by Ivana Taylor, Link to her wonderful blog :Strategy Stew, here: but her text for Mastering the Inner Game Report: Using Brain Science to Set Goals blog is below. Before I cut and paste it I want to report that I’ve written and sent in 3 grants since this weekend and have one more grant application to go! Whew! I’ve also made sure, after reading this (below) and other similar that my own beliefs and goals are crystal clear, thorough, aggressive, and set the bar high and written in the present tense. I met with my amazing wonderful lovely coach last night for two hours. One thing she said is that it takes three things: belief in oneself, a strong work ethic, and competitiveness. I feel like I’m in good shape here.
I have to tackle the PR thing. I need to hire an eTemp, I think. Organize my list serves and hire out the writing for the PR, then let the eTemp handle the personalized distribution and follow-up calls. I’ve managed ad agencies before, I can manage this, and it’s more cost effective than hiring a PR firm. I think I have to add income from grants to my goals and visualize it coming in!!!! :)

Here’s the text to that Mastering the Inner Game:
In week 2 of  ”Mastering the Inner Game” series by John Assaraf and OneCoach.  We talked about re-training our brain. If you ever wondered why it was that you kept setting goals and falling short, you’ll want to read up on this phenomenon.

In session 3, we covered Goal Setting.  But this was not the “goal setting” you’ve been used to.  In fact, we didn’t talk about a goal setting process at all.  We spent a lot of time talking about how your brain takes in and processes goals.  And how to set goals with that process in mind so that you can be most successful.

Setting achievable goals is a “full brain” activity.  This means that you’ll have to use both the left (logical) and right (creative) part of your brain.  Not only that, but you will also be using the primitive (reptilian) part of your brain as well as your more evolved frontal cortex.  Here’s how:

Setting an actual goal is a logical, frontal cortex activity.  For example saying that you will launch a new product or get that new, big customer, or increase your sales by 50%.   This activity primarily takes place in the logical part of your brain.  And here is the kicker.  When you don’t support that goal with imagination, creativity, and passion or emotion – there is a disconnect and the goal won’t take hold.  But wait – there’s more.

Let’s assume that you do set a logical goal, then you imagine, create and support that goal with passion and emotion — but you forget to reinforce the end result with the neural reconditioning – there’s a disconnect and your goal will go unrealized.

How to Implement Your New and Improved Goal Setting, Market Strategy Building Process

   1. Set a BIG goal. In fact, make it more of a vision — something that excites you.  Make sure that it’s BIG enough.  In fact, whatever you’re thinking — ask yourself “What will make this BIGGER.”   When I first started this activity, I made the mistake on focusing on just the features and benefits of my offer.  That was too small.  Then I decided that I would set a monetary value on my offer.  I decided to sell my offer for $5 million dollars.  This was BIGGER than I had ever considered.  Not only that, but it forced me to ask an even more important question — what does a $5 million enterprise look like?  I can assure you that my $5 million enterprise was so much bigger and better and offered more value to the user than what I was thinking before.  THINK BIG.  No BIGGER.
Imagine your goal achieved; living and breathing.  Now engage your right brain and start picturing your goal achieved.  You can picture your own benefit and enjoyment of it.  I actually started imagining what my $5 million offer would look like, the customers that would be a part of that community, the quality of their interaction and the value they received.  How they interacted with the enterprise, etc.  Because I can’t know for sure (today) what’s specifically included, imagination is good enough.  Imagining and documenting my imagining is bringing to light all kinds of new ideas, features and potential benefits I wouldn’t have thought of.
   3. Transfer your imagining to affirmations for neural reconditioning. Your brain doesn’t really know the difference between imagining and reality. It focuses on what you are focusing on.  If you repeat an end result often enough, you will engage your brain’s reticular activator will go to work and start looking for data, information and resource to support your affirmations.

You Achieve When Conscious and Unconscious Minds Align

As I mentioned before, goals set with your conscious mind without your unconscious mind’s support will go nowhere fast.

When your conscious mind and unconscious mind are disconnected you’ll experience something like this:

Your Affirmation: I will sell my business for at least $5 million.

Un-aligned mind: The little voice inside your head says something like this: “$5 million — what dollars?  Who are you kidding?  You are too stupid and you don’t know enough to create such a thing…besides, who’s going to want it — let along give you money for it…..

Aligned mind: When your unconscious and conscious are aligned – the little voice will still be there, but the tone and flavor will be different.  It will sound something like this: “WOW $5 million.  That’s a lot of money.  I wonder what a $5 million enterprise looks like?  I should talk to some people and find out.  That makes me wonder how they evaluate companies any way.  I’m going to talk to Joe and find out.  He’s bought and sold several businesses, I’m sure I’ll get some insight there….

What To Do Next

So the next time you’re sitting down to set a goal.  Set it with your full brain involved.  Create something tangible, imagine yourself walking around in it.  Use your neural reconditioning tools and affirmations for at least 90 days and check the little voice inside your head.  You’re looking for a voice that presents solutions and creates opportunities — not criticisms.