kind of a desired feeling about yourself or even astate of mind. You are being pulled towards something by what you valuemost.

You do have goals, and if you feel that in your past or even rightnow, you’re not motivated, passionate, enthusiastic or determined, that’snot because of you as a person. You’re just not inspired by what it isyou’re moving towards in life. And are the goals you’re working towards,consciously or not, going to serve you later in life? Maybe you’ve been

misguided to aim for something which doesn’t really connect with you.Perhaps you feel obliged to live a certain way because it’s what you should be doing or it’s what “society” says. Let me ask you this. Who issociety, what are they saying and what does that have to do with you andyour life?




I’m delving into some touchy and maybe controversial topics here, butI feel very strongly about this. Don’t consider what I’m saying is an attackon you individually or how you live your life. How you live your life is fine

and it’s your journey. I don’t pretend to know exactly who you are or what’sgoing on for you right now. Everyone is on their own journey, and only youcan truly know what that is. But are you happy with where you are heading?

If you’ve read this far, then I’ve connected with you on some level.Thanks for hanging in there and hearing me out. It was important for meto lay that down in order to reveal to you exactly what The SMARTESTMethod is; how it works, what it can do for you and why I feel you wouldbenefit from implementing it in your life.

Your goal can be anything. Whether it’s to be financially independent,to start your own business, to be a better partner, to have a positive impacton your kids, to write your own novel, or even just to develop somethingwithin yourself you’ve wanted to improve. The SMARTEST Method can beapplied to any goal. I know that, because I’ve been using it for years.

Now think of your goal. It might me something you’ve worked towardsbefore and didn’t achieve. It could be a goal you’ve been thinking about fora long time but never started working on for some reason. Or maybe you’ve just thought of a new goal in the time you’ve been reading this book. The

first step is to ask yourself what your goal is. Write it down on a piece ofpaper or in the space provided below. It usually starts with “I want . . .” or“I would like to be/do/have . . .”

Answering that question can be tough, so to break it down for you,consider these questions as well;

What is the one thing you would love to achieve in life more than anythingelse?

or

What accomplishment would make you feel whole and complete?

or

How would you like to be remembered?

or

If you could have, be or do anything you wanted, what would be the firstthing you’d do?



20 Brian McAleer

Even if your goal is only one sentence long, that’s fine. Just start there.

I want

or

I would like to be/do/have

Success is available to you

Success in achieving goals and in life, is not only reserved for thespecial few among us; it’s available to everyone. Success can be defined byyou and even if you don’t feel like you’re necessarily gifted or bright, that

doesn’t matter. I’m here to say that you are gifted and bright and there isa genius inside you. This book will speak to that part of you. If you don’tbelieve me yet, consider the following.

Two of the wealthiest men in the world today, are Bill Gates and MarkZuckerberg. They were both just your average college students who spent alot of time on developing their ideas. When they set out on their respective journeys, they weren’t sure what they would create and there’s no wayeither of them could have anticipated how far and wide their ideas would

spread. Bill Gates started Microsoft out of his garage, which then becamethe largest most successful computer software company in the world, alsomaking him the world’s richest man in the process. Mark Zuckerberg was a21 year old Harvard student who took the social experience of college andput it on a website, using just a laptop in his dorm room. In only ten years



22 Brian McAleer

If you’ve come this far, I now invite you to continue reading this bookand work your way through the following pages. If this book is your firstexperience of The SMARTEST Method, be sure to visit the official blog

for your free resources and tools, and the Facebook page to access morecontent and connect with other like-minded individuals.

www.facebook.com/thesmartestmethod www.thesmartestmethod.blogspot.com

This is the start of a journey. Perhaps a way of setting and workingtowards your life goals that is completely new and different for you. Youmight feel challenged by it, you might find yourself questioning the wholeidea or it could be right up your alley and work perfectly for you. Whateverresponse and experience you have of using The SMARTEST Method, justlet go and trust in the process. I firmly believe with all my heart and soulthat this strategy can work for just about anyone. It’s universally appealingand can be applied to anyone, anywhere, anytime.

If you find it works well for you, please share it with your friends, familyor work colleagues. I have seen great outcomes first hand for people usingThe SMARTEST Method, so I want to share it with the whole world. Help

me get it out there, because the world needs a helping hand from time totime.

To the SMARTEST version of YOU, I say good luck and all the best!



23

How to use this book

Setting goals is a strategic process, so reading this book from beginningto end is recommended.

Space has been provided for you to write notes in each chapter ofthe book and the goal construction process where you can develop yourgoal is located at the end of each chapter. If you don’t wish to makemarkings in this book (as you prefer to preserve it or you’re borrowingit) then you can download the questions and goal construction process

from The SMARTEST Method blog, at www.thesmartestmethod.blogspot.com

Have a pen and notepad handy, so as you have any important ideas orquestions that aren’t answered in this book, write them down. And writethem down straight way, avoiding the chance of letting that question, idea orinsight slip away from you.

Depending on the speed at which you read and work, you may movethrough this book quickly. If you prefer a slow and steady space, then by all

means stick with that. I suggest moving through each part of the method oneday at a time. This can give you the time and focus to concentrate on justone aspect of your goal per day, and process what you’ve read, written anddeveloped over night, making you fresh and clear headed for the next day.

I’m a firm believer that your goals should go where you go, so take thisbook with you as you move about your daily business. Ideas and inspirationoften occur spur of the moment, so tapping into that as it happens isimportant.

In closing, if you find this book helpful, you have a burning questionor want to connect with other goal-setters for support and encouragement,make sure to be a part of The SMARTEST Method community. Rememberto follow the Facebook page and check out the blog which contains all the



24 Brian McAleer

resources you’ll need to complete certain exercises. And of course, feel freeto contact me directly about anything at anytime. I’d love to connect withyou and hear about your experience with this book.

[email protected]

Ready? Set? Goal!



The

SMARTEST

Method



27

Chapter 1: S

How to make your goal Small

Size is a matter of perspective

The world is a big place. It may feel small today, due to the ease andspeed at which we can connect with others and access information. But our

blue planet is a mighty structure, housing the lives of seven billion people.The earth spins constantly, moving through the seasons, surprising us withweather events and disasters of its own choosing, but on the other handproviding us with an abundance of natural resources. Granted we have notperfected the way in which we treat our planet and use our resources, butwhen you stop and think about the unique combination of elements ourworld provides us with, it really is a mysterious miracle of creation. Whenyou take all of this into account, the world seems extremely big. That’s

because it is . . . isn’t?But now, see the world as if you were looking down at it. You’re

hovering above the atmosphere, gazing down on the planet from space.Slowly, see and feel yourself moving away from the planet, drifting throughspace. You’re passing the moon now, and can still see earth, but it’sgradually getting smaller. Now you’re passing our neighbouring planets, andthe earth is a blue circle in the distance. Move past the sun, and our worldis a dot you can just manage to see.

Continuing on your journey, you’re leaving our solar system, and youhave to strain your eyes to see our world as it gets smaller, and smaller.You’ve gone even further now, beyond our galaxy. Somehow you can stillsee the planet earth, but it’s merely a blue speck millions of miles away.Stopping, you hover there in space, surrounded by a never-endingblackness, and billions of stars around you. From here, your perspective



28 Brian McAleer

is so huge you can’t help but realise how tiny, small and insignificant theworld seems from this point of view. And the truth is, our planet really is just a tiny molecule in the Universe; fragile, vulnerable and lonely.

It’s interesting how our perspective can be changed quite quickly, asthis visualisation exercise would have just demonstrated to you. Picturingthat perspective in your mind just now, did it make the world feel small?Did it make you feel small? It should have and if it didn’t, I’ve got newsfor you—the world is small in relation to the Universe and you are a smallbeing too. That’s not an insult, but it helps to occasionally remind ourselvesabout The Bigger Picture; broadening your perspective on the world,life and where you fit into it. Doing this can be very humbling, keep usgrounded and empower us to not get bogged down by the trivial, minor andincessant worries and troubles of life we tend to be consumed by.

When starting out, start small

Even though we’re all small in the scheme of things, each of us have thepower and ability to make a big contribution to our own lives and the livesof others. It’s fitting then that when you embark on the journey of settingand pursuing goals, you should always start out small. Why?

It’s natural for us to get overwhelmed. We dare to have big dreams butshy away from taking massive action. We want to make a difference in theworld but feel the problems of the planet are too large to handle. We mayfeel larger than life in our minds and hearts, but life is still bigger than anyof us. One person can make a massive difference and lead others to do thesame, but that leader must start out small. A tree that is over a hundredyears old stands tall and mighty, but it didn’t grow to that size overnight.It started off as a seed in the ground, and over time and constant attention,

became what it is today.Small things can be built upon over time. Nothing large can remain

that way if it is assembled quickly. You may feel capable of achieving bigthings quickly, and you could go all Gung Ho into something new and dowell in the beginning. But without putting the necessary supports in placeto invest in the growth of your venture early on, it will soon crash and burn,and bring you down with it. You may have heard stories of entrepreneursmaking a commitment and excelling very quickly and very early on. At

some point down the line, they can fall into a heap, physically and mentally.Ascending so quickly, that they have forgotten to pause and reflect, nurturethemselves, refocus their perspective and remind themselves of theirweaknesses and vulnerabilities. No matter how successful, well adjustedor self-actualised an individual may appear to be, we all have flaws andinsecurities that can still bring us down. We’re only human after all.




Small goals lead to big goals, and starting small will teach you manypositive benefits. For instance, if you’re not a patient person, you would dowell to start practicing it. Patience is a virtue as they say and the key to

success is long-term vision, which is only acquired and maintained with anabundance of patience. Things take time, especially good things. Buildingwealth takes time. Writing a book takes time. Becoming well known in yourfield takes time. There are no shortcuts to success, and if you find yourselfbeing tempted by that avenue through some Get Rich Quick scheme or theEasy Road, avoid it. That path only ends in misfortune.

“From little things, big things grow”

—Paul Kelly, Australian singer/songwriter

In my aim of challenging you to start small to begin with, let me pose aquestion for you. If your goal is your life’s one single ambition, the ultimateoutcome you have been dreaming of for years and you do achieve this . . .then what? If you exhaust all your ambition and inspiration straight away,what will you have left to pursue? When I was first faced with this questionI didn’t know how to answer it. When younger myself I was adamant that

I had to have a career making movies. That hasn’t happened yet but I’mcertain it will, however it is no longer my one major goal in life. Eventhough I consider that life would be grand and very fulfilling, I had to stopand consider what would I do once I had made it.

We are never done with life as people. We don’t cross some finish lineof success and never want anything more. You just need to hear storiesof people who have made massive fortunes in life, never needing to workagain and who spend the remainder of their days on vacation. This may be

sweet in the beginning, lying on some beach without a care in the world.But after a while, those people get miserable. It’s in our nature to neverstop growing. We don’t cease desiring new experiences and variety. We alsowant to contribute and add meaning to our lives in order to feel significantand needed. So if we’re just travelling for a living and not worrying aboutanyone else, how can we fulfil those needs? We can’t.

Unless some terrible accident or illness strikes you down prematurely,you are going to be alive for some time to come. You may be 18, 21, 35,

47, 65 or 93. And if you are what is considered a Senior Citizen in today’ssociety, I hope you don’t suffer from the “I’m too old to change or doanything new” syndrome. Personally, I can’t wait to be an old man. Thatmight sound strange and although I will be limited physically and proneto afternoon naps, I know that in my twilight years I will be carrying theaccumulation of 60,70,80 or 90 years life experience, knowledge and skills



30 Brian McAleer

with me. In that unique position I intend to not just sit around and thinkabout my life gone by, but use my age and wisdom to do more and ensuremy legacy is left behind after I’m gone. A legacy that is based on passion

and purpose, sharing what I know with others and imparting my wisdomwherever I go.Imagine that you have a long while left on this planet, and although it

all goes by quickly, you still have time up your sleeve. We will get to theconcept of time later on in The SMARTEST Method but for now at least,make your goals small. They will feel more achievable, and enjoyable foryou to work on knowing that you have a very good chance of attaining them.Then, you can push yourself further beyond your limits and set your nextgoal just a bit bigger, and bigger and bigger, and so on.

Think Big, but chunk it down

Keeping your goal small will help you work through the rest of TheSMARTEST Method. But what if the goal you are most committed toachieving right now is big? Massive? Enormous even? That’s great if it is,and I will always recommend you to aim high with your goals. However,if your goal is to own a multi-million dollar company, you will struggle to

achieve that as a single and stand-alone goal. Instead, turn that one big goalinto several small goals. This process is called “Chunking Down”.

The secret to working out what steps you need to take to achieve yourgoals is to start at the end. Begin with your outcome and work backwardsfrom there. To do this, go into your minds eyes right now. Go forward in timeto the moment where you’ve achieved your Big Goal. Imagine as best asyou can, yourself in that moment, relishing in the success you’ve created.Staying in this moment, see yourself reflecting on how you got there.

Imagine your goal was to own and operate a multi-million dollarcompany. See yourself sitting in your private office, high above the citywith the best view money can buy. In the floors below you, are hundreds ofhard-working people, helping you to achieve your vision. In this position,you can afford to take a moment and look back on how you got there. Howwould you have gotten there?

Now, in this imagined reality, ask yourself “What was the last step Itook to achieve to achieve my big goal?” In the example just mentioned,

maybe it was a company that earns hundreds of thousands of dollars justbefore earning millions. Before that, a company that earns thousands ofdollars. And before that? I’m sure you can figure out the rest.

So work backwards from the end to figure out where to start. That firststep then becomes your first goal to work on, when once achieved will sendyou on the way to your final outcome.




One small goal, stacked on top of another, is like a staircase. Walkup the stair case one step at a time. Because at the top of the stair case iswhere your Sacred Treasure awaits you!

• Go to the next page to begin Constructing your Goal



32 Brian McAleer

Constructing Your Goal

SMALL

My goal is

Is this goal small enough that I can get started right now? If not, describewhat would help you feel ready to make a start.

This goal is part of my bigger goal, which is




Starting small is worthwhile, because you can only go bigger. With eachgoal you set, think bigger, reach further and take more action. Once you’ve

read this book and used it to set a goal for the first time, you can then

attend a special workshop called “Setting The SMARTEST Goals”. At thisworkshop, I will show you how to build on using The SMARTEST Methodfor the first time, making each goal—and each outcome you achieve—

bigger and braver than the last.

• Continue reading Chapter 1 to discover how to make your goalSpecific



34 Brian McAleer

How to make your goal Specific

In the first part of this chapter I talked about how to make your goals

small. In the visualisation exercise I asked you to picture the earth fromspace and see it becoming smaller and smaller as you moved farther awayfrom it through space. Now, return to the earth as if you were hovering justabove it again. Think of a location somewhere in the world you know well.It could be a city, a monument, a natural landscape or even your own house.Once chosen, start moving down to this location. If it’s a city, like New Yorkfor example, pick a building. Maybe the Empire State Building?

Descending down towards the building it looks small but graduallygets larger and larger. Moving towards it, you can see the tip of the spireon top of the building. Now pick a window. Close in on that window. Seethe glass as clear as day. Now look closer. What makes up that glass? Tinymolecules of matter and energy, which is what everything else is made upof as well. Focus on just one molecule and make it as large in your sightas you can. This is as close as you can get to seeing anything. Now, slowlymove out from that molecule until you see it surrounded by its billions offellow-molecules. Now see the glass of the window again, then the frame ofthe window, then the wall surrounding the window. Now you’re seeing the

spire on top of the building again. And the entire building. What else doyou notice? Is your vision of this building clearer now? Are you starting tohear things, like the sounds of the traffic below, the wind howling aroundyou at this great height? Hopefully you have noticed all of this and possiblymore, but if you didn’t it’s worth repeating this exercise. What you have just been through is how to get strongly associated to something. You gotspecific.

How specific is your goal?

Your goal might be to get fit in three months. Great! How fit? Are youreferring to how far you can jog without getting tired? How many pushups you can do before it gets too much? Maybe how many bench-pressesyou can do in a minute. So instead of your goal being “To get fit in threemonths” your goal could be “To achieve a level of fitness in three monthsfrom now, that allows me to run 5kms flat-out before slowing down”. Sound

better? That’s a clearer target than just “to get fit”.The flipside to setting a specific goal is to ensure you’re not beingextremely specific. An example of this would be “To be fit enough to rundown a flat surface that is extremely long and straight, with only a few joggers around and no kids or dogs getting in the way, and in moderateweather every Tuesday between 6pm and 7pm.” You don’t need to be that




pedantic about your goal, because when you get ultra specific, too choosyor picky, you can become over-fixated on the method and lose sight of youroutcome.

Be as crystal clear as you can be about your goal. Imagine looking atyour own goal under a magnifying glass, seeing the smallest most finitedetails about it. What does it look like? What will you hear when you’veachieved it? What will be a clear indication of that goal having come tolife? You need to know as much about your outcome as possible; theclearer it is in your mind, the better chance you’ll have of reaching it. Trydescribing it in a sentence, and in present tense, i.e.

“It’s now three months since I set my goal to get fitter. I can now runfor 5 kilometres before I even get tired, and I love how that makes me feel.People are telling me how much better and healthier I look and I can’t waitto get back out there are run again!”

“ If you want to reach a goal, you must ‘see the reaching’ in your

own mind before you actually arrive at your goal”

—Zig Ziglar, Author, Salesman &

Motivational Speaker (1926-2012)

The Power of the Senses

The secret to getting specific is to access a power each of us inhabits.We’re born with it, and don’t need to be taught how to use this power; it justcomes to us naturally. I’m referring to our senses. The five senses of sight,sound, touch, taste and smell.

Stop and remind yourself of how often we use them in a single day.

Notice how much you’re using them right now. You can feel this book inyour hands yes? Maybe it has that new book smell about it. Maybe you cansmell the things around you, such as food cooking, the air or your socks.What can you taste? Perhaps you’re drinking water or sipping tea. Whatcan you hear right now? Maybe you’re listening to music, or can hearpeople talking around you. Perhaps you’re reading this book on the train,with the clanking of metal wheels on rails and the passenger’s earphonesplaying music too loudly beside you. Our senses are constantly working

and if you were to describe your current position or situation right now, youwould probably begin with what you can see and hear.Practice describing the outcome of your goal using all your senses.

Get as precise as you can, because the more you do this, the more you willstart to see the outcome and the more real it becomes to you. If the outcomefeels real to you before you’ve even achieved it—meaning you can see it in



36 Brian McAleer

your minds eye without having to concentrate too much—then you have agreater chance of achieving your goal. We move towards what we focus onand what we can see in advance with our minds eye. This is the power of

visualisation which is the secret behind the first part of The SMARTESTMethod.In getting specific about your goal, remember that the outcome is King

and should ideally remain the same for you as you move through the book.If you feel the need to keep changing your goal with each section you workthrough, you may be working towards the wrong goal. If you’re feeling thatway now, don’t stress as I’ll get more into that when we reach Chapter 4:R—Realistic & Relatable. The real value of any goal is in the process ofachieving it, so aim to be flexible around your approach. Don’t confusebeing specific about your outcome versus being specific about how you getthere. Experiment. Mix it up. Try different approaches.

Going after any goal is like driving to a location. There is usually morethan one road to any destination right? You can go the short way or the longway. You can take the smooth road or the bumpy road. The road with placesto stop and rest or the express route. It’s up to you. Treat the attainment ofyour goal in the same way but keep the vision of your outcome in your mindas clear as day.





SPECIFIC

I know I will have achieved this goal because;

I will see

I will hear

I will hold/touch

I will smell / taste (if applicable)

In this chapter, we touched on the concept of visualisation. At the “SettingThe SMARTEST Goals” workshop, you will be taken through a powerfulexercise of creative visualisation. Using your mind and the power of your



39

Chapter 2: M

How to make your goal Measurable

Is there some kind of special ruler or measuring tape for goals? No,that would be too easy. Given your goal hasn’t manifested itself yet, how doyou measure the distance between where you start and your final outcome?Knowing what the process of working towards your goal will look like and

how to recognise that you’re getting there is important.If you’ve reached this point, you would have set a goal for yourself

that was small and specific. Hopefully, your goal is small enough that youdon’t feel too overwhelmed to even make a start and you’ve also gotten asspecific as you can on what your outcome is, so you can conjure it up inyour mind in an instant, describing it easily and with confidence. Don’t feelyou achieved that first step quite enough? Then please go back and redothe first step in the method. But if you feel you have, please continue.

Know the way before you go the way

Firstly, ask yourself what you currently know or believe to be all thenecessary steps you’ll need to take to reach your goal. For example, perhapsyour goal is to build something? Maybe an extra room for your home ora cubby house for your kids? Your dream car, put together in the garagepiece-by-piece? Brainstorm as many steps as you can. Here, you are

breaking down your outcome into Measurements.In order to help with this process, there are two ways you can go aboutit. Like described in the Small part of The SMARTEST Method, go forwardin your mind’s eye to the moment when you’ve achieved your outcome.Reflecting on how you did it, think of all the steps you took to get there.Again, use the “Chunking Down” technique. If you are familiar with the



40 Brian McAleer

process of the type of goal you’re trying to achieve you should be able to dothis.

The second way is to find a mentor or coach; someone who has achieved

the goal you’re going for, and learn from them how they did it. This can beextremely useful in your journey of success, especially if you are steppinginto new territory or achieving something that you never considered doingbefore. Finding someone you can model who has basically achievedthe level of success and accomplishment you would like to, can makea big difference in how you go about your goals. We will talk more about“Mentors and Coaches” later on in The SMARTEST Method.

Keeping track of how you get there

It’s important as you move forward in the achievement of your goalto record your measurements. As you take each step and achieve themini-outcomes, make a note of that. A great companion for you to take inyour journey of achieving goals is a journal. Write about your experience,as often as you can, jotting down exactly what you did, how you did it,what you noticed or experienced, heard, felt, and thought. All of thoseobservations will tell you if you’re on track, and essentially become your

references for creating the blueprint of how you achieved your goal.When you have achieved goals in the past, have you found yourself

raving about it to your family, friends or associates? You are so proud ofyourself and amazed at what you’ve achieved, you just have to share it withsomeone. And not in a way where you boast about your success or gloatabout it. That’s just wrong! Instead, I mean inspiring others to walk the pathyou’ve just walked. You want to share your success with others. Why keep itfor yourself? This is why recording your measurements, either in the form of

a journal, photos or even a video diary, can become a very useful documentlater on for imparting your knowledge and experience when others come upand ask you “How did you do that? Can you teach me?”

“ Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually

to improvement. If you can’t measure something, you can’t

understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If

you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.”

—H. James Harrington, Author and Management Mentor

The secret ingredient to measuring your goal as you go along is to useeach measurement as a springboard to the next measurement. Step-by-step,each part of the process before it is a crucial element in achieving your




goal. It’s like building a bridge that covers the gap you need to cross.Imagine yourself standing at the edge of a canyon. You’re on one side, andall the way across the enormous gaping hole in the ground and on the other

side, is your outcome. It’s up to you to build the bridge that will take youover there.

Keeping it real

You will find more success at achieving your goals if the measurementsyou make are real, factual results.

Ever caught yourself or someone else trying to describe somethingwith phrases like “it’s sort of . . .” or “it’s kind of like, you know?” That’sour way of trying to pass off as knowing what we’re talking about, when wecan’t exactly see it in our minds yet. If your vision is clouded about whatyou want, you won’t recognise which steps to take and even though youmay work your butt off in the pursuit of your goal, you can quickly start tofeel like you’re not getting anywhere, and that will be because you’re not.Remember, work smarter—not harder.

Instead of second guessing, speculating, or building up falseexpectations for yourself on what your evidence for success could be, just

stick to the basics. If you are working out to build muscle on your body,how do you know you’re getting bigger and stronger? Maybe a glance inthe mirror will show your muscles getting toned and more defined, but youknow you’re really succeeding when you can lift more and more weight on aconsistent basis. That’s a real measurement of a goal in progress.

This part of The SMARTEST Method can be difficult for some,depending on your goal, as it can be tricky to measure your progress inadvance. Even more so if your outcome is something you have never gone

after before. That’s why it’s so important to be specific about what your goalis. If you can’t see the outcome, able to describe it freely and see yourselfhaving achieved it, than either you haven’t gotten specific enough orperhaps the goal you’re chasing is out of your reach.

But Brian, shouldn’t I go for what’s out of my reach? Yes, as that’s how wegrow and become successful. But you don’t expect to shoot an arrow towards atarget in total darkness and hit the bullseye. You might not even hit the targetat all! In saying this, we now come to the second part of M in The SMARTEST

Method, and that is setting and working towards a goal that is Manageable.



42 Brian McAleer


MEASURABLE

Currently, all the steps I know or believe I need to take to make my goalhappen are;

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Each step will act as a “Springboard” to the next step in the following way;

Step 1 will help me get to Step 2 because









What currently are my thoughts about taking each step? (worries, concerns,questions, uncertainties, ideas)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

In making your goal Measurable, you can study the success of others whohave achieved what you want. Know that whatever it is you’re hoping toachieve, there are others who are also currently working on it or have

already achieved it. People are your greatest resource, and when you attend



46 Brian McAleer

is a bonus. Or, you might look at that phrase and say “Brian, I don’t haveeverything I need already! I’m still chasing that promotion at work, I’mnot driving the car I want, I’m not where I want to be with my finances or

wealth” and so on and so forth.Well, I happen to both agree and disagree with the above phrase. Yes Ihaven’t manifested everything I want to have, experience or achieve in mylife yet, but I also believe I’m whole and complete just as I am. Confused?Don’t be, because when you strive to have, do or be anything, this is almostalways driven by a desired feeling; getting what you want will make youfeel a certain way. It might very well do that for you and be everything youhoped it would be and more. But when you do get it, who is making you feelthe way you want to feel?

That’s right; you are! Before you even obtained the thing you werechasing you pre-determined how it would make you feel, remember? Whenit lands in your lap, you take that thing manifested as the trigger and createthat feeling for yourself.

Feeling vs. Thought

I mention that point because almost everything we do in life is driven

by our desire to feel a certain way. And you don’t need to work on feelings,try to develop or acquire them. You don’t have to force yourself to feel acertain way do you? It just happens naturally. We’re human and everyfeeling we’ve felt or haven’t felt yet is within us. Some feelings we will feelmore than others, and vice versa.

So on the topic of feelings, I want you to work towards a goal that you feel like you can manage. Whether you know if you can or can’t achieve itright now is irrelevant. Act on your feelings, not your thoughts.

Thoughts are powerful and productive . . . and that’s the problem. Theycan be so powerful in a negative way, they become self-destructive. Whenyou over-think what you’d like to do, you start to rationalise, argue, debate,critique and put limits in place; and more often you do this to yourself firstbefore anyone else does! Doubt kicks in, you second guess yourself andthen you look for validation of this thought in your environment, because wehate to be wrong about ourselves and love to prove that we’re right. This isthe agenda of the ego.

Speaking to someone else about what you’d like to do, injecting allthe fears and hesitations you have about achieving it—even before you’vetaken action—will be picked up on by the other person. They’ll see or hearyou’re trying to convince yourself that you can’t achieve the goal and they’llconfirm that for you by saying something like “Yeah, that does sound hard”or maybe they’ll say “Well, you can always just wait till you’re ready and try




later”. This kind-hearted person, who was probably only trying to supportand protect you from getting hurt or disappointed by your impendingfailure, has just sabotaged your success for you. Now, you’ve stopped

yourself from getting started on your goal before you’ve even begun.Are you following me here? Okay, because here comes the good stuff.

Do what you love . . . love what you do!

When you act on a feeling, you’re pretty much unstoppable aren’t you?And the strongest feeling of them all is Love.

Think of something you absolutely love to do . . . take a momentnow and imagine yourself doing that. Maybe it’s cooking, reading, beingcreative, playing or watching sport, dancing, singing—whatever! For me it’swriting. I love to write. I write everyday. I don’t always know what I willwrite about when I sit down to do so. It’s just the way it makes me feel. Noone has to motivate me to write as I do it automatically. In fact, this entrybegan with writing in the “Notes” application of my mobile phone whilecatching the train home from work. What do you love to do?

Think of another time when you acted on love . . .Maybe it was a hug, a kiss, a kind gesture, a phone call to a family

member for no reason but just to talk. When you acted on that feeling youdid it simply because it made you feel good. You didn’t necessarily have anagenda or an outcome; you just felt inside you with your heart and soul, itwas what you wanted to do in that moment more than anything else. Andwhen we act out of pure love, with no need to receive anything in return,we give our all. The other person feels loved, supported, appreciated andrespected, and you feel great for making them feel great.

When we act on feelings, we are free from thought. Sure, there’s a

moment’s thought there that might say “I wonder how this person willrespond if I just hug them out of the blue?” But when you act purely onfeeling, you silence your thoughts, and more importantly you silence theego. Your ego is that voice in your head that stops you from being, doingand having what you really want. You can’t get rid of the ego, but you canlearn to live with it.

So in wrapping up this chapter, what does all of this have to do withmaking your goals manageable? I know I’ve gone off on a couple tangents

here, but I wanted to really emphasise the importance of acting on feeling,and managing only what you feel you can manage. If you feel unstoppablein general, then you’ll feel like you can do anything. If that’s your self-beliefthen go for it. But if you have your reservations and limitations (as we alldo) then just go with what you feel you can manage to begin with.



48 Brian McAleer

You might surprise yourself and realise you’re capable of managingmore than you originally thought. If that’s the case, then take on biggersteps, more responsibility and greater risk.

“ Never apologise for showing feeling. When you do so, you

apologise for the truth”

—Benjamin Disraeli, Politician and Writer (1804-1881).





MANAGEABLE

In working towards my goal at the moment, I feel

What currently are my feelings about taking each step? (nervous, scared,excited, anxious, ambitious, hopeful)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

What do I currently know that can help me achieve this goal?

What do I currently have or can use that can help me achieve this goal?



50 Brian McAleer

What can I currently do that can help me achieve this goal?

When I do finally achieve this goal, that will make me feel

In taking one action step towards your goal every single day, how much time doyou honestly feel you could commit per day?

The secret behind this part of The SMARTEST Method is acknowledgingthe power of feeling over thought. How we feel influences how we think, and

when you are filled with the greatest feeling of them all—Love—imaginehow powerful your thinking will be? When you attend “Setting The

SMARTEST Goals” workshop, I run a group exercise that will blow yourmind. Without giving too much away, you will connect with the rest of thegroup and feel absolute, unconditional love. When you feel this way, you

will be inspired to think subsequently without limitations or doubt.

• Commence reading Chapter 3: A—How to make your goal Attainable & Achievable



51

Chapter 3: A

How to make your goal Attainable

“What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about

what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see

then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain”.

—Morpheus, The Matrix

What does this line mean? What does real mean? What’s real foryou might be different to what I consider to be real. For something to beattainable it has to be real. Or does it?

Talking about this part of The SMARTEST Method might pose morequestions than it answers, because exploring what is attainable is a verygrey area, and certainly not a black and white one. If you look at what

others in society have been able to attain, there are vast examples of whatpeople are able to get their hands on.

Acquiring the real and the unreal

Whether it is wealth, property, merchandise, land, prizes, artefacts orproducts, these are all objects that were attained. But aside from attainingthings in the physical sense, there are ways to attain the metaphysical—

what can’t be held or touched. For example; feelings, attitudes, beliefs,values, states of mind or a sense of being on an internal level. Those areoutcomes we can attain on our own, purely through changing the waywe think, speak and act. Then there is what exists metaphysically on anexternal level, which other people give to you; attention, gratitude, respect,love, admiration, fame, etc. These are also things that are attainable, and



52 Brian McAleer

have a different meaning when given to you by others versus when you givethem to yourself.

As long as you go after what can be claimed in the real, physical world

that we inhabit, then almost anything is attainable. If your goal is to attain arock from the surface of Mars, you can wait till NASA lands there sometimein this or the next century and put your order in, or get cracking on yourown mission to fly to the red planet. Either way, it’s far-fetched however, notimpossible. Who would have believed at the start of the last century thatman would land and walk on the moon?

The secret to success with goals is to keep it simple, which Iemphasised in the first step “Small & Specific”. You have to acknowledgewhat you have access to, who you know and what’s manageable. But thisis just a starting point. You can go one step further and create access tonew areas and information, meet people who aren’t currently in your lifeand push yourself in regards to what you can manage. But if this is yourfirst time using The SMARTEST method, I recommend you begin with yourimmediate surroundings and what you can do and have in the ‘Here andNow’.

What you want could already be within your reach

Don’t get the impression I’m telling you only to go for the minimumand never aim higher. You need to go through the process of using TheSMARTEST Method a few times on a smaller scale so you become familiarwith the strategy. Once you see that it works, you can then begin to applyyourself to bigger and more challenging, yet ultimately more satisfying andrewarding goals.

So how do you know what is attainable then? Begin by reminding

yourself what it is you want. Look at the goal you wrote down at the verybeginning of using The SMARTEST Method and stick with that. With thatgoal in mind, who do you know that has achieved that or something similarbefore? Is this person close or related to you, or do you not know thempersonally? How did they achieve that goal? What do you know about their journey towards their outcome? How long did it take them to acquire it?Who or what helped them along the way? How did that goal change theirlife and how does it continue to change their life?

I ask you these questions because these are the questions you needto be asking. Success leaves clues. Often, the strategies or approachesothers have used to achieve their goal can be replicated. Learn about theirstep-by-step process, taking into account all the mini-milestones, obstacles,failures and small successes along the way. Their path to attaining what




they got can be used like a recipe. Anyone can follow the same recipe andcreate the same result, but only if they follow the recipe exactly.

Thinking of the person you know who has already achieved what you

want, talk to them. If they are in your life already, set up a time to meet andask for their help. Tell them straight out that you want to achieve what theyhave, and tell them why. You don’t have to spend too much time on flattery,complimenting on how amazing or perfect you think they are. Rather,express your feelings of admiration and respect for what they have achievedand how they use it in their life, and that you would like to do the same orsomething very similar.

Seeking advice . . . and using it

Now depending on what the goal is (and the individual you’re talking to)the person you approach will usually respond in one of two ways.

They will appreciate your sentiment and want to help you becausethey feel obliged to share what they know, or . . . they will deny you.If they avoid answering your questions, it could be because they aresomewhat guarded or greedy and don’t believe in sharing the secretsof their success. Or, they might worry that you want what they have so

badly, you might take it away from them! Know what I mean? If your goalis to attain a position at work this other person has, but they are still inthat position and not ready to leave yet, they could be hesitant to let youknow how they got it.

It’s worth being prepared for that kind of response, but it’s not ascommon as the other party sharing their story. People love to talk aboutwhat they know best, because it reinforces what we’re good at and boostsour confidence. People in general are sharing, caring and giving and we all

have a desire on some level to help others.Another example could be that if the goal this other person has

achieved is that they’ve amassed a vast fortune for themselves, they wouldbe more than likely to share their strategies with you. There are multipleways to build wealth, through all sorts of vehicles and models. Maybethey’ll just share the core principles they followed to become wealthy, andleave out the specific details of the platform they used to earn their riches.They could have used real estate to make money, but your interest is selling

products. Two completely different areas, both with the potential to makemoney. Often the core principles can be applied to various areas so yourmentor won’t feel guarded or defensive in this case.

If this person has offered you their blueprint of success, thank themimmensely, take the blueprint away and Use It! Don’t analyse it or tryand change the process drastically so it suits you. Avoid overcomplicating



54 Brian McAleer

the process. If it feels too simple, that’s because it probably is. That won’tmean it’s easy though. There’s a difference between simple and easy. As thesaying goes, “don’t reinvent the wheel”. Follow what works, remove thought

and emotion from the process and simply implement the steps. If you followit to a tee, you will find in most cases you’ll achieve the goal. Just likefollowing a recipe.

Be able to see what you want before you have it

The other key ingredient to making your goals attainable is to see itbefore you have it. This is the secret to manifestation, and it comes about inseveral ways.

Remember that hit personal development movie from a few years ago“The Secret”? The hype around it was huge but the documentary itself hadits critics, and I was one of them. The examples it used seemed to focuson manifesting the more physical and materialistic things in life, andthat simply thinking about it would make it appear in your hands. Likemagic! This works to a degree, but there is more to it than that. The mainmessage of The Secret was “The Law of Attraction”; whatever you focus onstrongest appears in your life. That is true in most cases, and as I’ve already

mentioned, what appears in our environment once began as a thought in ourmind.

Think of when you have a craving for a cup of coffee. First you mighttaste it in your mouth, picture the cup in your mind, smell the rich aroma ofthe beans and then decide you want one. You get up, walk into the kitchen,turn on the kettle, place the coffee in the cup, fill it up with water, add themilk and sugar (if that’s how you take it) and return to your seat with yourreal and manifested cup of coffee. Wow! Simple right? Because you began

with a thought, which was made more intense through your senses (tastingand smelling before you had it) and followed through by a decision (I wantthat coffee), you followed the step-by-step process you’ve done thousandsof times and don’t even have to think about, and within minutes youmanifested a cup of coffee.

This process can be applied to anything. Begin with the thought, workup enough association to it as possible using all your senses, decide youwant it and follow the proven steps to create it. This is how we make coffee.

That’s how wealth is made. This is how success is created. And that is howyou can attain any goal you want to!What also helps in making your goal more attainable is to already have

some notion of or familiarity with it. If you’re hoping to attain somethingyou’ve had absolutely no experience with before, ask yourself why you want




it. If you’ve never seen it, heard it, felt it, touched it or even tasted it, howwill you know when you’ve got it? We’ll get into this more in the next part ofThe SMARTEST Method; making your goals “Realistic and Relatable”.

But before we move into that section, let’s talk about how you can makeyour goals Achievable.



56 Brian McAleer


ATTAINABLE

Which parts of your goal are physical (objects, items, things you can seeand hold)

Which parts of your goal are meta-physical (feelings, what you know,information)

Which aspect of your goal/outcome will you give to yourself?

Physical

Meta-physical

Which aspects of your goal/outcome will others give to you?

Physical




Meta-physical

You’ve already acknowledged what you currently know, have and can do tohelp you achieve your goal. Now, looking ahead to the future, answer thefollowing . . .

What could you know that would help you achieve your goal? (identifieswhat you need to learn)

What could you have or use that would help you achieve your goal? (whatyou need to obtain or create access to)

What could you do that would help you achieve your goal? (habits to beformed, new skills or abilities you would benefit from developing)

Who do I know that has achieved this goal or something similar? Can they helpme?



58 Brian McAleer

As we’ve talked about in this part of the method, goals are either physicalor meta-physical. In accepting what you currently have access to in your

surroundings, you become fully grateful for everything you can have, do and

be in this very moment. Getting associated with this and fully appreciatingit will be looked at in depth during the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals”workshop. You might not even be aware of everything you have at your

disposal, but during the workshop you will be guided to acknowledge allthat you have, how to fully love and appreciate it and use that to get what

you want—whether others give that to you or you give it to yourself.

• Continue reading Chapter 3 to discover how to make your goal Achievable




How to make your goal Achievable

Achievable. Attainable. What’s the difference? There is a difference,

which brings me to this chapter.Firstly, let’s explore that question a bit more; what does the word‘achievable’ mean?

Achievable can be described as something that can be accomplished andis considered possible to do.

Okay, interesting. Can the same thing be achieved by everyone? Canone person achieve anything they put their mind to? That’s up to you. Itdepends on what you believe is achievable.

How beliefs are formed

This part of The SMARTEST Method is all about exploring your notionsof what’s possible, so more or less, your beliefs. We all have beliefs, andthese are collected in our belief system. But where do they come from andwhat exactly are beliefs? There are several answers to this question, but I

like to sum it up this way;

“Your beliefs are the accumulation of your own experience,

what you’ve seen others achieve, what is declared as possible by

others and the world, and what you are motivated by”

Maybe you’ve got a different definition, but I believe, that is a gooddescription. So for a belief to become a belief, it needs to be supported.

Think of your belief as a picture frame; your central belief is like the photoin the middle of the frame. And the four adjoining sides of the frame are thesupports for that belief.

For example, your belief may be “I believe that the rich are greedyand don’t share their wealth”. Something of a limiting belief, but can bea common one so it’s a good example. Now, what could be the supports forthat belief? They could be, “My dad told me the rich people he knew wereselfish and greedy; I met a rich person once who was pushy and rude; the

news makes out that rich people don’t care about others; the movies andTV portray rich people as greedy so this must be true”. This belief and it’ssupports are shown in the picture frame example;



60 Brian McAleer

• You can download this diagram from the ‘Resources’ sectionof the blog to explore your beliefs and their supports—www.

thesmartestmethod.blogspot.com

Are those supports actual facts? Absolutely not! And they’re probablynot even your own. They were things you were told, heard, exposed to orpicked up along the way; not your own opinions and perceptions. But weform many of our beliefs this way. Here’s another example.

“I believe that good things come to those to wait”. So suppose theseare your supports for that belief; “My teacher in school told me I would

need to wait for success to come; the best things in life come later on afteryou’ve worked hard and paid your dues; if you don’t ask for anything earlyin life, you will be rewarded and get it later on; and nice guys finish last”In this example, a teacher imparted advice which isn’t necessarily true,another reference was a perception based on looking only at people whowere successful later in life, another was that if you are patient someonewill eventually notice you (which is never guaranteed) and one of them is aclassic age-old saying. Are any of these truly the self-created supports of an

individual person themselves? Probably not.This is the secret to understanding where your beliefs come from. Beliefshave immense power and influence over us; they can move us forward withhope and perseverance and lead us to what we want, i.e. “I believe I will besuccessful in life” or, beliefs can be self-destructive and hold us back from ourreal potential, i.e. “I believe I am worthless and can’t achieve anything”.



62 Brian McAleer

special cause? Go back further and look at your schooling days. What wereyour achievements there? School President? Class representative? Houseleader? First place in the athletics carnival? These are all just ideas to get

you thinking and looking back over your list of achievements. You haveseveral of them, I’m sure of it. If you get stuck, ask your family and friendswhat they consider are your achievements. They know you best after all.

• You can do this in your journal, or download a blank page with “My Achievements” written on it from the blog ‘Resources’ section.

Now looking over your list of achievements and your list of beliefs,can you see any links there? Do some of your beliefs support yourachievements? Were any of your beliefs formed after you achievedsomething?

What you believe about yourself and the world directly influences youractions, which in turn become your beliefs about what’s possible for you.So now, we come to the part where you can declare to yourself what youwould like to achieve moving forward. Even better, look at the goal you’vebeen working on since you started exploring The SMARTEST Method. Hasit changed now after reading this chapter? If you feel inclined to change

your goal, don’t rush into that just yet. Look at it again and ask yourself,“Do the beliefs I currently have about this goal support me in achieving it?”You should be able to answer that question pretty easily.

If your goal is “I would like to make my first million dollars beforeI turn 40” what belief would help you get there? Maybe “I believe I willearn my first million by the time I turn 40”. Now, what could one of yoursupports for that belief be? I would say “Anyone, including me, can earn amillion dollars by seeking advice, learning and working smart”. But if your

belief was “I’d like to earn a million dollars and doing that before I turn 40feels attainable, but it’s a long shot” . . . well, you’re not going to get very farwith a belief like that. If your current belief is a limiting one, turn it aroundand rewrite it. Yes, write a new belief for yourself. How do you do this?

Choosing what to believe

As you go through life forming your beliefs and storing them in your

belief system, you take what you have experienced first hand, seen or beentold and you translate that into a belief. We do this unconsciously. Here’s anexample of a belief being formed.

A woman walks into a city building for a job interview, and seesanother young woman walk out crying. She walks into the foyer and seesa man in a suit standing over a young female worker, talking to her very




sternly. The interviewee then approaches the service desk and is met bythe receptionist with a glum, blank expression. The interview-woman nowbelieves any female who works here isn’t happy. She has her interview with

a male worker, and is nervous and worried the whole time. The day after theinterview, she finds out that she hasn’t got the job.Now, there is what happens to us in life, then there is the story we tell

ourselves about what happened.In this example, the woman heading in for the interview saw the above

scenes, but what was really going was; the woman walking out crying had just found out over the phone her grandmother had passed away and didn’twant to cry in front of her colleagues; the man standing over the woman andtalking sternly to her was actually re-enacting an argument he witnessed onthe weekend; and the receptionist had been out late the night before andwas recovering from a hangover. So before she even attended her interview,the woman labelled this workplace as being hard on women, and in tryingto impress the male interviewer and not show any weakness, she did theopposite and became over anxious.

“ Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy”

—Anthony Robbins, Life Coach and Motivational Speaker

After seeing the event, behaviour or information, we process it andeventually create our new belief out of it. This is how the unconsciousmind works; it takes everything you see, hear, feel, touch, smell and taste,processes it and labels that as a belief. But the conscious mind can alsodo this. You can consciously create your own beliefs out of what you see,experience or hear any time you want to.

To do this, take note of a new event or situation and look at theinformation that’s been presented to you. Ask yourself what you think thatmeans. Listen to your response then ask “Is this a meaning that will serveme or hold me back in some way?” If it’s the later, you want the meaningto either serve you or have no power over you. In that moment, stop andre-define the meaning so it suits you, is more positive or realistic and not areaction to what’s happened. It has to be your response to what’s happened.Even write down this new meaning for yourself straight away. Sit with that

meaning for a while, and refrain form letting the negative or detrimentalmeaning you can give it take over. Reinforce this new “better” meaningover and over until it becomes . . . . Your New Belief! That’s how youconsciously form your own beliefs.



64 Brian McAleer

Acting on your beliefs

Beliefs are just the starting point though. Sure they are extremely

influential on you and your motivation, but a belief is at its most influentialwhen acted upon. You already do this.Again, think of a limiting belief you may have. Perhaps you have the

same belief that was used as an example before—“I believe that the richare greedy and don’t share their wealth”. If you believe this, you might beacting on it by not pursuing opportunities to be wealthy yourself. Maybe youfear if you do become wealthy, you will turn into a greedy individual whodoesn’t share anything, then how will your family and friends view you?You could be acting on this belief by not moving towards opportunities tomake money. You will do the opposite, and withdraw into doubt, insecurityand self-judgement about creating wealth, self-sabotaging any opportunitiesand more likely experience constantly low income, debt, and the inability tosave.

Taking action is the biggest difference between those who aresuccessful in life and those who aren’t. You can believe you are able toachieve something, but you won’t know for sure unless you try. We humanslove to wait for the perfect try a lot of the time. I was a huge victim of

this behaviour until a mentor of mine pointed it out and urged me just tohave a go instead of waiting for the right time, right circumstances, etc.Without worrying if it would work or not but rather to do it and see what Icould achieve, I ditched my need for the perfect try and took action. Thatapproach has led me to be more of a doer than a thinker or talker, and makea conscious effort to just have a crack!

In saying that however, the thing that will make taking action so muchmore achievable for you in the first place is to set a goal that is Realistic and

Relatable. Let’s talk about that now.





ACHIEVABLE

In exploring your current beliefs about your goal, answer the following . . .

Answering Yes or No, do you currently believe you can achieve your goal?

YES / NO

Answering Yes or No, do you currently believe the steps you’ve identifiedwill take you towards achieve your goal?

YES / NO

Which of my current beliefs about my goal empower me?

-

-

-

-

-

Which of my current beliefs about my goal disempower me?

-

-

-

-

-



66 Brian McAleer

How could you replace these disempowering beliefs to make them moreempowering? Rewrite them below;

-

-

-

-

-

Looking back over my life, what do I consider are the achievements I’vemade?

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

What about these achievements make them achievements in my view?

-

-

-




-

-

-

-

-

In this book, you’ve learned how beliefs are formed and how to create newbeliefs that will empower you, instead of hold you back. In the “SettingThe SMARTEST Goals” workshop, you will create even more new and

empowering beliefs, not just for the goal you’re working on, but to take withyou through your whole life. Then we’ll go one step further and discoverhow to turn those beliefs into convictions. The power of being convinced

will make you do anything.

• Commence reading Chapter 4: R—How to make your goal Realistic

& Relatable



68

Chapter 4: R

How to make your goal Realistic

Has someone ever said to you the following; “You’ve got to be morerealistic”

Maybe you were talking about your dreams, hopes, wishes andambitions for something big, exciting and new. You talked about it with so

much enthusiasm and optimism, until some kind person says . . . “Aren’tyou hoping for a bit too much there? Try and be a bit more realistic”. Didthat bother you? It used to bother me. But now I would respond to that byasking the other person “What do you mean by realistic?” This was oftenmet with a moments silence as they would try to think what they actuallymeant by that and give me an answer. Sometimes they’d say “Well youknow . . . ? Realistic!” and my reply would be “Hmm . . . tell me more!”I wasn’t trying to be a smart arse there, but what’s realistic is a matter of

opinion and not the same for everyone.

Imagine this . . .

It was John Lennon who said “Reality leaves a lot to the imagination”.That’s such a great way to sum up the truth. Our reality is what we imagineit to be. Sure, there are certain things that happen in reality that we didn’timagine to happen, such as a car accident, plane crash or terrorist bombing.

But someone else imagined those happening before they happened.But what I mean when I argue that our reality is what we imagine it tobe, I’m referring to the life situation we find ourselves in as we wake upeach morning and go about our day. You are directly responsible for that,and you created that by imagining it first. Everything begins with feeling,which in turn creates a thought. That thought becomes a word, that word




inspires an action, and that action creates a behaviour. As you repeat thosebehaviours, they becomes habit or routine, thus making up the reality ofyour life.

The life you lead right now is always going to be your life. But your lifesituation won’t always be how it is. That’s because it is not your life, andany situation can be changed instantly. And change happens instantly bydeciding to make a change. Once you decide, you then act on your decision,and even though the first step could seem small and insignificant at thetime, it’s like a ripple effect. Remember the example of dropping the pebblein the pond? It makes almost no splash, but its impact gains momentum,spreading out further and completely changing the surface of the water.Keep this in mind when taking the first step towards your goal. One smallaction does make a huge difference.

After September 11th 2001, many people believed that air travel wasno longer safe. They would feel uncomfortable flying and have a reactionif they ever saw a large plane flying low above a city’s buildings andskyscrapers. Security world-wide has heightened since 9/11 because theones with the power to change the nature of security interpreted thoseterrorist attacks on America as the start of a new reality. And we haveall been subjected to that reality since; having to check in earlier at the

airport, not being allowed to pack liquids in your bag and being randomlychecked for possibly concealing weapons or explosives is now accepted asthe new reality of air travel.

This wasn’t the reality you created, but the reality others create doesaffect you. We can’t always control that, but we can control how we respondto that reality. You can either hide from it, or try to live with it but be afraidand victimised, or accept it as it is and not allow yourself to be affected on apersonal level.

Seeing life through your own eyes

If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to watch the film “Life is Beautiful”.Written, directed by and starring Italian actor Roberto Benigni, thisremarkable and award winning film is a magnificent example of how oneman chose to see his own reality. Set in World War II, a man and his youngson are separated from his wife, and taken to a concentration camp in Italy.

For the sake of his son, the man tells him it’s all just a game and if he playsalong with the rules his father sets out, he will win the game. Armed onlywith his imagination, this man puts on a brave performance, to protect hisson’s innocence, and save his life. Even though that’s a film, other actsof people fighting for the reality they want in adverse situations exist inhistory.



70 Brian McAleer

One of the most recognisable and powerful images of the 20th centuryin regards to war, happened at Tiananmen Square, Beijing in 1989.The “Tank Man” as he is referred to (since his true identity was never

discovered) walked out in front of a column of tanks. The first tank stopped,and tried to drive around the man but he moved to block it once more. Heeven went as far as to climb up on the tank to try and reason with the driverbut he was removed from the situation. No one knew what became of TankMan after that, but this courageous soul stood alone and believed in his ownreality; despite being opposed by a powerful military force.

These two examples demonstrate what people can do when inspiredby their own vision for how life should be. Even in the midst of greatoppression, challenge and turmoil, they stood for something different. Howeffective their actions were are debatable, but they believed in somethingbetter. They didn’t run away from their situation; they walked right into it,armed only with their imagination.

“Out intention creates our reality”

—Wayne Dyer, Author and Motivational Speaker

How to make your own reality

So in realising that we are in control of how we respond to our variousrealities, how can you do this? Consider the following steps, and thinkof a current or past situation you’re not happy with. It could even be theconditions of your current reality which may be impacting on your goal insome way.

1. See it how it is

2. See it better 3. Make it better

A simple strategy; certainly not easy, but definitely effective in how torespond rather than react and be more in control of your life. Wherever youare, whatever you’re doing and however its making you feel and act is yourown doing. You might be thinking that if you’re not happy with your currentreality, to just walk away from it? That depends . . .

If your reality is harmful or detrimental to you, putting your safety atrisk and not allowing you to grow, receive respect or express yourself, thenyes—Abandon It! To be denied those things is to be denied the right to livelife on your own terms, and no one should be subjected to that.

It’s not always that easy to walk away from a situation, I know. So ifyou still have some kind of a responsibility, obligation or connection that




compels you to stay, remember those three steps from before. If you wantchange to happen, waiting for the right circumstances or the other person todo something is not always practical. You may need to make the first move

and become an Agent of Change.When thinking of your own reality in relation to setting your goals,consider what’s been said as a reminder of The Bigger Picture. Acceptingcertain truths such as knowing you are in control of your own reality andyou make it the way you see it can at first, be a confronting and difficultfact to come to terms with. Especially if you’ve felt like a victim for a whileand blamed or held others responsible for your current situation in life.Do you feel ready to step up and be the creator of your own reality now? Ihope so.

And to help you with that, please keep reading because the next step ofThe SMARTEST Method is perhaps one of the most vital and empoweringparts of the process. We’re going to explore what makes you do what youdo. We’re going to explore your “Why” and tackle the challenge of keepingyourself motivated and focused. We’re going to discover that secretingredient that uncovers your Drive, which once in effect will move youforward with great vision and momentum.

You’re now going to learn how to make your goals Relatable.



72 Brian McAleer


REALISTIC

Briefly describe your current life situation; refer to such factors as your age,level of education, employment status, amount of wealth, health, family andrelationship status, etc.

How does your current reality impact your goal? Does it support your goal?Is it an obstacle to you achieving your goal?

Now briefly describe your reality as if it were better than how it is rightnow; what would it look like, sound like, feel like, etc.?




How would your better reality impact on your goal? How would it supportyou? Would it get in the way of you achieving your goal?

When the various realities around you affect your goal or you, how will yourespond, rather than react?

With this part of the method, you’ve learnt the importance and effectivenessof responding over reacting to life. As you move beyond this book, you will

naturally set bigger and bigger goals. The bigger your goal, the more realitycan get in the way. In the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals” workshop, we

will look at some of the toughest, harshest and most challenging ‘realities’ oflife, and how you can work with them to actually support your goal.

• Continue reading Chapter 4 to discover how to make your goal Relatable



74 Brian McAleer

How to make your goal Relatable

Think back to when you were a kid. The world was so big and anything

seemed possible right? You looked forward to being a grown up with suchhuge anticipation because when that day came, you could be anyone youwanted to be. What did you dream of becoming? I wanted to be a crossbetween an archaeologist and a stuntman, so more or less, Indiana Jones.He was my hero.

But then somewhere along the way, we lose sight of that. At school forexample, many limitations are placed upon us from a very young age. Andas we grow through our formative years we experience many firsts.

The First Times of Our Lives

Our first bike and the first time we were able to ride it on our own. Thefirst Christmas we can remember wholly and how ridiculously exciting itwas on Christmas Eve going to bed in anticipation that Santa would bevisiting our home that night and leaving presents for us. Then there’s othersacred moments like our first day of primary school and high school, ourfirst date, that first kiss, our first crush, the first time we fell in love or

someone said “I love you”, and so on and so forth . . .Then as we grow up, these firsts have come along and we find it hard to

imagine the next time being as special. The reality of life kicks in and someof that magic starts to disappear. We then start to experience a whole newslew of firsts that aren’t quite as happy or positive as previous milestones.

Our first heartbreak. Our first major embarrassment. Our first fight. Ourfirst big disappointment. Our first encounter with death and the associatedgrief and loss that comes with that. These events stay with us and can

shape the way we look at the world. They can dampen our spirits, alter ourperspectives and potentially kill our dreams . . .

. . . but only if we let them.

So in seeing both sides to the many firsts we experience through life,take yourself back to the time when everything new was exciting. Whereyou believed in magic. When you felt nothing but love and enthusiasm for

the world and everyone in it. Back then, you believed that anything waspossible. But even though that time is behind you, it’s not too late to feelthat way again. And anything is still possible.




Inspiration and Passion: Your Shining Light

What inspires you?

To help answer that big question, consider these ones; what gets youexcited and feeling like a child again? What makes you open minded witha curious outlook? What gets you to believe that opportunities are availableeveryday, every moment, around every corner? That’s where I would likeyou to set your goals from; a place of complete Inspiration!

Because when you feel inspired, you are connecting with yourHigher-Self; the part of you that is Magnificent. The part of you whichmay show a glimmer of itself only once in a while, but for the most partlays dormant because he’s/she’s been pushed down by your pain. All thatbaggage you’ve been carting around outweighs your true potential.

Also consider these questions. What gets you juiced? What do youlove talking about? What do you make time for? What makes you feel goodabout yourself after you’ve done it?

In answering those questions, can you see a common thread or themerunning through them? If so that is your Passion. If your answers were morediverse, perhaps you have several things your passionate about. But oncloser examination what stands out most? Something will. That’s what you

are most passionate about!Looking at both your passion and what inspires you, can you see a

connection there? For me, I am inspired by movies. When I see a trailerthat thrills, excites and moves me, I get really excited for the movie. I’lllook forward to watching that film with high anticipation. When it’s as goodas the trailer suggested I walk out of the cinema feeling inspired because Iconnected with what was on screen. If what I believed that movie would bedoesn’t let me down, I feel like I know what makes a good movie and I can

then usually predict what will make another good movie in the future.This connects with me on a creative level, because my passion is

writing. As I mentioned earlier on, it’s a life ambition of mine to makemy own movies. I’d like to write scripts and have them turned into bigblockbusters. Movies that people want to see because when they see thetrailer, they get excited and are hooked on the possibility of what thatviewing experience could be like. That’s what films have done for me and Inow want to make other people feel that way. That’s how my inspiration and

passion are linked. And I believe I’m on the way to merging my passion andinspiration into a living.If you’re not quite sure what your real passion is or how to recognise

when you’re feeling truly inspired, you can also work that out byunderstanding what your values are.



76 Brian McAleer

Discovering your Values

There are many definitions for what values are but more or less, they

are the people, areas, interests and things in our life which we hold mostdear and close to ourselves and are also the influence behind what wespend most of our time, energy and focus on. They are what you protect,fight for, invest in and are the basis for the major decisions you make.

Whereas beliefs are formed unconsciously from a variety of influences,values seem to be inherit within us. It’s almost as if we don’t know wherethey come from at all, but they are extremely powerful in shaping the waywe make decisions and live out our lives on a daily basis. When faced witha difficult decision, we tend to go with what our values guide us towards.And as we lack motivation, it’s because what we want doesn’t connectwith our values. Being able to recognise what your personal values are isimperative to making the best decisions for yourself, as well as not beingswayed or misled by someone else’s values which don’t really serve you.

So that begs the question; how does one come to know their own values?Begin by looking at what your life demonstrates. Look at what have beenthe defining moments or experiences of your life. It also helps to considerthe field you work in. The area where you live. The people you associate

with. All these factors are a reflection of your values. For example, if youwork in a fast paced industry with high pressures coming from above butthe reward of good money for a job well done, then you value success. If youlive in a suburban area that is quiet, communal and slow paced, then youvalue peace and relaxation.

Anytime we feel at war with ourselves, usually because of two opposingsituations or decisions on our mind at once, then we have a conflict ofvalues. There is what we think we want in life and what we know we truly

want deep down inside. Often, we don’t embrace what it is we truly want outof fear or judgement, tending to follow what is more widely acceptable andconsidered normal. But being brave and different, embodying your values asthey really are and living by them no matter how they may look to others isthe key to being congruent with who you are. It’s not always easy, becauseconformity is strong in the world, and dare I say it, too many of us stick towhat’s known, comfortable and safe.

But I strive to live true to my values, whatever they are. I do this

because by being true to my values, I totally accept myself as I am, andit’s a known fact that in order to accept, embrace and love other people forexactly who they are, you need to have that relationship with yourself first.

The other beautiful and mysterious thing about values is that theychange—frequently. What you wanted out of life when you were aged 12will be vastly different to your values at age 18. Your values shift in your




twenties and again in your thirties. Once we achieve a certain milestonein life and experience it fully, we naturally tend to want the next thing. Ifa values goes unfulfilled at a certain period of our lives, we either move on

from it in regret or we try to live out that value in another way.But even as they change, there are certain values that will stay with you foryour entire life. These are your core values. They form the basis of our definingcharacteristics or most common traits. No matter how much our interests andpreferences change, there are always certain elements which we never lose.You can recognise this in the people around you. Has your dad always beenthe conservative type, as long as you can remember? Has one of your friendsalways been the clown in the group? Each of us hang onto a handful of corevalues because we all feel compelled to retain a side to ourselves that doesn’tchange. It’s how we claim who we are as an individual over the years

Reconnecting with The Real You

Now can you see that The SMARTEST Method isn’t just a way to setyour goals? It’s also a way to understand yourself more. If you’ve beenanswering the questions I’ve been posing in each section, you may startto find that you’re unravelling the layers of yourself and connecting with

who you are in a much deeper and personal way. Perhaps you already hada good level of self-awareness and answering those questions has just beena reminder of what you’re all about. Or if your answers were not what youexpected or thinking about them took you to some places in your mindyou haven’t visited for a while, then you’re simply revisiting your true self.It’s nice isn’t it? Despite whatever you’ve been through or are currentlyexperiencing, it’s reassuring to know you are still you. Your identity alwaysremains, even if you’ve forgotten about it.

With this refreshed remembrance of who you are, remind yourself ofyour goal again. Does it connect with who you are, to what inspires you,your passion and your values? If not, now is a good time to either refineyour goal or completely rethink it. I urged you not do that up until this pointbecause the purpose of The SMARTEST Method is to provide you with asolid foundation from which to build your goal on.

Think of all the steps up until this point as the check-list to refer towhen setting your goals. But the goal you started with might not be the goal

you want to proceed with now that you’ve read this section. Through whatyou’ve read so far, my aim was for you to;

- start smallso you don’t overdo yourself early on;- learn how to get specificabout your outcome through the power of

association;



78 Brian McAleer

- how to plan in advance what will be the order of steps in achievingyour goal before you start, so it’s measurable;

- how to connect with your feelings about what is manageable for you;

- realising what is actually attainableby following a proven strategy;- determining what’sachievablefor you by recognising what yourbeliefs are; and

- realising that what you consider realistic is determined by your ownimagination

Taking you through that process has, I hope, opened your mind to a newway of thinking that empowers you to see things as they are and inspire youto take control of your life and make it the way you want it. Now that youhave that knowledge you can combine it with the reawakened awarenessyou have of yourself. Because what you’ve been through in this section—refocusing on your inspiration, your passions and your values—is all you.Those elements are what make you who you are. If your goal serves andassists you to continue growing and developing into the best version ofyourself, then you have chosen the right goal. If your goal doesn’t relate toyou and your life’s journey, feel free to go ahead and replace it. You willalso need to rewrite your answers for each previous part of The SMARTEST

Method, which shouldn’t be difficult for you now as you’ve already done it.When your goal relates to who you are, you will almost undoubtedly

achieve it. This is the secret behind why people lose motivation and give upon their goals. The outcome they’re working towards doesn’t serve them or itcontradicts with who they really are and what matters most to them.

“The aim of education is the knowledge, not of facts, but of values”

—William S. Burroughs, Novelist (1914-1997).

Your Goal and Your Purpose

To go even one step further when making goals relatable ask yourself ifyour goal connects to your life’s purpose or mission. That’s a big question Iknow. And I think the mistake people make in searching for their purposeis to focus more on what the purpose of life is. I don’t think anyone knows

the answer to that! But I am convinced you can figure out the purpose of your own life. Why you are here. What you were made to do. The differenceyou will make. I believe that comes partly from who you are and who youchoose to be. It’s also connected with your most unique abilities; whatyou can do, create and express in a way no one else can. That’s the key to




knowing your mission in life and when you dedicate yourself to that you areliving your life’s purpose.

Feel free to take some time to process everything you’ve read so far.

I’ve presented you with a lot of questions in this section, given you much tothink about and have guided you to look deep within yourself and explorewhat makes you the person you are. With this awareness and insight,imagine the difference you’ll experience in setting your goals now.

No longer will you set goals that don’t connect with you because youwere influenced by circumstances out of your control or swayed by anotherperson who didn’t really know what was best for you. No thank you!

Now, you’re setting goals with the power to decide what will influenceyour decisions—responding rather than reacting—and being guided by theperson who knows you best . . . yourself.

Now you can really get down to business. And the next part of TheSMARTEST Method is very relevant as you’re going to begin constructinghow you will go about working on your goal.

Let’s explore how to set goals that are Time-Framed and Task-Orientated



80 Brian McAleer


RELATABLE

Thinking about what Inspires you, how would that help you in achievingyour goal?

Thinking about what you’re Passionate about, how would that help youachieve your goal?

Re-write your top values below;

12

345

Thinking about the goal you’ve developed so far and looking at your topvalues, answer the following questions with a Yes or No; (circle)

Does your goal support your highest value?

YES / NO

Is your goal connected to what inspires you most?

YES / NO




Does your goal reinforce what you are most passionate about?

YES / NO

This was a very important step in The SMARTEST Method. You looked atwhat you’re most passionate about, what inspires you and above all, your

highest values. This could have forced you to refine your goal or completelyreinvent it. When you attend the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals”

workshop, you will clearly know what your highest values are, and we’llspend some time envisioning all you could achieve, driven purely by those

values. Just like a successful company has it’s values which defines theservice it delivers, so too can you be driven by your own values and make

more of a difference than you ever imagined.

• Commence reading Chapter 5: T—How to make your goalTime-Framed & Task-Orientated



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Chapter 5: T

How to make your goal Time-Framed

Welcome back! Did you take some time to process what you’ve readso far? Did you go back and make sure you answered all the questions Iposed? If you haven’t I urge you to return to the questions that werecontained in each chapter. With your journal, dedicate some time to

answering them. If it helps, go to a quiet, private place with no distractionsif possible. If you have little ones running around the house who demandyour time and attention, make some time for yourself. Even if it’s just 15-30minutes, but preferably an hour or two is good as it gives you more time tosettle in to a reflective and contemplative state.

However, if you’ve answered all the questions so far, well done. Feelfree to continue with The SMARTEST Method from here.

A funny old thing called time

I mentioned in the last chapter that this is where you can really getdown to business. By now, you should feel more self-aware and have a solidfoundation of your inner-workings (values, beliefs, passions, feelings, etc.)from which to build your goal on. That was all necessary up to this point,because now we’re going to deal with a topic which perhaps poses the mostamount of challenges for everybody, regardless if it is to do with goal setting

or not. Something that has all the power and influence over every singleperson on the planet. Something that is illusive, mysterious and constant.Something, called time.




How often do you feel like you don’t have enough time? Always? Jointhe club! We all feel that way. It seems there just aren’t enough hours inthe day. Before you know it, it’s Friday again and the weekend goes by

too quickly. And it seems that each year passes us by quicker than theyear before. Time is a funny old thing. We are all subjected to it and forsome, we have more time ahead of us than what lies behind us, but thereare also many of you who have less time ahead of you. I hope that doesn’tdaunt you, because with time comes wisdom don’t they say? As we getolder we do learn to maximise our time better, and that just comes withage and life experience. That’s what will empower me to embrace gettingolder.

The way we manage our time is influenced by how we perceive it, andthis perception is determined by our values and priorities.

Remember when you were young and how growing up seemed to takeforever? There are a number of reasons for this. Mostly, it’s to do with thefact that we are looking forward to the future so much. When we’re kidswe just can’t wait to be grown-ups, break free from the confines of rulesand school and explore the big wide world. And as we age we often dreadgetting older and wish we could just wind back the clock and be youngagain.

However you feel about time and whichever way you currentlypercieve it, one thing will never change; we all have the same amountof time available to us. Twenty-four hours in a day; six to eight spentsleeping, eight to ten (or more) spent at work and commuting to and fro,and another six to eight spent at home or doing our own thing. It can all goby in a blur. And why is it that some people just seem to get more done ina day than others?

You probably know people in your life now or from your past that are

always organised and productive. They walk into the office, sit down andget right to it. They punch out a lot of work, and leave at the end of the dayfeeling just as energised as they did at the start. We can all learn somethingfrom these individuals, because they have learnt how to effectively managetheir time.

You probably also know someone now or from your past who is veryunproductive with their time. If you’re a parent, maybe this could be yourteenage son or daughter. When the weekend comes or its school holidays,

they can tend to sleep in till all hours. On school days, it’s a struggle to getthem out of bed and this trend can continue for some young people afterhigh school and well into their twenties, as they show very lazy behavioursand don’t appear to give a stuff about anything.



84 Brian McAleer

Some of us dread time and just hope to make it pass, while others wishto create more of it. There is a reason why some get so much done in a shortamount of time and others take a long while to achieve anything. It’s based

on our perception.I have written an e-book called “The Perception of Time” where Italk about how we perceive time based on one major aspect; the way wereceive, process and interpret the millions bits of data we take in everyday. Every single second, our mind takes in up to two million bits ofdata; this is all the information and stimuli we interpret with our senses.Our conscious mind can process up to seven bits of data per secondwhile the rest of it goes through a process called DDF. That stands forDeleting, Distorting and Filtering. We delete the information that isn’timportant to us at the moment, we distort what doesn’t make sense orcontradicts what we know or believe and we filter what we will need torecall or use later on.

This is responsible for our memories, the creation of routine and whatwe dedicate our time to as we move through our life. The more time passesby (as in the older we get) the more our mind is “filled up” and we tend toreflect on the most defining and memorable moments, and look forward tothe major milestones still to come.

That was just an introduction to what I’m talking about with theperception of time, and I will allow you to do your own research andreflection on the topic. But with a wider concept of time, you can look athow you mange your own time each day as well as over the long term, andhow this can impact on your goals.

“In all our deeds, the proper value and respect for time determines

success or failure”

—Malcolm X, Human Rights Activist (1925-1965).

Managing your time

A goal takes on a stronger sense of reality and momentum once you seta deadline for it. When this deadline is depends entirely on you. To figureout when you will or would like to achieve your goal by, ask yourself this;

when do you want your outcome to be a part of your life? By next week, nextmonth, in three to six months, in five to ten years?What can help with this part of The SMARTEST Method is to create

for yourself a “Default Diary”. If you haven’t heard of these before, it’sessentially a way for you to look at your week, how you spend it, and how




much time you allocate to certain things. Check out the following examplebelow;

ACTIVITY

If you go to the ‘Resources’ section of the official blog for The SMARTEST Method, you

can download a default diary template. Print off two copies. Once you’ve done that, spend

some time now filling in one of the diary’s based on your average week. Try to be as exact

as possible on where and how you spend your time, and leave nothing out.

Once you’ve done this you should have one of two realisations;

- You’ve just reminded yourself of how you spend your time andexactly how much spare time you have (or haven’t) got, or . . .

- You’ve got more spare time on your hands than you thought

If you’ve got spare time on your hands, how are you spending it? Do you just like to relax, spend time with your family, friends or partner? Perhapsyou snuggle up on the couch and watch your favourite TV programs every




you to value the time you do have and spend it wisely. Looking ahead toyour older years, when you’ve got more time but may not be able to do thethings you could have done when you were younger, what will you wish you

had done? You want to be smiling with contempt, not filled with regret.Speaking about time in this way is very much in the vein of TheSMARTEST Method and my hope is that by now, you have gotten a sense ofthe direction I take when talking about goals. It’s all about The Big Picture.It’s about the truth. It’s about seeing things as they are.

With that in mind, it’s now time to put a deadline on your goal. Whenwill it happen? You decide. Look at your outcome, and look back over thesteps you’ll need to get there. Put a time-frame on them as well. How oftenyou take an action-step depends on you. Think about what is achievableand manageable, but be willing to stretch yourself just that little bit extratoo.

Now that you’ve got a Time-Frame in mind for your goal, it’s time tolook at how to make your goal Task-Orientated.



88 Brian McAleer


TIME-FRAMED

At this stage, when will you achieve your goal, i.e. by Sunday 26th October 2014

I will achieve my goal by

Having done the Default Diary exercise before, you will hopefully have agreater appreciation for your time. What unproductive tasks or distractionswill you now abandon?

What more productive or beneficial tasks will you now make time for?

When do you now have spare time or where could you replace activities/distractions to free up more time for yourself?

(day/s) (morn/aft/eve) (length of time, i.e. amount of. hours)

In this chapter, I mentioned one of my ebooks entitled “The Perception ofTime”. When you attend the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals” workshop,you will be introduced to this concept in more detail. We’ll look at the

intricacies and mysteries of time in a way you may have never experienced,and by the end of the workshop, you’ll walk away with a whole new




perception of time that is empowering and ultimately, sets you free to domore in less time than you thought you could.

• Continue reading Chapter 5 to discover how to make your goalTask-Orientated



90 Brian McAleer

How to make your goal Task-Orientated

Tasks are action based, right? It’s fine to know what you have to do

to succeed, but actually doing it is entirely different. And often, we liketo sit back comfortably knowing how to do something, but not do it. Thiscomes back to waiting for the perfect try, or because some are too proudand like the feeling of knowing solutions but would rather not use them justin case they get it wrong. Others may feel powerless to act because thereis some fear holding them back. Or sometimes it’s because we can’t bebothered due to a lack of motivation or energy. If you feel this way at themoment, fear not. The next section “Energised and Excited” will take careof that for you. But now, let’s look at the tasks that lay before you in theimplementation of your goal.

What are tasks

More or less, they are work. Your goal shouldn’t feel like work as such,but you will have to work to make it happen. Looking back at the sectionon how to make your goals Measurable, I spoke about working backwardsfrom your outcome to determine what would be the individual steps to take

in achieving your goal. These became your measurements; your indicatorsfor success and progress, and the mini-milestones to refer to when workingtowards your outcome. Simply knowing what they are is just the beginning.You must implement the first task to get moving and continue to implementthem all to stay moving.

Do you love to plan? Guilty of doing this but never following through?I used to do this a lot. I thought that was the best way to get myself ready tostart taking action. But with all the time I spent planning my goal, thinking

about how to do it and waiting for the right elements to be in place, Iconstantly found myself standing at the start of the race track, but neverrunning towards the finish line. I would hesitate, doubt myself, weigh up allthe pro’s and con’s and try and “think myself” into doing what I knew I hadto. Thinking is fine, and a majority of The SMARTEST Method up until thispoint requires you to think, reflect and plan. But now, it’s time to DO.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again

When you think about some of the greatest achievers in history, watchan interview with them or read a book on their life, you will discover inone form or another, that they were major action-takers. They didn’t alwaysknow what the outcome would be and they weren’t always sure if it wouldwork. Putting themselves out there and often risking it all in hope that




sooner or later it would work out, the majority of these great achieverswould achieve the success they wanted.

To refer to one such example, do you know the story behind the

invention of the light bulb? Inventor Thomas Edison was a master atimplementing tasks. So much so, that he struggled for years over countlessattempts to invent the world’s first working light bulb. It was in 1879 thathe achieved success, and made a total of 10,000 attempts to get it working.After he had, someone approached him and asked “Why did you fail somany times to invent the light bulb?” in which Edison responded “I didn’tfail. I just discovered 10,000 ways not to invent a light bulb”. Think of allhe would have learned, discovered and developed over his many, manyattempts. Looking at it that way, do you consider any attempt at success awaste of your time, energy or resources? That’s up to you. It all comes downto your mindset.

Another example is the history of the extremely successful fast-foodfranchise, Kentucky Friend Chicken. Colonel Sanders had just retired fromthe army after many years of service and at age 65, received his first socialsecurity cheque of $99. Deciding he didn’t want to sit on his porch brokeand watching the world float by in his older age, Sanders took his passionin the hopes it would become his next career, and his passion was cooking

chicken! With his own special recipe, made up of the twelve secret herbsand spices (which still remain secret to this day), Colonel Sanders headedout in his busted-up, run-down old car with his recipe and a plan.

Aiming to talk to as many diners and restaurants as he could, in thehope of selling his chicken recipe (his goal), his plan involved the followingtasks; visit a restaurant, meet with the manager, argue his reasons whyhis chicken tasted so finger-licking good (although that phrase probablyhadn’t been created yet), let the manager know he would sell the recipe in

exchange for a hefty amount of the sales and live of those profits for therest of his days. Initially, most of the restaurant and diner managers laughedin his face. Did this stop Colonel Sanders? Not at all, and in fact it tookhim a total of 1009 meetings with business owners across America untilone of them said “Yes. I will sell your chicken”. Sanders sold his recipe;customers loved the taste of his fried chicken and word quickly spread.His tasks gave birth to a multi-billion dollar franchise which still sells hischicken recipe to this day.

So in similar vein to the story of Edison and the light bulb, ColonelSanders implemented a series of tasks and they worked, even if they tookover a thousand times to be implemented successfully before he achievedhis goal. And after each meeting, he would think about how he performedhis tasks and the responses he got from his meetings to make the followingattempt even better.



92 Brian McAleer

How to create the tasks for your goal

The best types of tasks are broken down into three parts; a start, a

middle and an end. The start is your first step, the middle is where most ofthe work takes place, and the end is where you’re at once you’ve achievedthe outcome for that task. Often the start and finish remain the same, withthe middle being where the most change happens. For example, ColonelSanders probably started each task the same way, i.e. telling the restaurantowner “I’m here to talk to you about my chicken recipe I’d like to sell”.The finishing stage of his task consisted of the interested party saying “Yes”whereas the middle of his task would have gone through the most choppingand changing, ups and downs, highs and lows and failed attempts. Andeven if that process is the most difficult and challenging part, that’s a goodthing because it frees you up to try different approaches in reaching thesame outcome. Tasks are driven by their outcomes, but how you do that taskis never set in stone.

I’ve said it several times so far and I’ll say it a few more times beforewe’re through; the real value in achieving any goal is in the processof working towards it. Think about that for a moment. If you don’t enjoyyourself on the way to succeeding, how much will you enjoy that success

when it comes? If your goal is likely to take weeks, months or even years toachieve, it’s worth enjoying the time spent working towards it. Why committo a goal that could take a year to achieve if you dread having to work on itfor that entire time? More likely, you won’t work towards the goal at all ifyou think the process will bring you too much pain.

Aside from moving you towards your outcome, what else are you gettingfrom completing the tasks of your goal? When you set out on any goalyou are taking place in a journey, an adventure even. The idea is that the

pursuit of success makes you a better person; stronger, wiser, braver andmore certain about who you are and what you want out of this life. Which ofyour tasks reflect that?

“I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief

duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble”

—Helen Keller, Author and Political Activist (1880-1968).

Of course, there are many different types of tasks you may use inachieving your goal. And the more you use, with a greater variety and levelof involvement required, the more worthwhile the whole process becomes.




Use it before you lose it

What does this mean? It could relate to being young. It could relate to

your looks. It could relate to your physical appearance and levels of energy.It could relate to the certain opportunities you have access to at differenttimes of your life. It could relate to the area you live in, and the greatresources that are just around the corner from you.

Whatever you have that can be useful in your life, it won’t last forever.That is the reality we live in. Being grateful for what you have now and whatyou could potentially have in the future, will empower you to appreciateeverything about yourself and life itself. You begin to stop taking things forgranted and start to realise the unique, special gifts you have that are yourblessings and can only be used in this life, in this world.

To be successful in your goal demands a lot of you. So do your tasks.Even the actions you take have a certain expectation. Rather, they shouldhave a level of expectation. You don’t jog for five minutes and expect toget fit. You’ve got to do the full 30-45 minute session repeatedly. With yourgoal, what are the standards for the tasks you need to take?

You quite often see health magazines promoting the Miranda Kerrpost-pregnancy diet or the workout routine Daniel Craig adhered to

in preparation to play James Bond. If you want to model a celebrity orindividual who is positioned at a high level, it helps to be aware of what’srequired to get there. And if you play at the elite level, you have to workharder than perhaps anyone else. But the rewards can be astronomical.

In the section Measurable, I recommended you keep a journal. Whenworking towards a goal it’s important and useful to keep track of what youdid, how you did it, what worked, didn’t work, etc. In relation to goals thatare Task-Orientated, it’s just as imperative to reflect on how you carried out

each task; the how, what, where, when of your tasks and reviewing how youperformed.

You can do this after implementing and completing each task byanswering questions such as; how did I do that time? What came up for meduring that task mentally, socially, emotionally? If I were to do the sametask again, how would I do it differently? How can I get myself to pushharder or go longer next time?

Old habits die hard, but new ones create success

The greatest benefit of having a goal that’s Task-Orientated is it changesthe way you do things. Your tasks are the rituals of your goal, and when youpractice the same ritual over and over, it becomes a habit. When a skill orprocedure becomes habitual to you, it’s automatic; you act without needing



94 Brian McAleer

to think and the process is like second nature. Imagine how effectiveColonel Sanders was at running his sales pitch for his chicken by the1009th time? It would have been effortless for him by then, and I bet that’s

what got him a yes after all those attempts. Practice makes perfect as theysay.In closing, tasks are what you do, an outcome is what you get, but

success is what you experience. I’ll talk more about success, and thedifferent notions, concepts and attitudes towards it in the final step of themethod, but before we get ahead of ourselves, lets set the stage for what’snext.

Get ready to go to the next level. Get ready to inject your passion,enthusiasm and love into this goal and really make it come to life. Getready to open your eyes in the morning feeling wide awake, fully alert andlooking forward to working on your goal as soon as you leap out of bed. It’sthat type of approach and involvement in your own goal that will createmomentum. Like the wave that slowly builds out at sea, moves towards theshore then crashes onto the beach in spectacular fashion, your commitmentto your goal can be just as powerful and focused once you tap into thepotential within you. And on that note, you’re now going to discover how toset goals that are Energised and Excited.





TASK-ORIENTATED

Looking back at each of the action-steps you identified in the sectionMEASURABLE, what are the tasks you’ll need to implement initially, andpossibly consistently to achieve each step of your goal?

Step 1—Tasks(s)—









96 Brian McAleer

Looking at the tasks for each of your steps, break them down into abeginning, middle and end. Repeat this for each task of all your steps; (referto example below)

In this example, the goal will be to start up a small business on line

Step 1— Promote Facebook page to help start up businessTasks(s)—Get 1000 Likes

Beg—Research how to get 1000 likes for a Facebook pageMid—Promote and share page so its on track for 1000 likesEnd—Post status update on page to announce 1000 likes reachedStep 1—Tasks(s)—

Beg—Mid—End—


Beg—Mid—End—


Beg—Mid—End—


Beg—Mid—End—





Beg—Mid—End—


Beg—Mid—End—


Beg—

Mid—End—

Looking back over your tasks and how you’ve broken them downinto a beginning, middle and end step, put a star next to any processesyou feel or think you won’t enjoy or won’t bring you pleasure in doingthem, i.e. they are boring, laborious, difficult, stressful, etc. Then,

imagine how you could make them more enjoyable. Think of theskills you will use and how they could develop, think of what kind ofexperience you could have in implementing every single step towardsyour outcome.

Remember, the real value of any goal is in the process of working on it.

Tasks are what form your habits, and in this chapter that is talked

about briefly. In the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals” workshop, we willdive deeply into the area of habitual success, and how the daily tasksone performs can bring them all they want, instead of what they don’twant. You’ll learn how to take massive and very effective action on a



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Chapter 6: E

How to make your goal Energised

And now, we are into the final three parts of The SMARTEST Method.By now, you should have a Small and Specific goal, not too big yet

to get started and clear as crystal in your mind. You’ve worked out the Measurements to refer to so you know when you’re on track, and you’ve

determined what will feel Manageable for you to begin with. What you’rechasing is Attainable as it is something real and tangible, and you’vedetermined what is Achievable based on your beliefs. You’ve discovered thatyou create your own definitions of what’s Realistic through your imagination,and you will set goals that are more Relatable to you now because theyconnect with your values. And more recently, you were reminded that yourgoal is determined by how you perceive and manage your time, makingthem Time-framed, and you’ve learnt the usefulness of having clear tasks

to work on repeatedly to get towards your outcome, making your goalTask-orientated.

As I said earlier, this is where I would have stopped with my goalsetting in the past. I would come to a dead-end with a beautifullyformulated plan and lots of certainty on the what, where, when, who andhow. But something was missing. The foundation was set and I had mygoal, but there was no point to it all. I wasn’t feeling inspired, motivatedor moved to make it happen. My goal looked right at home all penned out

nicely on paper, but nothing was happening. I just wasn’t pumped enough toget started.There’s this analogy I like to use called ‘Life is a Road’. Imagine that

life itself is like a road. Your life and everything that makes it up is thecar, and you are the driver; you drive the car (your life) down the road (lifein general). When driving, we all have a destination to get to, and there is



100 Brian McAleer

always more than one way to any destination. This is like our life directionor purpose, if you like. We’re all heading towards something and there iscertainly more than one way to get anywhere in life.

A successful journey on the road is had when you have a setdestination, a clear way of getting there, and a car that runs well. If youdon’t have a map or some directions, you can take the wrong turn, end uprunning late or get lost all together; similar to moving through life with nodirection. Much like us as individuals if we’re not taking care of ourselvesor replenishing our own fuel. I call this fuel Energy.

A goal needs to be energised in order to happen. We tap into all types ofenergy in life, using it to create power or make things easier for ourselves.That energy doesn’t last forever as it has to be replenished over and overto get the same results. And the stronger the energy, the more output it canhave and the longer it lasts.

Think of your goal as a car. It’s made up of many moving partswhich all work in sync to get the thing moving. So far through using TheSMARTEST Method, you have created the many parts which make up thevehicle that is your goal. They will all work together but if the car’s fueltank is empty, that brilliantly designed car is going nowhere. It will sitthere and look pretty but not achieve what it’s meant to. With a full tank,

the car will start, allowing you to drive for a good while before you have torefuel. Your goal responds to you in the same way and it doesn’t just relyon the one load of energy to get it moving; it has to be replenished overand over again, in order to keep the momentum going through the toughtimes you will face. Now with your goal well assembled, let’s add the fuelto get it going!

The Energy of your Goal

But what do we know about energy? It’s powerful, yes and it doesmany other positive things, such as increasing your focus. With the rightamount of energy stored, you can last longer, think clearer and performmore effectively. Energy also improves your resolve. This trait is what helpsyou to bounce back from failure and use setbacks as an opportunity for acomeback. You usually respond rather than react, and look at each obstacleas a chance to learn something new and become better at what you do.

With more energy, you have more flexibility. You can push yourselffurther and stretch beyond your comfort zones. Flexibility is imperativefor any goal because you won’t be able to predict everything that’s goingto happen and many things will always be out of your control. When aplan is halted or has to be altered, or when the world throws you a bigsurprise you just can’t ignore or avoid, flexibility is the key to handling




life’s ups and downs. It may mean you pause the progress of your goaltemporarily to deal with other issues, or you can always just roll withthe punches and use any changes as a resource to pursue your goal in a

different way.And of course, with energy comes strength and endurance. Think ofmarathon runners and what it takes to run an average of 42 kilometres ina couple of hours. Those athletes didn’t just decide that morning to run amarathon. If they did, they wouldn’t last long! But rather, a smart runnerprepares for months or even years in advance to complete a marathon.They start small, running a couple of kilometres in a day to begin with,and gradually over time, they increase their distance and try to run fasteror more consistently. And just because they run their first marathonsuccessfully, doesn’t mean they don’t train for the next one. They’d gothrough the same or similar process to create the required energy they’llneed for the next event.

ACTIVITY

Take a moment where you are right now, and think of your goal. Concentrate on it. Reflecton how you’ve developed your goal so far, using The SMARTEST Method. Pay close

attention to such things as the steps you’ll take, the places you’ll go, the people you’ll

turn to for help, how your goal resonates with your values, etc.

Look closely at what appeared in your mind. Were the images you sawbright, colourful and detailed? Could you hear music, people talking or

certain words popping up? How did you feel inside? Warm, fuzzy, jittery?Pay attention to how your body was responding. Were you sitting upright,alert and prepared? If you said yes to all or most of those questions, thenyou’re already feeling energised about your goal and just thinking about ithas a positive affect on you.

However, when thinking of your goal just now, were the images inyour mind dark, blurry or hazy? Were the sounds muffled, low or distant?Did you feel a little down, unsure or even anxious inside? Was the way

you were sitting slouched, slumped or hunched over? Did you fold yourarms or touch your face? Whatever is going on in your mind is reflectedby your body. That’s why 75% of communication is body language, andmost of the time we’re not even aware of it. If your responses to thinkingof your goal resembled the examples I just listed, then your goal islacking energy.



102 Brian McAleer

Energy makes Energy

It’s a no-brainer that the more energy you have the stronger you are. The

amount of action you take and the overall way you approach challenges andtasks comes down to your quality of energy. They say “You only get out whatyou put in.” In knowing this, how much energy will your goal require of you?To begin with, perhaps not much as your first step should be small. But as youtake every additional step and (hopefully) push yourself that little bit furthereach time, your goal will require more momentum.

This may sound like the process gets harder as you move along, butin the realm of this method, we say smarter, not harder. Doing things thesmart way, will make things easier for you in the long run. But in order to besmart, you have to do smart. And that takes effort. Your effort is driven byyour energy. More effort requires more energy. Plain and simple really.

Common knowledge tells us that a house is only as strong as thefoundation that supports it. This applies to the homes we live in, the familieswe’re a part of or the companies we work for. Houses and families can collapseif not supported in right way. Same goes for your goal. And this brings us tothat other aspect of setting goals that are energised; your reasons Why!

What are your reasons?

Why? Why is the quintessential question. Why, most of all aboveeverything else, do you want this goal to succeed? Why does that need tohappen? And why does that need to happen? Your “Why” in life is madeup of all your reasons. You need to have as many as possible, because eachreason is a source of energy.

ACTIVITY

On the following pages, I would like you to complete the following sentence—“I want to

achieve this goal because . . .”. There are enough lines for you to do this fifty times, so

you can come up with fifty reasons. That’s right; fifty! The more reasons you have, the

more energised your goal becomes. Begin by writing 5-10 reasons, and then continue

reading this chapter.

• You can complete this exercise below, in your journal, or download ablank page with “I want to achieve this goal because . . .” written onit from the blog ‘Resources’ section.




I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because



104 Brian McAleer

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

I want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal becauseI want to achieve this goal because

Do’s and Dont’s

This exercise might have been challenging for you as it requires energyto make energy, so you may need to push yourself to come up with fiftyreasons. And perhaps what makes it most challenging is that often, it’s moredifficult to come up with Do’s than Don’ts.

Notice how we humans tend to focus more on what we don’t want? “Idon’t want to get sick, I don’t want to lose my job, I don’t want this to bedifficult, I don’t want that to happen” and so forth. But like The Law ofAttraction suggests, we bring about what we think about, so the more wefocus on what we don’t want (our fears) we find they happen anyway. Now,

I’m not suggesting you ignore what you don’t want. It’s good to know whatthat is, but the trick is to come up with the opposite or alternative to that.For example, instead of focusing on “I don’t want to get sick” focus on “Iwant to remain healthy”. Repeat that to yourself over and over, and yoursubconscious will start guiding you towards actions and habits that willkeep you healthy. By focusing on not wanting to get sick, you will withdrawfrom harm and try to protect yourself but potentially disempower yourmind and body, making you more vulnerable to getting sick. Here’s another

example.Do you find that two year olds don’t listen well? You tell them not to

do something and they do it anyway? You could be at the supermarket andthey’re running down the aisles, which is unsafe and you yell out “Don’trun Billy!” The two year old only hears, “Run Billy!” It is a scientificfact that the subconscious mind doesn’t hear or process the word “Don’t”.And at the age of two the conscious mind is still developing, meaning thetoddler hasn’t mastered such cognitive skills as risk assessment, working

within boundaries or abiding to limitations. They operate primarily onthe subconscious mind, meaning they’re unstoppable! As little Billywas already running and he’s heard you yell out “Run” to him, he’ll justcontinue. He might stop if you use a tone of voice that startles him, so bysounding worried, anxious or even screaming the words, he might stoprunning so as not to upset you or get into further trouble. What you could




say in a more calm and assertive voice for a better response is “Walk pleaseBilly. Running in here is not safe”, then proceed to explain why it is notsafe. Watch what happens then. Your two year old may surprise you and do

what you ask, learning something new in the process.

Watch your language

Along with the word don’t, I challenge you to remove the followingwords from your vocabulary;

- Could or can’t- Would or won’t- Should or shouldn’t

When you use these words against yourself, they are disempowering.When you “could or can’t” yourself, you’re essentially deciding not to do it.When you “would or won’t” yourself you’re holding back from even trying.And when you “should or shouldn’t” yourself, you’ve determined it’s notimportant enough. Replace those words with the following;

- Can- Will- Must

When you use the word “Can” you’re opening yourself up to possibility.When you use the word “Will” you hold yourself accountable to take action.And when you say you “Must” you do it without hesitating.

Transforming your words and how you use them has amazing power.

The words or phrases you say to yourself are having a major impact on yourenergy. So instead of saying “I really don’t want to get sick” say “I mustremain healthy”. A few changed words will readjust your focus and make amassive difference.

“Energy and persistence conquer all things”

—Benjamin Franklin, Writer,

Politician, Scientist (1706-1790).

Has reading the above given you a new insight into the concept ofenergy? Are you now thinking of replacing some of the words you use,realising how much impact they have on you? If you struggled to come upwith fifty reasons in one sitting, that’s okay. Take your time with it if you



106 Brian McAleer

need to—the exercise over the following age is best used once you haveworked on the Energise part of Constructing your Goal at the end of thischapter. Please go to that section now to answer those questions in relation

to your goal, and then return to this page to complete the following exercise.

Did you continue with the construction of your goal in relation to beingenergised? If you have, you can now move onto this following exercise.

ACTIVITY

Are you alone? If not, you might want to go to a place where you can be alone, becausewhat I’m going to ask you to do might make you feel awkward or embarrassed in front of

people. No, I’m not going to ask you to strip down to the nude. That would just be weird.

Instead, you need to be alone in a place where you can make some noise because you’re

about to energize your goal in way that perhaps you’ve never done before. If you have

access to a place where you won’t be interrupted and can make some noise, go there now.

Or, make time to go to such a place if you’re unable to right now. Take everything you’ve

written down or typed up about your goal so far. All your notes and answers. When you’re

there, continue reading.

Now that you’re in a place where you won’t be interrupted and canmake some noise, refer to your goal statement. Perhaps you haven’t writtenthis fully yet and if not, that’s okay because we’ll cover that in the section“Stated & Shared”. But if you can recite what your goal is and a coupleof reasons why you want it to happen, that’s all you’ll need. If you need

to write it down, take a moment to do that. Here’s an example on how youcould word it;

“My goal is to improve my level of fitness exponentially, so in

three months from now, I am able to run a distance of 10mks with

ease and can push myself further and further each time. I am fit,

healthy, strong and looking forward to a long, active life”

or

“My goal is to complete my degree in business management, so in

two years time I will be fully qualified. With this qualification I

will become an employable and skilled individual in the business

sector, and can begin my career with a bang!”




Just a couple of examples to give you some ideas. Write yours down now.Once written, stand up again and read it out loud to yourself. In your

natural tone of voice as if you were speaking with someone else, simply read

it out from start to end. Do this three times, ticking off each time you have;

• You can also download this exercise from the blog “Resources” section.

Now, I can’t hear you right now but I would predict quite confidentlythat you simply read that out in a normal, somewhat structured and relaxedtone of voice. Read it out three more times in that same way, and tick it offbelow as you do so;

That time, were you more aware of how you sounded when reading it

aloud? Think you could be more enthusiastic? Then read it out again, thistime with a positive, ascending tone of voice as if you were reading a storyto a group of children. Do this three times also;

How did that feel? Did your goal statement take on a bit more life justnow? Read it out again, but this time, really savour each and every word.



108 Brian McAleer

Imagine each word was going to be the last time you ever spoke. Read itwith passion, motivation and heart. Read it that way five times.

How is it sounding to you now? Getting louder, bigger, stronger? Good.Now, read it out as loudly as you can, without screaming. A big, boomingcommanding voice as if you were the Emperor of Rome addressing theColiseum. Imagine your voice will echo through the room as you read. Thisis the part where you might start to feel a bit silly, because how often dowe speak like this really? Hence the reason I asked you to go somewhereyou could be alone without confused eyes staring as you raise your voice.This is your private place. Own it and make as much noise as you want.If you hang in here with me and follow through, you will increase yourenergy dramatically and feel your goal taking on a whole new meaning. Stillimagining you were the Emperor of Rome with a crowd hanging off your

every word, read your goal statement out as if it were a moment in history.Do this five times;

Now that you’re warmed up, get ready for the really fun part. Continuingto read out your statement with power and passion, jump up and down onthe spot. Jump as high as you can. If you have space, kick your legs out,extend your available arm and wave your hand freely. Do this five times.

Feeling more energised? Good, because now we’re going to raise theroof! Pick a song or piece of music from your collection that gets you really




motivated. A song that lifts you up when you’re feeling down and inspiresyou to be the best person you can be. You might have a particular song inmind, or maybe not. If I can offer you a suggestion, I like to listen to “Eye

of the Tiger” by Survivor, so brilliantly used in the Rocky films. Or “You’reSimply the Best” by Tina Turner always gets me motivated. A song thatstarts slow and builds and builds towards an uplifting and climatic chorusor finish. Take a moment and cue that song. Turn it up loud!

As soon as the song starts, continue reading your goal statement. Keep jumping up and down. Jump higher and higher. Then yell and scream yourgoal statement as if the whole world needed to hear it. Do it again andagain. Keep reading it for the entire duration of the song, until the musicends. Scream it until your throat hurts and you can’t go any further. Thenonce the song ends, stop.

So, how are you feeling? Maybe a bit tired now. Can you see the benefitin having energy in and around your goal? And how much more energiseddid you feel during that process? Do you feel inspired? Motivated?Pumped? Excited even? If you’re not really excited yet, fear not. We’reabout to dive deeper into your goal than you ever thought possible to bringit to life in such a big way, that you won’t be able to wait to get started.

We’re going to look at how to make your goal “EXCITED”!!!!!!!!!



110 Brian McAleer


ENERGISED

On a scale of 1 to 10—1 being poor, 5 being good, 10 being amazing—how Energized do you feel about your goal?

How will you know when you’re starting to lose energy in regards to your goal?

When you are energised, your goal will be energised. Energy gives you highlevels of focus, resolve, flexibility, strength and endurance. In saying that,

answer the following;

When I’m focused I can

When I have resolve I can




When I’m being flexible I can

When I feel strong I can

When I have endurance I can

Now, close your eyes and picture having achieved your goal. Pay closeattention to what you can see, hear and touch. After visualising this for a

minute, write down in detail what you saw, heard and felt.

Think about your reasons Why you want to achieve this goal.Then answer the following;

Why, most of all above everything else, do you want to achieve this goal?



112 Brian McAleer

Why does this need to happen?

And why does that need to happen?

Looking back over all your reasons why, rewrite your goal statement andprovide 3-4 of your main reasons;

My goal is

I want this to happen for the following reasons;




Now return to the exercise at the close of the chapter Energized, where itasks you to read your goal statement out in various ways. Tick off each timeyou do this. Noticing how you feel doing this process and how your energy

levels rise considerably

If you thought the exercise you did to energize your goal from the book waspowerful, well . . . you ain’t seen nothing yet. The potential energy you can

muster up from deep inside yourself is almost unlimited. In a room fullof passionate, determined and motivated individuals at the “Setting TheSMARTEST Goals” workshop, we do a group energy experience where

everyone injects life into their goal at the same time. The roof will be raisedand the earth could possibly be shaken . . . it’s like nothing you’ve every

experienced.

• Continue reading Chapter 6 to discover how to make your goal Excited




When excitement builds

Probably one of the best years of my life so far was in 2006. I was

23 going on 24 and the early twenties were a great time for me. At thebeginning of that year, I embarked on my Life Coaching journey. Trackingdown a Life Coach in Melbourne, we met in person and I signed up forabout eight sessions with them. Each week I headed to their office on St.Kilda Road, Melbourne, where I fleshed out my goals and started to changemy life. I had ambitions and plans, but wasn’t sure how to make the most ofthem.

One of these goals was to make the most of my experience involvedwith the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. I’d been successful in gettingaccepted as a volunteer and would be assisting at the Opening and ClosingCeremonies. And the big highlight of the year was a return to the USsummer camp I had first worked on in 2004. In between sessions on camp,I had earned my first Youth Work qualification and was looking forwardto returning and applying the new knowledge I had obtained over the pastyear. Two big events locked in for the year, which would bring me manypositive experiences.

My coach provided me with a goal planner format, which I used to

identify my mini-goals for each experience. That helped me to bring upsome fears, doubts and hesitations I had about both experiences and createseveral strategies for being able to apply myself in the best way. Once I haddeveloped my goals, I had two detailed documents to take with me on myexperiences, which I could refer to and read over, reminding myself whyI was there and what my outcomes were. It was due to having developedthose goals so clearly, that I had two amazing experiences as a volunteerfor the Commonwealth Games and an incredible time working on my

camp the second time around. In the lead up to these events, I was superexcited every single day, looking forward to all I would be doing, seeingand experiencing. During the experience, I felt even more excitement as Isaw my goals unfold right in front of me. Looking back on this time alwaysmakes me smile, because I found the courage to own my success and createmy own excitement.

Your Life as a Wheel

In the last chapter, I talked about the analogy “Life is a Road”. Whenthinking of what makes up your life itself, it helps to consider The Wheel ofLife. See the diagram below;



116 Brian McAleer

This tool is a simple but effective way of looking at the eight areas of yourlife. As you can see above, they are divided into the following areas; Health

& Well-Being (fitness, physical appearance, bodily health), Lifestyle (travel,hobbies, recreation), Family & Home-Life (immediate and extended),Career (your job, business, professional development), Money & Wealth (what you earn, how you manage it, financial aspirations), Friends &

Social-Life (close and far, acquaintances, networks & contacts), Intimate

Relationships (dating, partner, marriage) and Goals & Dreams (success,wishes, personal development).

Often a few of these areas will be going well and are in balance,whereas one, two or more might not be going so well. This is normal, as weall tend to focus on a few key areas at once, dedicating the majority of ourtime, focus and energy into them. This means other areas can get neglectedor left behind, creating imbalance in our lives.




ACTIVITY

Go to the blog and click on the ‘Resources’ section, where you can download the“My Wheel of Life Exercise”. Print this off and complete the exercise before moving on.

Thinking of your goal, how does the outcome relate to your life ingeneral? Finding a way to connect the outcome to all your life areas willcreate a large amount of relevance for your goal. Incorporating the goal’soutcome and the process of making it happen to your whole life, will helpyou keep the momentum going. But what if your goal is to improve yourfitness? What does that have to do with finances? Good question. That’s upto you! Get creative and brainstorm how you can connect your outcome tothe various areas of your life. Here’s an example;

Goal—to improve my fitness so in three months time I am able to

run long distance and look, and feel great.

How does this help me in the other areas of my life?

Health & Well-Being—my goal is directly linked to this area, so itwill benefit my Health & Well-Being in many ways

Lifestyle—as I start to get fitter, I will begin to look better, meaning Ican wear the clothes I want to, and walk around with confidence.

Family & Home-Life—being fit will set a good example for my familymembers and create a good routine with my home life.

Career—the fitter I get, the more energy I have and the better I willperform at work

Money & Wealth—as I get fitter, have more energy and performbetter at work, I will start to open up new opportunities and possibilities formyself, such as being considered for a raise or even to apply for new workthat pays better and rewards enthusiasm

Friends & Social-Life—I can be the role model for my friends thatI want to be, and maybe even inspire them to get fit and join me when I

exercise. I could also join a running group and meet new people.Intimate Relationships—as I get fitter and have more energy, I willbe extra-attentive and involved in my relationship, and I can look betterand more attractive for my partner.

Goals & Dreams—getting fitter is just the beginning of a whole newlife for me, as I achieve one exercise milestone after another, allowing me



118 Brian McAleer

to run further and achieve more challenging goals. Maybe I’ll run thatmarathon one day, or even run across Australia!

You can see with this example, a little creative thinking can connect

any goal to all areas of your life. Just think positive benefits. Whicheverarea you put the most time, energy and focus into will play a huge part inthe quality of life in your other areas. So with an equal amount of focus onall areas, each area will benefit in time.

Life after you’ve achieved your goal

Thinking of how your goal will benefit all the areas of your life, takesome time now to visualise life after your outcome . . .

How will you feel about yourself? How will you look and appear, toothers and yourself? What new opportunities will start flowing towardsyou?

The purpose of a goal is not only to achieve an outcome—it shouldcreate a change of life for you. How you use that outcome is up to you, butif your outcome is just to obtain something that might depreciate in valueonce you have it or only bring you temporary enjoyment and rewards, is itreally worth it? That’s why I don’t encourage people to make their biggest

goal only to buy a new car, or some other kind of materialistic item,especially if it is only for you and won’t bring benefit and happiness toothers. But building wealth is a fine goal, as that will allow you to purchasenice things, but more importantly help other people and contribute in abigger way.

Ideally, your goal will lead to a new life for you. The benefits andafter-affects of your goal can be long-lasting; taking you to new placesand convert your thinking so you couldn’t even image going back to how

things once were. And don’t fret that your goal is going to change you into acompletely different person, making you unrecognisable to your friends andfamily. You will still be you. Instead of changing, you are simply embracingthe other parts of yourself.

Besides imagining how this goal will change your life and lead to otheropportunities and experiences, imagine how it could be a part of somethingbigger. Your outcome could be part of an important topic or issue in theworld. It might relate to a new movement or way of thinking. You can

challenge what society considers to be acceptable or normal. Your outcomecan even take you on a path you’ve never contemplated or even imaginedfollowing before. You don’t have to change the world with your goal, butdare to dream how it could be a part of something bigger.




How far and wide could your goal reach?

Have you heard of Erin Gruwell? The school teacher from California?

If not, you might have read the book or seen the film of “The FreedomWriters”? When she was still a student teacher, Erin worked at a highschool where she was assigned a classroom of low performing students. Asthey revealed to her they hadn’t heard of the Holocaust, she encouragedthem to get reading more. A year later, she returned to the school asa full-time teacher. Around this time, California was running a ballotinitiative called “Proposition 187”; if passed, this would not allow illegalaliens to access health care, other social services and public education.Being California, a large majority of the students at the school werepossibly illegal aliens or members of their family’s were.

Not wanting her students to hold back their anger and frustration orunleash their feelings in a negative way, Erin inspired her class to writeabout this issue through journaling. She shared books with them thatwere written by other teenagers, to teach them how to discover their ownvoice. This was the teacher’s goal. She may not have realised how big ofa difference this would go on to make, and what happened next was trulyremarkable. The students made a major turnaround and all 150 of them

graduated from high school. A lot of them went onto college and in thefollowing years, The Freedom Writers Foundation was set up to inspireyoung, underprivileged students to pick up pens instead of guns.

“To look back all the time is boring. Excitement lies in tomorrow”

—Natalia Makarova, Ballet Dancer and Choreographer

What could your goal lead to? Perhaps your goal is to get fit andhealthy. If you achieve this, you might become a personal trainer, inspiringyour friends and family to get fit and they could go on to teach others to dothe same. You never really know how far your influence will reach until youstep out there and make a difference in your own way first.

The Power of Affirmations

But what happens when the realities of life get in the way? All thoseobstacles, challenges, unexpected events and your own “Off Days” thatcan come along will happen and often, this part of the journey can slowyou down or even stop you dead in your tracks . . . if you let them. Tokeep your vision alive and your dedication steadfast, you would benefitfrom developing some Positive Affirmations for yourself. Affirmations are



120 Brian McAleer

basically statements that reinforce your beliefs, your skills and abilities andwhat you want to happen. The trick is to write them in a way that declareswhat will happen for you, or better yet, write them in present tense as if you

are already living them. And your affirmations can come from anywhere.Look back over your answers to the questions you’ve worked through sofar. You can create your affirmations out of your beliefs and their supports.For example, several of my affirmations which supported me to write thisbook came from my own beliefs. One of my beliefs was “I believe mywriting contains substance, deep meaning and quality”. My affirmationbecame “The SMARTEST Method is full of substance, deep meaning andquality”. That, along with nineteen other affirmations I created, pulled metowards completing this book. You’ll need to read them out loud to yourselfevery single day. At first, this could sound strange and somewhat fake, aswhat you’re saying out loud may not have manifested itself yet, so might feelfar off or unattainable.

But in case you haven’t noticed, we talk to ourselves everyday, and youmay not even be aware of the affirmations (positive or negative) that you’recurrently saying to yourself. By writing them down, and actively readingthem out loud everyday, you will gradually start to notice a difference.Rule of thumb suggests that an action becomes a habit after thirty days of

consistent reinforcement. Try reading out your affirmations for thirty daysstraight, and then watch how you will start to think, speak, feel and actdifferently. Eventually, they will lead you where you want to go. That’s thepower of Positive Affirmations.

Here’s an overview of how to make your goals Excited

• Start by thinking about what gets you excited. Look back over themost exciting times of your life, and in particular what happened in

the lead up to that event.• Secondly, connect your goal to the eight areas of your life. With the

outcome you’re working towards; find the benefits that will have oneverything else that makes up your life.

• Follow this by imagining how much your life can potentially changeonce you’ve achieved your goal, as well as that Bigger Thing itcould be a part of. What difference could your goal make if you letit fly?

• And lastly, come up with at least twenty Positive Affirmations inpresent tense that will keep you focused and aligned with your goal.

Before you continue to Construct your Goal, rate how excited you feel atthe moment, using the scale below. 1 being poor, 5 being good and 10 beingvery excited.




Now that you’ve imagined how your goal could be a part of somethingbigger than you, it’s time to actually take it out into the world. This happenswhen you declare your goal and invite other people to take part in it. Insaying that, let’s now look at how to make your goal Stated & Shared



122 Brian McAleer


EXCITED

On a scale of 1 to 10—1 being poor, 5 being good, 10 being amazing—how Excited do you feel about your goal?

Revisit the two Wheel of Life diagrams you did in the chapter Excited (ifyou haven’t completed that exercise, please do it now before proceeding to

the next exercise).

Now, rewrite how your goal and its outcome will benefit your Eight Areas ofLife;

• Health & Well-Being—my goal will benefit this area because

• Lifestyle—my goal will benefit this area because




• Family & Home-Life—my goal will benefit this area because

• Career—my goal will benefit this area because

• Finances & Wealth—my goal will benefit this area because

• Friends & Social-Life—my goal will benefit this area because



124 Brian McAleer

• Intimate Relationships—my goal will benefit this area because

• Goals & Dreams—my goal will benefit this area because

Reading over that, visualise yourself and what your life will be like afteryou’ve achieved your goal . . .

Now answer the following questions;

Once you’ve achieved your goal and it’s made a difference in all of your LifeAreas, how will you feel about yourself?

How will you be thinking differently?




How will you look and appear to others? To yourself?

In what ways will you be talking and communicating differently?

What kind of people could be a part of your life?

Now, you’re going to develop your list of Positive Affirmations, which will

serve you as you work towards your outcome. You can develop these PA’sfrom your empowering beliefs and their supports, from your list of personalachievements, and anywhere else in your answers so far;

I am

I am

I am

I am

I am



126 Brian McAleer

I can

I can

I can

I can

I can

I have

I have

I have

I have

I have

I do

I do

I do

I do

I do

Read these Positive Affirmations out loud to yourself every day. Writethem down on cards and stick them up where you’ll see them on a dailybasis, i.e. the bathroom mirror, on your fridge, next to your bed, in your car.I like to program my Positive Affirmations into my mobile phone, usingthe Reminders application. I choose the time my Affirmation pops up, howmany times a day and can have it repeat for as long as I want. It’s a great

way to “talk to yourself.”Before moving on to the next chapter, where is your level of excitementnow in relation to your goal?

If your excitement has only moved up one or two numbers that’s fine. Itshouldn’t have gone lower than how you felt at the start of this section. If itis the same as earlier, then perhaps you’re not getting associated enough to



128

Chapter 7: S

How to make your goal Stated

Life is tough! Would you agree? If you don’t, you either have it too easyor you’re in denial. More of the time, we put up with struggle rather thangain. Pain more than pleasure. Failure more than success. But life wasnever meant to be easy. I believe the reason for that is that every person on

the planet has massive potential. And it’s our life’s purpose to realise thatpotential and share it with the world. Potential is within all of us, and itonly reveals itself through taking action.

There are many people today, and I’m sure you know some of them,who love to talk; they talk about what they will do, or what they can do . . .but never actually get around to doing it. True potential is displayed whenwe are challenged and pushed to succeed in the face of obstacles andadversity. And the character and calibre of that potential is defined when

we take action by following through on what we say we will do. Anythingamazing that’s been achieved in life didn’t come around with a lack ofeffort. In many cases, the greatest discoveries and achievements in historytook months, years or even decades to manifest. Life is all trial and error.

You need to realise your potential for yourself. No one can tell you whatyour true potential is. There are certainly people in the world who can help youdiscover your potential, coax it out and inspire you to act on that potential. Butonly we truly know deep within ourselves where our potential lies and what

we’re truly capable of.If I were to have a central message for you in this part of The SMARTESTMethod it would be to live with Integrity and Assertiveness. Easier said thandone, but it can be done and this approach to your goal, and life in general, isessential in how you produce your own results in the short term and over thelong term.




How I learnt to be Assertive

When I was starting out in my Youth Work career, I was a quiet, modest

and somewhat insecure young guy. I was always nice to people, polite andtried to avoid confrontation where I could. Not really the preferred traits tobe an effective Youth Worker, which I would learn as I went along. But earlyin my career, I had an experience at work one day which was a smack in theface to me that I had very little assertiveness and integrity.

At the time I was working in an office which was actually an old house.My fellow staff and I were allowed to park our cars in the front garden.One afternoon, I was alone at the office and heard a knock on the door.Expecting it to be one of our young clients, I willingly went and answered it.Upon opening the door, a woman and man stood there.

“Who are you?” she demanded of me. I struggled through my words fora moment, and then quietly responded;

“Umm, I’m Brian. Can I help you?”She went on to explain how she was from the real estate agency that

managed this property and introduced the man behind her as the landlord.He stood in silence however, allowing her to do all the talking.

“Why are your cars parked on the lawn here? Don’t you know that’s not

allowed?”“Oh, sorry, I—”“You can’t park there at all. You need to move them now!” she said,

cutting me off.“Well, I was told we could park there” I said unconvincingly“As a matter of fact you can’t. It’s damaging the property. The landlord

is furious” she said, and as I glanced at him he nodded slightly inagreement, but still said nothing.

“Oh, okay I guess I could move it now. I’m the only one here right now,so I can’t move the other cars”

“Not good enough . . .” she said, and the conversation went on likethis, where essentially this woman got stuck into me. I took it all, standingthere looking pale and complacent, not trying to argue my case or defendmy right to park there. I just kept saying “sorry, sorry” and complied withher requests. Confident she had ripped me a new one, the woman and manwalked away and I retreated back into the office, feeling small.

After a short while, I sat there at my desk and started to feel angry. Ikept replaying the scene over and over in my mind, telling myself what Ishould have said or should have done instead of copping those commandingrequests. I then got down and became self-critical for not standing up formyself.



130 Brian McAleer

About two weeks later when I had gotten over that event, I was having myfortnightly supervision with the boss where we would usually talk about mycase load of clients. He was smart enough to bring up that day when the real

estate woman and landlord came around and how I had reacted to that. Heflat out asked me “Do you think you could have responded differently to thatsituation Brian?” I sat and thought about it and a few second later said “Yes”.

The conversation then went onto the topic of assertiveness and integrity,and my boss was also kind enough to honestly tell me he thought I wasn’teffective in talking on my own behalf and dealing with confrontation.

After this conversation, I felt angry again because it seemed my bosswas having a go at me as well! Now looking back in retrospect, I can seehe was trying to help me. My boss saw that I was lacking something and Ineeded to accept that. Going home that night, I didn’t hold onto the angerwhich would then turn into a depressed state and result in me beatingmyself up again. Instead, I made a decision to do some research and figureout how I could be more assertive in life. Through some self-directedlearning and taking action on being more assertive, now I don’t let anyonetalk to me in a way that is disrespectful, judgemental or over-assumingwhen it is completely uncalled for.

Assertiveness and integrity come from self-respect. That comes from

self-worth and we all need to declare that for ourselves. When we do, wecreate our own standards, rules, conditions and boundaries for the way wetreat others and how we would like to be treated in return. When you acton that, however difficult or awkward that might feel to you at first, youget better at it. Then, you put yourself in a position to state what you wantand don’t want and begin to live that way. I can now go into my mind andheart and genuinely say ‘Thank You’ to that woman. I am grateful for thatencounter because it revealed something about me. I am also grateful to my

former boss, who at the time I thought was just coming down on me. He alsodid me a favour and helped to identify what my problem was.

I share that story with you to illustrate an important point. You’ve gotto declare to yourself what you’re worth, and one of the best ways to dothis is to express that to other people. But the crucial step in following thisdeclaration is to act on it. Don’t succumb to the syndrome of only talkingabout what you’ll do in life. Ideas and goals are only pipe-dreams unlessacted upon, and what stops most people from doing that is usually the same

thing, time after time—fear.

Let’s talk about fear

Heard the saying “Feel the fear and do it anyway”? I love that, becausewe all have fears we would like to overcome.




For me, one of those fears was bungee jumping. Since the age of 19, apart of me wanted to do it more than anything, but then my fear would kickin. My mind would race with thoughts like “What if the cord snaps?” This

fear came about not from me personally, but from the collective fears of thepeople around me. When I first started talking about wanting to bungee jump, people would project their fears onto me, emphasising all the risksinvolved and talking about the times when people had died from it. Yes,people have died from bungee jumping, but you only ever hear about thoseincidents. No one talks about the hundreds of thousands of other bungee jumps that are successfully completed each year funnily enough.

So on a trip to New Zealand at the age of 27, I booked myself in for abungee jump. On the day of I was getting close to my jumping destination,when suddenly I started to feel nervous and excited simultaneously. Thenas I signed the appropriate forms and walked up to the bridge, I startedto get the shakes. Before I knew it, I was getting weighed, having the cordwrapped around my feet and being led to the edge of the bridge by theinstructors. There was no turning back now. In some cases, this is wherea lot of people would stop; they’d taken all the steps so far, but when itcame to the final action they would freeze up. For a brief moment, I feltthat way but when told I was good to go, I simply stepped off the bridge and

plummeted to the water below.Within a couple of seconds I had fallen the 47 metres and stopped

just feet about the surface of a raging river. I was gracefully pulled backup by the cord, bobbed up and down then slowed to a stop. With my bodydangling in the air for a few minutes, it was then and there that I felt themost amazing feelings of achievement and confidence I’d ever felt in mylife. Lowered to the water by the staff in a boat who then took me to therivers edge. I had relinquished my fear forever. For the rest of the day, I was

feeling on top of the world. It’s indescribable how proud and elated I feltfrom having just jumped off a bridge. I had done my first bungee jump, andfrom there, I then went on and did two more jumps that same day. Since thattrip, my declaration became that I would try anything once and even if itscared me I would do it anyway. Because courage comes to you after you’vefaced your fear.

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater

than your fear of failure”

—Bill Cosby, Comedian / Actor



132 Brian McAleer

Mean what you say—Do what you say

The other side to setting goals that are Stated is to inject them with

Integrity. You develop integrity by doing what you say you will do. That’s it!Although simple, that’s not always easy.What will help you develop the skill of living with integrity is to follow

through on what you say you’ll do, and not expecting to get it right the firsttime. It may take you several attempts before you master the action youwant to take. The main point is that you just do it anyway. As long as you’reopen minded to learning from your own mistakes, proactive in seekingfeedback and implementing it, then taking that step again until you get itright, you will develop more integrity. You don’t have to get it right all thetime, you certainly don’t need to have all the answers and your preferenceshould be to learn more about yourself instead of trying to be perfect andplease others. This will turn you into a Doer and you’ll be miles ahead of allthose Talkers, still sitting around chatting it up about all the things they’regoing to do but never achieve. After some time of practicing this habit, yourintegrity will go through the roof.

Even as your integrity and assertiveness develop, there will alwaysbe people who try to stop you. Find the courage to not let the judgements,

insecurities and misguided advice of others stop you from achieving yourgoals. Why would you listen to them? Do they know you? Actually, in mostcases these people do know you well, and usually they are our family,friends and closest associates.

Standing tall when you’re being pulled down

In any of these relationships, where the bonds that tie the people

together are close and deep, we become reliant on these people. We buildour lives around them, seek their advice and worry about what they think ofus. So when someone starts to grow and change, embracing the deeper partsof themselves and tapping into their potential, their significant other(s) willnotice this and if they’re not growing with them, will start to think they’rebeing abandoned.

“Don’t leave me. I’m not ready to grow and change. How can you headoff and do all these things without asking me if I’m ready for that? I don’t

want to be alone again”. Although this might sound childish and immature,it’s still the way with grown adults. It comes from the inner motives of ourpsyche; the part of our mind we’re not fully aware of that is the reasonbehind why we do certain things. This is why when you start talking aboutthe things you’re doing with enthusiasm or you’re actively showing yourclose ones how you are changing, one of them will say “Slow down, take it




easy, don’t work so hard, just keep it simple, what are you doing that for . . .?” in condescending or subjective tones to undermine your confidence andpull you back down.

A lot of the time, we become overpowered by this, because a part ofus cares for our close ones and we don’t want to disappoint them, lose afriendship or possibly be judged and scrutinised, heaven forbid. But Iwould like to challenge you on that behaviour if you find you devalueyourself for others and lower your standards for them. My advice is, “Don’tdo it”.

Yes, you will probably be judged by those closest to you. Yes, you mightlose a friendship. Yes, you could be the one who ends up alone while youmove on in your growth. But if you can see the benefits in that, and havethe vision for why you’re growing, going against what others say becauseyou know it’s the best thing for you, is worth the journey. Because when youmove up in life you shine; when you stay down in life, you shrink. If you justify not changing your life for the sake of others, at some point down theline, the part of you which wants to grow, evolve and do amazing things inlife—Your Potential—will remind you that it’s still there and always willbe. If you try to fight that off and minimise yourself and what you’re reallycapable of, you are doomed for a life of regret in the long run.

So in accepting that it’s up to you to declare your own self-worth, faceyour fears, develop your own assertiveness and live with integrity by actingon what you say you will do, how could your goal evolve even further?Here’s an example;

“My name is John Hayes, and my goal is to make ten million

dollars by age 45. It’s up to me do this, because no one else is

going to make me rich. I have all my own reasons for being

wealthy and I can see this outcome as clear as day. I will learn what I need to learn, implement new habits and work as much as I

can to make this happen. Even when the going gets tough, people

tell me it can’t be done and life throws its surprises and challenges

my way, I will stay the path. This is what I want and I am willing

to do whatever it takes, for however long it takes to make it a

reality. I will take action on my goal everyday and never give up

until it’s been accomplished!”

If your statement was written in that tone and you read this to yourselfout loud three times a day, it will shift your thinking and you will start to feeldifferent about your goal. You will start to notice things you didn’t see beforeand take advantage of them to get you closer to your outcome. Once you state



134 Brian McAleer

your self-worth and take full ownership of what you want, magic starts tohappen.

ACTIVITY

I invite you to now write your goal statement down as a commitment to what you are going

to do to make it happen. Fill it with as much intent, responsibility and purpose as you

can, because like the Positive Affirmations you’ve developed, your goal statement will

guide you towards the actions you need to take to achieve your outcome. Develop your

goal statement now.

My name isand my goal is to

It’s imperative that you do this to begin shifting yourself towards takingaction. It is also a good lead-in to the next step of The SMARTEST Method,where with your goal clearly defined and declared by now, you’re goingto take it out into the world. You’re going to bring it to life and give it thewings it needs to fly. Its now time for you to discover how to set a goal that

is Shared.





STATED

Being as honest with yourself as you can, how Assertive are you? Onthe scale below, you will see Passive at one end of the spectrum, and

Aggressive at the other. Most people sit closer to one end of the spectrum.You want to be somewhere in the middle, where Assertiveness sits. It’s

neither passive nor aggressive. But as I said, be honest and rate where youare in this moment. Assertiveness does not come easily; it has to be worked

on and acquired through effort.

In the section Stated we talked about integrity ; doing what you say youwill do, exactly the way you intend to. Please circle the description that

rates how much integrity you believe you have. Once again, be honest withyourself. This process is only for you and your eyes, so what’s the point in

lying to yourself?

I never do what I say I will do

I sometimes do what I say I will do

I often do what I say I will do

I regularly do what I say I will do

I always do what I say I will do

Describe how much your goal is worth to you. This can either be a dollaramount or in a spiritual sense. If it’s priceless, write that. But if it’s more

specific, then explain how so.



136 Brian McAleer

What are your fears about your goal?

When you overcome these fears, what could you accomplish then?

You will make mistakes and experience failings along the way to achievingyour goal, so be prepared and willing to learn from them. How do you planto learn from any mistakes or failures you will have as you work on yourgoal?




Looking back over your answers to the proceeding questions, re-write yourgoal statement again. This time, describe what you will do, what its worth toyou, how you will overcome the obstacles and respond to the judgements of

others. Refer to the example in this chapter if needed;

My name isand my goal is to

Once written, read this out loud to yourself twice a day; once in the morningas soon as you out of bed, and again in the evening before retiring for thenight. Then you will go to bed and wake up with your goal clearly in yourmind, and watch as you inadvertently take action towards it each day.

As it was mentioned in this part of the method, assertiveness is onlyacquired with effort over time. But in the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals”workshop, we speed up the process and take you through an exercise where

you will permanently move away from anything closely resembling beingpassive or aggressive. We also take a closer look at fears, as touched on inthis book. Those fears you have, are they real or percieved? How do you

know for sure. The answers are at the workshop. Fear not!

• Continue reading Chapter 7 to discover how to make your goalShared



138 Brian McAleer

How to make your goal Shared

Two heads are better than one right? I’m going to challenge that saying

and replace it with “Two heads are more productive than one.” Two peoplecan easily get together to plan something and brainstorm, but the resultwon’t necessarily be the best outcome or better than what you alone couldcome up with. This comes down to who it is your pairing your mind with.

At some point in your life, you’ve probably worked closely withsomeone or had to collaborate on a task or project with a co-worker withwhom you didn’t necessarily like or see eye-to-eye with. Or perhaps youwere seeking advice from the wrong person? Sometimes we have to workwith those who aren’t of our choosing, and as you’d also know it’s moreeffective to find a way to work with that person, despite your differences.

But when it comes to setting your goal in relation to The SMARTESTMethod, you can choose whoever you want work with in attaining it. Andyou want to choose wisely.

This section is going to talk about the power of Accountability. Forthose of you not familiar with this concept, it basically entails sharing yourgoal with another who will support you and reinforce what you need to doin order to achieve your outcome. They don’t need to have achieved what

you’re going for exactly, but can see it with clarity and have some form ofinvestment in your success so they will assist you to get there.

Who will be your Accountability Partner?

Firstly, you need to respect them. They should have achieved a levelof success that you admire or resonate with. Preferably, they need to be aperson who exhibits qualities and character traits you recognise as positive

qualities and would like to emulate within yourself.This person should also have belief in you and your abilities. It would

help if you already have rapport with them and a relationship that is builton recognition and similar values. Once that foundation is set, it willmake the process of sharing your goal with them and having the ongoingconversations and feedback sessions more productive and enjoyable.

To assess how strong this person’s belief in you is, first sound them out.Before you propose they be your Accountability Partner, talk about your

goal first. Tell them about it, explaining what that outcome will bring youand briefly outline the process you intend to follow in making it happen.Notice their responses to what you say. Do they appear curious and ask

questions. If so, you’ve got a safe bet this person believes you can or willachieve this and wants to see where your self-belief is at. The more interestthey show in your goal and your commitment to it, the more inclined they’ll




be to help you get it. Overall, go with your instinct; if it tells you this isthe person that will help you, ask for their help. If your instinct tells youdifferent, then proceed no further than just sharing with them the goal you

wish to pursue.So with this person you respect and who believes in your potential inreturn at your access, it’s time to determine their level of readiness andavailability to be your accountability partner. Begin by asking them if theyare currently working on any goals or if they’d like to be. Ask questionsand listen as attentively as they did for you. Find a connection with theirgoal you can be a part of. Through their explanation of what they’re workingon, you should be able to piece together clues that tell you how much timethey spend on their goal, when and where they work on it and the amountof energy and focus they put into it. If you can see yourself contributing oroffering input to their journey in any way, go back to your goal and ask ifthey would be willing and able to support you. In exchange, offer to helpthem out somehow, preferably in an equal way.

Set up a space to share

Next, strategise an ongoing time and means of meeting up where the

two of you can talk about your goals. Find a way to bring the two of youtogether, and be flexible. Ask your partner what works for them first, andtry your best to work yourself in and around their availability. Initially youare seeking their help, so you must be willing to go out of your way to get it.I’ve always found if you offer more of yourself to people first, they are morelikely to help you just as much in return. It’s the old adage of “Give beforeyou take”.

A good goal sharing session should go for at least forty-five minutes to

an hour. Too short a time and you can’t get into the guts of the goal. Too longa time, and the conversation can wonder off and you’ll lose track of yourgoal and the purpose of the meeting. If your partner can commit to about anhour a week, then lock them in!

Another crucial element to this kind of collaboration is to set clearboundaries and expectations of each other up front. Tell your accountabilitypartner how you like to be communicated to and what you think you’llneed help with the most. Be honest. Identify your weaknesses or areas of

improvement that could hinder your progress, and ask your partner whatthey would suggest to counteract those obstacles. Hopefully, your partner iswilling and able to challenge you. We all slack off at one point, lose focusand have our off-days, and the solution to that can be associating withsomeone who will give you a nudge, a shove or a kick in the butt to get yougoing again.



140 Brian McAleer

This is why sharing your goal with your spouse or partner is so effective,as it is the natural inclination for our other half’s to lift us up when we’relow, and bring us back down if we’re becoming too elated or cocky. But

perhaps you don’t want to or can’t share your goal with your spouse orpartner, and that’s fine. If your accountability partner comes across as beingtoo easy going or gentler in terms of holding you accountable, give thempermission to push you.

So with your accountability partner in place, a meeting time andlocation organised for once a week and clear understanding of each othersexpectations and boundaries, go ahead and meet with them. Stick to thisarrangement like clockwork and structure the meetings so there is anoutcome for each one. Over time, the relationship can grow, prosper orchange, so go with the flow and just trust in the process.

Give before you take

Can you see your goal including and incorporating the help andparticipation of other people? Will the outcome be something you canshare and allow others to experience? If your goal is just to obtain aflashy, expensive car for yourself, then throw that outcome away and start

over. By now, I’m assuming you’ve seen how The SMARTEST Method isalso a self-development tool to get clear on what you really want to be, doand have in life, which doesn’t only include materialistic gain. I stronglyencourage you to be working towards a goal that will benefit other people.

Ever noticed how we usually do more for other people than wedo for ourselves? It is in our nature and hearts to leave our mark on theworld. Anyone who focuses only on their own success, personal gain andsatisfaction is either very lonely, not well liked or thought of and probably,

quite miserable. Helping only yourself is not the key to happiness andself-fulfilment.

We’ve all seen people get greedy before, walk over others with completedisregard and show no care or sympathy for the needs of others. I believethis to be a minor condition, and never a permanent fixture in a personsmind.

People are good at their core and we all find enjoyment in knowing wehave made a difference in the lives of others. If you know anyone who is

stuck in the trap or pursuing only their own attainment, love them anywayand guide them towards the more noble choice. They are just lost andconfused about the line between helping only yourself and helping yourselfby helping others first. Just by making that shift, they will find the personalsatisfaction they are looking for.




So how will your goal benefit other people? Perhaps if you are lookingto completely revitalise your health and fitness, you could then startan exercise group of your own or write a blog on how to get fit and share

that with your friends. If your goal involves starting a business, put yourcustomers first. When you find the most effective way to meet the needs andsolve the problems of your clients or customers, they will come to you indroves, and in return, provide you with the business success you desire.

“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference”

—Tom Brokaw, TV Journalist & Author

The rewards of helping others are priceless. By making this focus a keycomponent of your goal—and life in general—you develop into a more selflessperson. You will begin to ditch your need to be a perfectionist because you’lldiscover that people more often appreciate someone just listening to themand offering to care rather than trying to solve all their problems for them. Byhelping others profusely, you will learn an enormous amount about the personalstruggles, difficulties and obstacles others face and learn from their mistakes.This will help you develop a keen sense of mind and ability to predict the

most common problems and patterns of behaviour people fall into. So really,by helping others consistently you are helping you immensely and positioningyourself as a highly valued, respected and admired person.

Success as a Platform for Change

I expect that at this point in your experience of reading andimplementing The SMARTEST Method, you are feeling quite certain about

your goal. Certain that you are on the right track and will make it happenwith more intent and action than perhaps any other goal you’ve worked on?If so, then you are good at visualising things. You are the type of personwho can see their success happening before it’s actually happened. If youdon’t feel this way about your goal yet, it could be that the teachings fromthis method are still processing themselves away in your mind or you arethe type of person who needs to do things and will see their success unfoldbefore their eyes. Either way, I believe you are progressing very well and I

have another proposition for you.When you do achieve your goal, how are you planning to share thesuccess in the aftermath of achieving it?

Don’t let the feelings of success, achievement and attainment be onlyshort lived, even after all the work you’ll put in. That can also put people offpursuing goals in the first place. They know much effort is required to make



142 Brian McAleer

it happen, often days, weeks, months or even years. But then, the outcomelasts only for a moment, and you’re left feeling unfulfilled and empty. Thisis due to the outcome not being carried further beyond its initial realisation.

The solution is to continue walking through life with your goal achieved.Wear it on your sleeve and use it to teach others how to do the same.Many people have taken their own successes and shared that with

others as the basis of a career, and there are multiple ways to do that. I urgeyou to find a way of sharing your success with others. When you do this,more success comes to you. Remember, help others to get where they wantin life and you’ll get to where you want.

Now, get ready for the final step in The SMARTEST Method. You’veprepared exponentially and done a lot of work to come this far. Your bagsare packed and the journey is about to begin. It’s now time for you to Takethe First Step.





SHARED

This part of constructing your goal will cover the characteristics ofyour Accountability Partner (AP) as well as the details of your meeting

arrangements.

Having already approach your AP—or at least having a good idea of whoyou will seek the support of and approach—answer the following questions

about them;

What is it about the level of success or attainments your AP has achievedthat you respect and admire?

Which of their qualities or character traits do you see as positive and why?Which of these would you like to emulate in yourself?

How do you think, or believe, your AP sees you? How much belief do theyhave in your capabilities?



144 Brian McAleer

What are, or could be, the details of when, where and how your AP andyourself will meet to work on your goal?

The Means, i.e. Face-to-Face, over phone/Skype, email;

The Frequency, i.e. weekly, fortnightly, monthly;

The Day, i.e. Monday, Friday, alternating days;

The time am/pm

The Duration, i.e. 30/45/60 mins;

Describe how the Goal Sharing Sessions with your AP will be structuredand organised;

How will the session start?

Which of you will run the session and make sure it’s focused?




How will you conclude each session?

Now, think of your goal outside of yourself and the sessions with yourAP . . .

How could your goal include and incorporate other people? Who are thesepeople?

As you take each step, you will learn and experience much; how can youshare these learning’s and experiences with others?

Once you’ve achieved the outcome, how could you let other peopleexperience the outcome?



146 Brian McAleer

Circle the description below that best describes how certain you feel thatyour goal will benefit others;

My goal will not serve others in any way whatsoever My goal will serve other people in some waysMy goal will absolutely serve other people in many ways

If you thought having an Accountability Partner was helpful, imaginehaving an Accountability Team. That’s right! Get ready to build your

own personal network of support at the “Setting The SMARTEST Goals”workshop. Those in attendance will be so inspired to help you, and vice

versa, you’ll walk away from this workshop with a whole new meaning of theterm “team work”, and with your close knit group on side, there is nothing

stopping you.

• Commence reading Chapter 8: T—Take the First Step



147

Chapter 8: T

Take the First Step

Let me tell you a story

In a mountain range high above a village, a young peasant boy stoodat the foot of a staircase. This was no ordinary staircase. Carved out of

the stone itself, and reaching high up into the mountains, it offered anytraveller the chance to walk to the top. But in doing so, they would be facedwith walking up ten thousand steps. The belief of the village was that noone had ever made it to the top. Apparently, many had tried but all wouldgive up; most just stood at the bottom looking up but never moving. Thosewho took the first step would either turn back after the first few steps, goback just halfway up or even stop completely when they were just a fewsteps from the top.

The reason most never braved the steps was because they couldn’t seethe whole staircase. Apparently there was a sacred treasure up there, whichcould be claimed by whoever reached it. This treasure was not one of goldor jewels or precious stones, but whatever the traveller wanted it to be.Once at the top of the staircase, their own personal treasure would appearright before them. Staring up at this long, seemingly never-ending set ofsteps overwhelmed and excited the boy all at once. As he contemplatedwalking up it, a low, deep voice surprised him from behind.

“Will you take the first step?” the voice asked. Startled, the boywhipped around to see an elderly man. Wearing robes that were tattered,with a long grey beard, and holding a walking stick the old man stared withthe wisest eyes the boy had ever seen. He seemed to have appeared out ofthin air.



148 Brian McAleer

“I’m not sure. It’s a long way up, and I can’t see the top” answered theboy.

“Is that all that’s stopping you. Don’t you know what awaits the person

who reaches the top?”“Yes”“Then go” the old man gestured

The old man moved closer to the boy, who to his own surprise feltcomfortably safe in this strangers presence.

“But I don’t know if I can make it”“Yes, that’s right. You don’t know . . . until you try”“It’s a long way up. It’s going to take a lot of time and energy. Can I do

it?” the boy asked.“If claiming your own sacred treasure is important enough to you, then

yes, you can do it”“I’ve also heard . . .” cautioned the boy “ . . . that the steps are

shrouded in mystery”“That is true”“And what is that mystery?”

“It will be different for each person who walks up the steps. But foranyone who even reached that part of the journey, they were so overcomewith worry and fear of the unknown, they all turned back”

“Is the unknown where it gets foggy up there?” the boy asked, pointingup the stair case to where a constant cloud hung over the steps.

“Yes”“What do I when I come to that?”“You will be faced with a choice; turn back or face the unknown and

take the next step”“How do I know there really is a treasure up there?” challenged the boy

to the old man “If no one has ever made it to the top, how do you there istreasure there?”. The old man smiled, amused at all the questions.

“Legend tells of a young boy, like you, who made it to the top. He didreturn eventually, but not for many years. He came back an old man; feebleand slow, but wise and powerful. He remained at the top of the staircase,

looking down over all below. Once he had reaped all the rewards of histreasure, he returned to the world below. After returning, he vowed to waitfor the right person to come along and pass the secret onto them. Thissecret would help that person walk up the steps. And now, that old manstands before you”




“You?” the boy asked with disbelief.

“Yes. Like you, I stood at the bottom of this stair case; afraid, unsure,

not able to see the top. But do you know young boy, the thing that got mestarted?”“What?” plagued the boy“Another old man appeared and spoke to me as I speak to you now.

He imparted his wisdom onto me, and then . . . I took the first step. Thatwas the hardest step. Then I took the next one, and the next, and thenstep-by-step the journey became easier.”

“And how did you get through the fog of the mystery? How could yousee at that point?”

“I couldn’t see very well. But I trusted the next step would be there.Simply by putting one foot in front of the other, and not trying to overstepthe journey, I continued to connect with each step that followed. For a longwhile I took each step, continuing to be blinded by the unknown. But whatkept me going was . . .”

“What?” the boy beckoned. The old man did not answer straight away.The only sound was the howling of the wind around them. It seemed like anhour had passed, then he spoke.

“Faith” the old man said with a small smile “When the journey wasat it’s hardest, and I had constant thoughts of turning around and walkingback, I kept going. I had pre-determined what my treasure was. Eventhough I couldn’t see it yet, I knew it would be there. I made the decisionthat it would be there waiting for me. Even when the sight of your eyes isclouded, the vision in your mind can still see. So, what is your treasure?Can you see it, in your minds eye?”

“Yes” the boy proclaimed proudly “As clear as this day”

“Then you are ready. You have what all those who have failed beforeyou did not posses. You have vision”

And in the silence that followed the old man’s words, the boy turned,faced the long staircase propelling itself high up into the mountains, andtook the first step.

Immensely proud he had done so, the boy turned around to be

acknowledged, but the old man was no longer there. As mysteriously as hehad arrived, he was gone. But confident he could achieve the task now, theboy took the next step. Eventually, he reached the fog, and lost all sightof the staircase. But with the advice given to him earlier, he kept steppingforward, and the next step presented itself. Once through the fog, the boycould see the top of their stair case. Tired, cold and alone he pushed on



150 Brian McAleer

and after many steps, he reached the top. And at the top of the mountainwhere the stair case ended, the air clear and his perspective grand, the boystreasure appeared before him.

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole

staircase, just take the first step”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Activist & Humanitarian (1929-1968).

Vision is everything

I anticipate and hope that the process you’ve followed up until thispoint has equipped you with vision. That was the purpose of every stepbefore this one; to help you develop your vision. To see your goal and knowwhy you want it and what you will do to get it before you even start.

Vision is extremely powerful. We all have vision, but the wrong visioncan destroy a life. The old man from the story pointed out what the boy had,which no one else before him did. Because he had taken the journey up thestaircase himself, he had the power of vision aiding him on his trek to the

top of the mountain. And after succeeding, he came to see the potential inthe young boy, because vision sees vision. When you have vision, you willbegin to move forward without hesitation, and once your mind is equippedwith this powerful force, you will notice more than you ever thoughtpossible.

With vision, things become noticeable to you which you didn’tpreviously see. Certain people will cross your path, who beforehandyou might have smiled and nodded at in the street, or maybe never even

given the time of day. Instead, you will see what they posses and howthat can serve you or how you can learn from them. With vision, you seeopportunities in the obstacles. Life will continue to throw challenges andadversity at you and this is what can hinder and stop people dead in theirtracks, even when they are only a few steps or less from their outcome.When these challenges come your way—and they undoubtedly will—embrace them. Use them as a springboard to the next step. Learn fromthem, because the challenges are there to serve you; to push you further and

aide you in letting go of your limits and uncovering your true potential.

Success vs. Failure

You are about to take the first step towards your goal. But before youembark on this journey, I’d like to share with you an important factor in any




journey of personal growth and pursuing goals. And that is the differencebetween success and failure.

You might be the type of person who will succeed exponentially in the

pursuit of your goal, ascending to where you want to be quickly. Or, youcould be the type of person who prefers spending time preparing, takingstrategic action and succeeding slowly over time. Whichever way you goabout it, you will fail many more times before you find success. We can allget overwhelmed by failure and give up on our goals, even when we are soclose to success. You could be a person who will fear success, and sabotageyour growth due to that success. It’ll either be too big or daunting to handle,or you’ll worry you won’t be able to hang onto that success once obtained.

If you find yourself falling under any one or more of those categories just mentioned, rest assured that’s completely normal. We all add meaningto our own lives and the experiences we have. What’s right for one personcan be wrong for another. In saying that, I firmly believe in the importanceof coming up with your own definitions for the many milestones and stagesof life. So, to help you with your definitions, here is a piece I wrote that willhelp you determine what your definitions for success and failure are.

“The Roads of Success and Failure”

One of these roads is hard, one of them is easy

One of them is uncertain, one of them is predictable

One of them is well-signed, one of them is not

One of them is lonely and quiet, the other is overcrowded

One of them goes somewhere, the other goes round in circles

Which road are you on? Is that the road you want to be on right

now? Which one do you prefer? Do you think you always get tochoose which road you’re on?

No one is successful all the time. No one is a failure all the

time either. You will be on both these roads during your life at

different times. And you can be on both at the same time as well!

How can that be you might ask? Because Success Road and

Failure Road are the same road . . .

It’s called The Road of Life

Life is not one sided. To have what you’ve got, to be where

you are, and to do what you do, you would have had to have

experienced the opposite before it and you will most probably



152 Brian McAleer

experience the opposite again. If you know you’re successful,

then you’ve known failure. To be a failure means you know what

it means to be successful because you’re comparing where you

are as the opposite of success.

But what if, and just imagine this could be true . . . you are

neither a success nor a failure? Ever!

Think about it. What you define as a failure could be a success

to someone behind you and what you deem success is failure to

someone in front of you because you haven’t reached where they

are. This is why there is no one, single definition for success and

failure shared by everyone.

So come up with your own definition for success and failure

because they are both hard and easy roads, both uncertain and

predictable, both well-signed and not signed, both lonely and

crowded, both capable of taking you somewhere and taking you

in circles.

So whatever road you’re on it’s your own. Success or Failure? Youdecide!

There is nothing else I need to say to you now. You have developed allyou need to work towards your goal. Now you have a choice to make. Willyou stop here and leave this journey unfinished, or will you take the firststep?

My advice? Just Do It!





TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Looking back over the action steps you identified in the section Measurable,write up to 10 of the initial steps you could take to kick-start the pursuit of

your goal;

1

2

3

4

\5

\6

\7

\8

\9

\10

Rewrite your first step below;

The first step I will take is



154 Brian McAleer

You only need to take the first step to get moving, so looking at that stepnow, answer the following questions;

How strong is your vision? How will it help you in doing everything youneed to?

How strong is your faith? Will it be enough to carry you through theunknown that lies ahead?

What is your definition of failure? How will that serve you on your journey?

What is your definition of success? How will that serve you on your journey?




Return to these answers before you take each step. Once you have takeneach step, cross it off your list. Make some time to reflect about each stepyou take. And remember,

“Success is a journey, not a destination”

Good Luck!



156 Brian McAleer

You have now completed Constructing Your Goal, with each part of themethod taken into account. To put all of this together into one documentwhich you can refer to every day, please go to www.thesmartestmethod.

blogspot.com, click on the “Resources” link and download your free copy of“My SMARTEST Goal Planner”.

Setting The SMARTEST Goals—the workshop

Now you’ve read the book. You’ve used the goal construction process. Doyou want to go to the next level?

This book covers a broad range of topics but still only scratches the surfaceof The SMARTEST Method. To get even more out of it, come to one of

the official goal setting workshops. I personally run these workshops andwork closely with you to help you set any goal you want. With access toextra exclusive tips and secrets you won’t find in the book, the “Setting

The SMARTEST Goals” workshop will take you deeper into the TheSMARTEST Method and make your goals Explode!

Although we’ve covered a lot in this book, there is still only so much Iwas able to fit onto the page. The SMARTEST Method is a strategy bestsuited for repeated use; applied to every goal you choose to work on, andin some cases re-applied to the same goal several times until you havethe near perfect plan. In saying that, I urge you to come to the “SettingThe SMARTEST Goals” workshop. Reading this book alone is certainly

powerful, but you will gain so much more in one day with a room full of likeminded individuals and myself taking you through the method personally.

This workshop is a one day event, which can be delivered at yourworkplace, function centre, conference room or community building. Stayconnected to the Facebook page and The SMARTEST Method blog forupcoming dates and locations. You can also find out about the workshops byemailing [email protected]

“Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I may remember. But involve me,and I’ll understand”

—Chinese Proverb



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Chapter 9

The Eleven Principles of Success

If you’ve come this far, you’ve followed the entire process of TheSMARTEST Method. Well done! You have a plan, but most of all you havevision. But along the way, life will continue to do what it does best—beunpredictable. Consider these 11 Principles of Success that may give you

that extra boost of energy or refreshed perspective when the going getstough.

1. What You Focus on is What You Get—So Focus on What You Want!

The power of visualisation is almost indisputable. Of course, there’smore to manifesting something than just thinking about it or stickingimages of your outcome on a vision board. You need to focus with your

language, your body and in the action you take. The more intense andfocused your visualisation and association is, the more likely it will cometo be. It’s easier to focus on what you don’t want and this is unavoidable to adegree due to the mysterious inner workings of our brains. So work with thisbeautiful flaw, and turn your don’ts into do’s.

2. Reward Yourself Along the Way

Traditionally, we’ve been taught that the outcome we’re workingtowards is our reward. That we must persevere through all the hardshipbefore receiving any enjoyment. But if you recall what I said in the bookon several occasions, the real benefit of any goal is the process of workingon it. Rather than waiting till you’ve crossed the finish line to receive yourprize, reward yourself with each step you take and complete. This makes



158 Brian McAleer

the whole process more enjoyable and when you sensibly reward yourself,you will be more inclined to continue taking action. If it helps, get yourAccountability Partner to reward you instead, and ask them to make it a

surprise reward they could give to you at any time.

3. Give and Take in Equal Measure

I touched on this at the start of the book, but it’s worth mentioning againhere. For everything you take on the way to achieving your outcome, givesomething back. Either offer to help out the person who helped you, or finda way to share your success, perhaps in providing details on the processyou followed or involving others in the rewards and enjoyment of youroutcome. To do this most effectively, adopt an attitude of gratitude; beingever grateful for everything in your life is extremely humbling, and you’llsee the special meaning and true value behind everything. Gratitude comesfrom feeling happy about what you have and happiness is best experiencedwhen shared with others.

4. Embrace both the Negative and the Positive Together

There’s absolutely no point expecting you can go through life onlyexperiencing the positive stuff. I’m not saying you should ditch having apositive attitude or outlook, but too much of this can border on the line ofdenial. Life is not one sided. Adopt the attitude that anything negative is just as useful and can teach you to be more adaptable, flexible and tolerant.Take the negative on board as much as the positive and you have balance inall that you do and pursue.

5. People Are Your Greatest Resource—So learn from Every Person you Meet

No one can do everything on their own—it’s physically andintellectually impossible. One person alone can conceive huge, amazingthings, but it takes the hands and efforts of many to bring it to life. Thehuman mind is an almost never-ending resource of ideas, creativity, skillsand knowledge. Now times that by seven billion! I firmly believe thatyou can learn something of value from every person you meet in life; old,

young, man, woman, educated, uneducated, and irrespective of culture,religion or nationality. Pick the brains of those who have the knowledgeyou don’t, and watch your own self-awareness and know-how expand in theprocess.




6. Simply Put, if you Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail!

The SMARTEST Method has taken you through a process in which

you’ve planned the details and attainment of your goal. Even though awell-designed plan isn’t always guaranteed to work, it’s still better to have aplan you can follow than just relying on blind luck or circumstance. A planis merely a way forward; a set of strategies and contingencies you can relyon to get what you want. But as you know, life is full of surprises and eventhe best laid plans can become useless in a moment’s notice. Remember,Life is a Road . . . there is always more than one way to any destination— just as is there more than one plan to obtain the same outcome. In saying allthat, plan, Plan, PLAN!

7. Keep Moving Forward . . .

As you are aware, a wave which crashes onto the beach startedsomewhere out at sea. A wave is a force of nature, which cannot be stoppedonce it starts. It has momentum in spades and this is one of, if not thekey ingredient to ensure your overall success in life over the long term—the Power of Momentum. No matter what happens or how things change,

you have to keep moving in the direction of your goals and dreams. Muchopposition will come your way, in the guise of events, circumstances, words,ideas, but most of all, people. Be aware that those closest to you are mostlikely to be the ones who will affect your momentum. As I mentioned inthe section “Stated”, those closest to you have the influence to propel youforward or stop you in your tracks.

8. Remind Yourself that all You can Control is what YOU Think and Do

We all have an amazing power within us. It’s the ability to controlour own mind and body to serve and guide us. The SMARTEST Methodemphasises the importance of responding rather than reacting. This isimperative in your journey of success. More of the time, the events thatunfold around us on a daily basis are completely out of our control, butthe beauty in that is we have a choice. We can choose how to respondto what we can’t control, accepting it as is and moving on as well as

determining the meaning behind it for ourselves, so it serves us ratherthan hinder us. Control your own mind and actions, because that’s all youcan do. And as you learn to master this, you can influence others to do thesame.



160 Brian McAleer

9. Develop the Leader Within Yourself

One of the greatest lies of life is that leaders are born. Rubbish!

Leadership lies in all of us. Like me, I know you were probably convincedin your upbringing and by society at large, that only a select few of us willever be true leaders. But this simply isn’t the case. Once I learnt to leadmyself , I was then seen as a leader by my peers in the adult world. By beingmy own leader, I can inspire myself, think on my own two feet and influenceothers to find their own greatness. By acting that out, I find myself beingapproached and consulted in almost daily by others looking for guidanceand motivation. Start by developing the leader in you first, then you canlead others.

10. You Have to Get Uncomfortable to get Comfortable Again

Ever notice how some of the world’s most successful people who startedout with not very much, built their success from the ground up? And noticealso that those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, into aworld of wealth and privilege and never have to go without anything, canoften destroy it all and be extremely unhappy people? We were designed

to experience the best by first going through the worst. Look for theopportunities or chances to get uncomfortable. Step into the unknown andbe okay with not knowing exactly how it will turn out. Only playing it safecan be treacherous to your mental and spiritual well-being. Dare to step outonto the thin ice and swim in the cold water if you have to.

11. The Time to Take Massive Action is When you Least Feel Like It.

It’s indisputable that at times we all go through what I call a “low point”in life. In most cases, this can last for days or weeks, but in other casesit can go on for months or even years. We’re only human and each of usis a sensitive, susceptible and vulnerable being that can be burnt easily.Certain experiences made me bitter and cynical about life and people, andI found myself just wishing time away. This is the baggage we carry around,the excuses we make and the justifications we put on ourselves to not dowhat we know we need to. But when I feel like that these days, I find a

way to push through it and get something done. It’s worth knowing that bymastering the art of dealing with our cynicism and negative thoughts we willcome to defeat who can be the greatest critic in our lives—ourselves.



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Conclusion

The Road Ahead

I can only imagine that after reading The SMARTEST Method, youhave experienced a change on some level. Perhaps you feel like a newperson, discovering a side to yourself you didn’t know was there. Possibly,your perspective has transformed; becoming more broad, open-minded and

focused. Or maybe you’ve incorporated new knowledge and skills that aregoing to take you further on your journey than you’ve ever been. Whateverchange you’ve encountered, take note of it.

If you’ve reached this part of the book, then you have worked throughThe SMARTEST Method in the right way. You’ve got a goal now, with a planof how to reach your outcome and a ready willingness to start taking action.

Recap on what you’ve learnt

We began by realising that you can really have whatever you want inlife and doing this is not selfish. In fact, you are going to achieve more andbe more in life by stepping up and claiming what’s rightfully yours.

Then we started exploring the world of setting goals. Dreaming big, youthen went Small and chunked down your large goal into something sizeable.Then, you learnt how to get S pecifically clear on what you want, accessingthe power of your senses in seeing, hearing and touching your outcome.

From here, we started to take all the individual steps of your goal andplace them in order, creating your Measurements so you would know whatto do and when. Then, realising your feelings are more powerful than yourthoughts, you determined what felt Manageable for you, but also realisedthat you hold the power to create your own feelings.



164 Brian McAleer

Moving along, we looked at what you considered to be Attainable inlife, paying particular attention to the physical and meta-physical aspectsof your goal; what you would give yourself and what others would give you.

Starting with your surroundings you realised that you really do have all youneed already. Then we explored the notion of what is Achievable by diggingdown into your belief system; acknowledging what you currently believe,and how to form new beliefs to serve you on your journey.

Following this, you got a new perspective on what being Realisticmeans; not what others deem is realistic, but the reality you create withyour own imagination and mastering the art of responding over reacting tothe various realities around you. The real gold nugget came next, as yourevisited what is most important to you by making your goal Relatable;realising that your passions, inspirations and values are what drive you. Bythis point, your goal may have taken on real substance or changed directionall together. Essentially, this was the major turning point for you in usingThe SMARTEST Method.

Getting back to basics, we then talked about that ever elusive,intangible mystery that is time. By confirming that how we manage our timecomes down to how we perceive it, you took a frank and honest look at howyou were spending your time and made some adjustments to make your goal

Time-framed. Then by looking at the brass tactics of working on your goal,you developed a list of Tasks for you to achieve, which you’ve realised thatover time and repetition become your new habits and lead to perfecting theprocess of achieving your goal. Then, we delved into the additional aspectsof goal setting the SMART way doesn’t teach you and took your goal to awhole new level.

Realising that your life is like a car travelling down the never endingroad of life, Energy became your fuel for propelling you forward. We

discussed creative visualisation, positive language and all your reasonswhy. Through the use of your physiology you then injected your goal withmore energy that you knew you could muster. After this, we exploredthe notion of getting Excited about your goal; revisiting those times andexperiences in your life were you felt real, genuine excitement; you linkedthe attainment of your goal to all eight areas of your life, building up theanticipation and relevance of making your goal a reality.

After having done all this work on yourself, you reached the stage of the

process where your goal took on even more meaning and acknowledgement,not only from yourself but from others. By tapping into your own integrityand assertiveness you Stated what your goal was in present tense, addinglife to it as an indestructible outcome you would protect and uphold fromadversity, no matter what came your way. Then, working with a whole newdimension, you embraced the power of accountability. Thinking of someone




who would be vested in your success you chose an Accountability Partnerto Share your goal with, and looked beyond your outcome to imagine whoelse your success could benefit.

After this long and potentially life-changing process, you came to theend of The SMARTEST Method. Through the teachings of a story, youbecame empowered to Take the First Step towards your goal, and followthrough on every single step afterward, whether or not you could see theend result. Armed with your faith, but most of all vision, you steppedinto the unknown to take on your fantastic and beautiful new adventure,remembering all the while that true success is found in the journey, not thedestination.

To show yourself how well you’ve understood and used The SMARTESTMethod, answer the following questions with a Yes or No.

Have you realised how changing the way you look at something canreally alter your perspective?

Did you rediscover the awesome power of our senses in gettingassociated to a future moment?

Have you worked out how to plan all your actions steps in advanceby beginning at the end?

Were you reawakened to the importance of feeling over thought, andletting that guide you in the choices you make?

Did you determine what you can give yourself and what others can

give in terms of being successful?

Were your beliefs re-written to help propel you towards your goalinstead of holding you back?

Did you realise that your currently reality is born from yourimagination, and that you have the ability to respond rather thanreact to life’s circumstances?

Was connecting with your highest values, what inspires you mostand your greatest passion a liberating experience?

Was taking an honest look at how you perceive and manage yourtime, the secret to taking back control of your time?



166 Brian McAleer

Did you break your goal down into tasks you would carry outconsistently to form all new success-making habits?

Did your goal take on an all new meaning and power once youinjected it with energy?

Was getting reacquainted with the pure feeling of excitementhelpful in looking forward to your outcome with huge anticipation?

Do you feel more empowered and focused after declaring whatyour goal was worth, and tapping into your hidden integrity andassertiveness?

Did it feel inspiring to commit to sharing your goal with anotherperson and working towards an outcome that could change the livesof other people?

And in not needing to see the top of the stair case because yourvision and faith would carry you there regardless of the unknown,did you take the first step towards your goal?

I sincerely hope your answer to all those questions was Yes. If itwas, then congratulations! You have successfully implemented whatThe SMARTEST Method was trying to teach you. Now, you have a newarmoury of skills, abilities and personal resources that will not onlypull you towards achieving just about any goal, but quite possibly,change the way you live your life from this point onwards. If youanswered yes to most of those questions but no to a few others, revisit

those parts of the method and redo them. The SMARTEST Methodworks best once you have received the learnings and core message toevery part of it.

What else is possible for you now?

Each goal you achieve should lead you to the next goal, and every goalthereafter must be bigger and more inspiring to you than the last. For this

is how we grow; by constantly aiming higher and pushing ourselves furtherbeyond our own limits and what we thought we could do. You could bethinking in the realm of possibility right now, and a whole wave of ideasand experiences you have yet to chase after are in the forefront of yourmind.




Maybe you dream of owning your own business. Starting up afoundation that raises money for an important cause. Travelling the worldfor 12 months. Become a millionaire, multi-millionaire, a billionaire.

Perhaps it’s time to finally kick-start that project you’ve been dreaming offor years, like opening a school for disadvantaged children, showcasingyour own artwork on display, writing your own novel, having somethingchanged that impacts your local community or the whole country. It couldbe anything, and I really encourage you to think big. When you commit toworking on something so big, exciting and life-changing, you can achieveamazing things. It’s like the saying goes “Reach for the stars; you might notmake it, but at least you’ll touch the moon”.

ACTIVITY

Now that you’ve planned your first goal using The SMARTEST Method and are on the

way to achieving it, what else would you like to do? Write these wishes or desires down

below, as they can be your future goals.

-------

---

Getting to know Yourself

I’ve spent a lot of time alone in my life. I guess it started with myupbringing, being the only boy in a family full of girls, learning from a

young age how to keep myself occupied and entertained in my own way. Butthe real turning point for me in my young adult life was when I travelledoverseas by myself for the first time. I refer to this experience as “My YearAway”, in which I lived, worked and travelled in three different countriesover a twelve month period from October 2003- October 2004. There wereseveral key reasons I chose to embark on this journey, mainly being to




single person on this planet is here for a reason, and it’s up to us to figureout what that reason is. But there in lies the challenge, I know. How exactlydo you figure out why you are here?

Earlier on in the book I talked about the importance of acting on feelingover thought. Thinking has its rightful place and use, but not enough peopleact on pure feeling. Is it because they are afraid to, or they don’t know howto recognise it? Any moment when you are completely present, at peace andnothing around you can distract you from remaining centred, then I believeyou are acting on feeling. It doesn’t come down to knowing who you are andhow you will spend your life. Rather, it’s feeling who you are. Whether it isunconditional love, inspiration, inner-peace or pure contempt, when you areconsumed with a feeling that is so strong, no thought can overpower you.Your purpose is something you feel and this is the secret to being in controlof your life.

When you live your life on purpose, you live with passion. Passionmoves us, excites us and drives us to act.

With purpose, you have clarity. Clarity helps us find the meaning inwhat we do and sets the direction of our life.

With purpose, you have focus, which empowers us to see what we wantas clear as day, moving us onwards and upwards with power.

With purpose, we with live with meaning, because without meaning wecease to be.

But most of all, when you are living your life’s purpose you are blessedwith an over-abundance of choice. It is choice that defines us most, andbeing able to make choices is a valuable gift, available to all of us.

I urge you to look within and discover your own life purpose. There isno simple way to do this, but there are many ways you can do it. Explore asmany avenues as you can, and make it your mission in life to be absolutely

certain what your purpose is. Once you start to live it on a daily basis,you can then take control of your life, and in doing this, you decide theoutcomes and direction for yourself. Events and the differences of otherswill continue to play out around you, but with a clear purpose, you choosehow to respond and will keep moving forward in the direction of yourdreams . . . no matter what happens.

Then, as you reach the end of your days and you look back on a lifelived on your own terms, you can be proud knowing that you have created

your legacy; a legacy that is uniquely you, inspiring to others and createdcompletely from within. You will be remembered as someone who livedtheir life the way it made sense for them, went for their goals and left theirmark on the world.

In finishing, let me share the following passage with you. I wrote thisafter experiencing a challenging time in my life. On one of those difficult



170 Brian McAleer

days, I changed the meaning of what happened, to inspire me to keepmoving forward, even when success seemed beyond me;

“The only ones, who ever achieved their dreams, were onlythe ones who went for them. They took the risks, hit the walls,

stumbled along the way but got up from the falls. Courage,

perseverance and hope got them there; passion, belief and

purpose keep them there. They now live with vision, drive and

ambition, and change the world on their own special mission.

Follow your dream and discover your Why, then the world is

yours, you’ll take off and fly!”

All the Best!

Setting Goals Using the SMARTEST Method

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