Every year, millions of Australians make New Year’s resolutions…and then just as predictably break them.

The development and subsequent failure of the New Years resolution transcends any normal thought patterns, however people persist with a weary tradition that is generally serves only to undermine the individuals mindset.

New Years resolutions never achieve anything except for fostering a nation of failures. Instead of making meaningless goals, take responsibility for your life and create change. Change doesn’t come through New Years resolutions but through embracing change and addressing the root cause of your problems!

Failing to follow through with New Year resolutions only succeeds in making you feel miserable and will subconsciously set the pattern for 2009.

Will you choose in 2009 to toughen you up, smarten you up and develop a fight-back attitude?

“When the pain you’re in is greater than the pain it takes to change …then you are ready for change!”

It is that time…time to thrive and survive in what is shaping up to be the most challenging year. The next 12 months are going to create more successes and failures than the last 25 years combined.

There will be people who will be barely able to put food on the table …and others who develop the winning skills to actually THRIVE in this terrible economic meltdown. This is your moment of truth…your moment of choice…your moment of action. Its crunch time in 2009!

Asses your willingness to make a real change in 2009 by answering the following questions:

1. Is it the process of changing that you don’t want to go through?
2. Do you have emotional and physical support around you – friends, partner, family, colleagues, and mentor?
3. Are you afraid of the unknown? It can stifle our motivation and keep us stuck in an unhappy situation for years. So why do we fear change – when the rewards can be more than we have ever anticipated. It is normal to fear change, but it is how you think and feel about the change which is really the point. How can you overcome your fear?
4. Does your ego get in the way? Your own behaviour could be the cause of your problems,
5. Are you wearing blinkers, or blaming others for their mistakes?
6. How high do the stakes need to be for you before you change?

To achieve extraordinary results, you must change your approach to life and change it now. Success and happiness can only come from within you. You must pinpoint what is causing your lack of motivation, inconsistent results and unhappiness and you will define the core of who you are, what your values are and where your motivation comes from?

To thrive, you must develop a “fight-back attitude”; to proactively position yourself for the long, tough battle ahead.

Anyone who wants to not quit yet again…it is time to get up, get over it and get on with it!

Go for your gold in 2009!

About Shelley Taylor-Smith
Shelley Taylor-Smith, is Australia’s No.1 Mental Toughness Coach: by looking at how they spend their time and energy – and where they focus their attention – Shelley helps people transform their Champion potential into performance. An energetic and inspirational speaker, international best-selling author and corporate educator, Shelley demonstrates how harnessing the power of your mind and boosting your self belief can help you achieve your goals. With her passionate commitment to being relatable, Shelley delivers a powerful lesson in mental toughness.

Find out more and subscribe to Shelley’s fortnightly Champion Motivations newsletter go to: http://www.championmindset.com.au/inspire.htm

Today’s success tip comes from Lisa McInnes-Smith.

At 26 years of age, Lisa set her biggest goal: to positively affect one million Australian teenagers, a goal that was to change her life. In the 8½ years it took to achieve her goal, Lisa travelled the country speaking in schools and to youth groups.

Even though most people know how important it is to have goals, why do you think so many people fail to set them?

Most people know the theory behind goal setting but their fear is sometimes greater than the excitement of the goal. Some people’s lives are run by fear - fear of failure, fear of disappointment, fear of letting people down, fear of success, fear of the unknown. Others thrive on faith, the possibility of success, of overcoming, of succeeding, of making a difference, of making a whole new pathway for themselves. It takes faith to set goals and it takes faith to fight fear.

Fear is a formidable foe; it’s entangled in our thinking, our beliefs and our thoughts about the future. Fear is what most people think they must conquer before they go after their goals. Funnily enough, goal setting is a pathway to defeating fear. Every step toward the goal pushes fear further away. Competence builds confidence and confidence leads to action. Action achieves goals.

So why is it that so many people fail to set goals?
1. They don’t take the time to write them down.
2. They don’t make the time to read them.
3. They don’t make a plan to reach each goal.
4. They don’t write down the benefits of achieving each goal.

All of these steps are easy to do so it just takes a decision to get started and a commitment to follow through.

This website contains even more great tips from Lisa McInnes-Smith.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE NOW.

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith
PS: Enjoy your journey as you go for your Gold and Think Like A Champion!