They also share with me their frustrations about accomplishing them. Too many people give up on their goals. They give up on life-changing goals that would make a significant impact in their lives and the lives of others, if they had just stayed the course.

Life has a unique way of throwing curve balls your way, especially when you want to achieve something great! That’s why it’s so important to have a plan, a proven path to follow for accomplishing all of the important goals in your life. That is why I wrote the book, The GOAL Formula.

I like to say that, “A Dream is something you wish for, a Goal is something you strive for, and an Accomplishment is something you complete.” Why do most people feel incomplete? Most people feel that way because they have few accomplishments in their lives – very few accomplished goals. Accomplishing your goals will make you feel complete! People want to improve their lives, but don’t know where to start.

The total self-improvement market is estimated to be over $14 billion. With this much money being spent to improve lives, why do we see so few people with better lives? Quite simply, people pay for the cost of a greater life, but rarely pay the price to experience it. In fact, Approximately 12 million Americans are involved in nearly 500,000 self-help programs.

There is nothing wrong with investing in some good resources to improve your life, but do not confuse paying for someone’s books or programs with guaranteeing your results. A greater life requires a different price. There is much more to accomplishing goals than just writing them down on a piece of paper.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to share some life-changing techniques about setting and accomplishing any goal – no matter what you’re circumstances are!

Today, no matter what you are facing, make the choice to Think GREAT. Even through difficult circumstances, you can control two things:

1. Think – Control your thoughts
2. G.R.E.A.T. – Control your actions

I learned this concept firsthand, as my wife’s caregiver – through her four, yes four, bouts with cancer. We discovered much during those times, but nothing as important as staying in control of your thoughts and actions. Do not let anyone, or anything, take them away from you. You will need them in order to accomplish your own life-changing goals!

During my next blog, I will share the importance of your Big Picture. Until then, here’s your homework:

HOMEWORK:

1. Write down three life-changing goals that you want to accomplish.

To learn more about my book, The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

I have never met with anyone who did not want a greater life, although I have met with many who did not know how to achieve it. For most of us, a greater life does not happen by chance, it happens by choice. But choice alone is not enough. It will be the degree of your intensity that will make the difference between a wish and a reality.

Once you have made the unwavering commitment to a greater life, you must now figure out how to cross the finish line to achievement. Let’s start at the beginning… your commitment. Why is the degree of your intensity so important? Because life has a unique way of throwing you a curve ball, especially when you are trying to accomplish a life-changing goal – or goals.

I have had my share of curve balls, starting just ten months after I was married. My wife was diagnosed with cancer – Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was a year-long battle and would require about two years to fully recover and get her energy back. It was a challenging time to be sure, but our goals were important to us. Our intensity level was high and we stayed the course. In fact, with a strong degree of intensity, you can actually enhance your perception and turn tough times into new opportunities.

If it were not for the “tough times” that I encountered, I would never have started my own company, or written my books, or been able to work with people to help them with their goals.

How important are your goals? How difficult are the challenges in your life? I know that you want to enhance your results and I know that you need to move from commitment to achievement. When I wrote my book, The GOAL Formula, I never knew that it would impact so many lives. I just wanted to share my experiences and I hoped it would resonate with those reading it.

I want to challenge you to take your goals and your life to the next level. Apply The GOAL Formula to your life and move from commitment to achievement.  http://www.thinkgreat90.com

The 1^st Step to Accomplishing Your Goals

G.R.E.A.T.

GOALS – REASONS – EXPECTATIONS – ACTIONS – TRACKING

Don’t trade what you need most for what you want now!

What is a goal? A goal is a defined dream with a powerful plan. Dreams that are truly important to you will find their way out of your head and onto paper. I’ve found that just by starting to focus on your goals, you will actually start to improve your life.

When was the last time you found yourself dreaming “BIG”? I mean the kind of dreams like you had when you were young and felt like you could conquer the world. When I was a kid, I used to dream of being an astronaut and flying around in space. At some point in my life I noticed that my high level of dreaming had stopped. The reality of life seemed to have brought all of my dreams back down to ground zero.

Think back for a moment, to when you were thirteen years old and you were dreaming big. Answer the following questions with a YES or NO:

* Did your life turn out the way you thought it would?

* Are you the person you thought you would be?

* Have you accomplished all of the things you wanted to?

It’s sad, but most people do stop dreaming. A lot of people just give up and settle for mediocrity. Others stop trying to reach their dreams because they have let themselves down in the past by not accomplishing their previous goals. People who stop dreaming, stop living!

Maybe your goals have changed, or perhaps have faded away. Are you ready to get them back? Goal-setting is an exciting time because you get to dream again! Here’s the incredible news: not only do you get to start dreaming again, but this time, you also get to Think GREAT and turn those dreams into realities. As you become the person capable of accomplishing your goals and achieving greatness, you will develop much more self-esteem, confidence, and excitement about life. You will actually look forward to each day and what each day will bring to you.

Stay tuned on Thursday for more detailed “G – Goal” strategies.

To learn more about my book, The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

Over the past few blogs, I’ve been discussing the importance of setting and accomplishing goals. I think we can all agree that setting and accomplishing goals can be life-changing. But how do you stay on course when life throws you the proverbial curve ball? We all have challenges in our lives. In fact, it often seems that challenges arise as soon as you start working toward a GREAT goal!

When My wife, Gina, was diagnosed with cancer, just ten months after we were married, we had much more than a curve ball coming at us. We had many important goals that began to take a back seat. When her oncologist instructed me to keep her positive, I found that focusing on our goals, helped he to keep her spirits high.

But setting and accomplishing goals are two different things – especially during tough times. I needed a solution. I needed a proven plan – a way to accomplish our goals, even though the odds were against us. To stay on track with our goals, I developed The GOAL Formula. As Gina’s caregiver, I pulled many strategies and techniques from my experience in the U.S. Marine Corps to ensure that we accomplished our goals.

The GOAL Formula is a proven system to transform your dreams into accomplishments. The beauty of The GOAL Formula is that it is a simple combination of three key elements:

1. Steps – The 5 steps to accomplishing goals
2. Time – allocating specified blocks of time to accomplish short-term goals
3. People – enlisting the help of others to accomplish your goal

Below is a brief overview of the three elements of The GOAL Formula:

The 5 Steps (G.R.E.A.T.):

G – Goals                Identify Powerful Goals

R – Reasons            Establish Strong Reasons

E – Expectations       Set High Expectations

A – Actions              Take All of the Actions Necessary

T – Tracking            Track Your Results Intensely

Time Mastery: Do you control your day or does your day control you? The average person misses opportunities to accomplish their goals because they do not understand how to take charge of their time. Time is a unique commodity. It is intangible. You cannot touch it, see it, or hear it. But to achieve a greater life, you must command it. Time is the second element in the GOAL Formula.

Most people treat time as a physical resource. They focus on how they can better spend it or more effectively save it, while others talk about running out of it or never having enough of it. “If only I had more time,” is the most common excuse I hear from people who have failed to accomplish an important goal.

The reality is that we all have the same amount of time to apply toward our goals each day. Your results, both personal and professional, are always based on how well you control your time. But, how do you handle something that has no physical properties? You schedule it!

People: Never Run Alone! There have been times when I tried to pursue my life-changing goals alone, but I have never accomplished one by myself. Unless you live on a desert island, you are going to encounter people on a daily basis. Each day, they have the ability to influence your life, whether you are striving for a greater one or not. Their involvement can have a major impact on your ability to accomplish your goals. The final element of the GOAL Formula is People.

In boot camp, our drill instructors positioned each recruit in a squad. Each squad consisted of twelve recruits, with a squad leader at the front. All four squads comprised our platoon, with a guide to lead the platoon. Our platoon was connected with two other platoons, which formed a series. Our series was part of another series, which formed our company. Each week, the Marine Corps graduates one company from boot camp. We trained together and graduated together. The goal of becoming a Marine was a team effort.

Now is the greatest time to plug your goals into The GOAL Formula. Now is the time to achieve greater results – no matter what circumstances you face.

Coming up… I will be discussing the importance of each individual element so you can accomplish any goal – no matter what circumstances you face!

To learn more about my book, The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

From your Big Picture, you will identify the necessary puzzle pieces (goals) that need to connect to bring that picture into focus!

I have said that, “A Dream is something you wish for. A Goal is something you strive for. An Accomplishment is something you complete.” Why do most people feel incomplete? Most people feel that way because they have few accomplishments in their lives – very few accomplished goals. Accomplishing your goals will make you feel complete! People want to improve their lives, but don’t know where to start.

In 2005, the total self-improvement market was estimated to be $9.59 billion. That figure has grown by more than 10%, putting it over $14 billion in annual spending now!

With this much money being spent to improve lives, why do we see so few people with better lives? Quite simply, people pay for the cost of a greater life, but rarely pay the price to experience it. In fact, Approximately 12 million Americans are involved in nearly 500,000 self-help programs.

There is nothing wrong with investing in some good resources to improve your life, but do not confuse paying for someone’s books or programs with guaranteeing your results. A greater life requires a different price.

Today, no matter what your circumstances are, make the choice to Think GREAT. Even through difficult circumstances, you can control two things:

1. Think – Control your thoughts
2. G.R.E.A.T. – Control your actions

Think about your Big Picture. Think about the GREAT life that is in store for you. Now start to think about the goals that you will need to accomplish to realize that great new life. As we start the process of taking the steps necessary to set and accomplish goal (Control your Action), we will use the acronym G.R.E.A.T. to help sty on course:

The 5 Steps to Accomplishing Goals:

1. Identify important Goals in your life……………………………………. G

2. Establish powerful Reasons for accomplishing your goals……… R

3. Set high Expectations for yourself…………………………………………E

4. Take all of the Actions necessary to achieve a greater life……….. A

5. Track your results intensely…………………………………………………..T

HOMEWORK:

1. Write down three life-changing goals that you want to accomplish.

To learn more about my book, The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

On Monday, I started the discussion of goals – the importance of setting and accomplishing goals! To increase your chances of accomplishing your goals, define your Big Picture – what really motivates you.

Perception is everything. How you perceive something directly impacts how you accomplish something. Too often, people set out to accomplish a goal, and that’s it. They jot down items they wish to accomplish, get off to a strong start, but quickly fizzle. It’s unfortunate, because many of these unaccomplished goals would have been life-changing.

People easily give up on great goals, like losing weight, making more money, switching to a better career, and creating a happier family-life. When trying to accomplish your goals without having the right perception, you can lose focus and stop prematurely. Has this ever happened to you? It happens to a lot of people, every year.

Each year, millions of people set New Year’s Resolutions, but never resolve anything. Next year, they set the same resolutions. The year after that… well, you get the picture. I accomplish goals because I view them as a piece of the puzzle to my Big Picture. With that in mind, developing your bigger picture will help to accomplish your goals.

Every goal you set is a necessary piece of an important puzzle. One that will help you to experience a greater life when the pieces are connected. Connecting your goals will allow you to gain a complete picture of the life you desire and deserve.

Although each goal is unique, they all fall somewhere into five unique categories. Accomplishing goals in one or more of these areas will help you to have a life that is remarkable in magnitude and degree. For most people, their definition of greatness can be found within the Fantastic Five.

FAITH – Goals that allow you to pursue spiritual growth. Accomplishing Faith goals will allow you to rise beyond the purely material world and find a truer balance in your life.

FAMILY & FRIENDS – Goals that enhance the meaningful relationships in your life. Accomplishing Family & Friends goals will give you a deeper feeling of love and belonging.

FINANCIAL – Goals that involve building a career, increasing income, eliminating debt, and building financial security. Accomplishing Financial goals will allow you to build stability and have peace of mind.

FITNESS – Goals that involve improving your health through nutrition and exercise. Accomplishing Fitness goals will allow you to live a longer, more enjoyable life.

FUN – Goals that involve your personal interests. Accomplishing your Fun goals will add a new level of excitement to your life.

As you begin to create your Big Picture, keep these five types of goals in mind – they all work together. Creating your big picture is an amazing experience and will empower you to set and accomplish life-changing goals.

HOMEWORK:

Below are three powerful questions that will help you to develop a crystal clear Big Picture.

1. What is your definition of great?

2. What is your definition of a greater life?

3. What is your Greater Purpose?

If you are not able to clearly define all three right now, don’t worry. You can always revisit this assignment!

To learn more about my book, The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

Accomplish your goals!

To all of the fathers out there, I hope you had an amazing day with your family. Yesterday marked my 23rd Father’s Day! For the last six years, I have celebrated with three children. To say that I feel blessed would be an understatement.

Father’s Day is always a time for me to reflect on the path I have traveled and the path I am currently headed. Getting to this point in my life has been filled with it’s fair share of challenges. But it has also been filled with opportunities, hope, and success. I think we can all agree that difficult time will come. Although we may not always have control of “what” happens, we always have control of “how” we handle these situations.

When I first launched my company, Think GREAT, all I wanted to do was to help people to accomplish their goals. I love accomplishing goals. I love the feeling it gives me – the feeling of being complete. I even like the feeling that I get from setting goals. The best part about goal-setting is that you start to feel better as soon as you work toward a goal. Good feelings do not happen just because you accomplish the goal, they happen as you pursue the goal.

I want to encourage all of the fathers (and everyone) out there to set a few new goals today; Set goals that will not only change your life, but will impact the lives of those you care most – your family.

Do you want to earn more money? Provide your family with a better life style? Do you want to get into better shape? Get stronger or lose weight? Do you want to eliminate debt? Do you want to go on  vacation? Do you want to start your own business? Do you want to make a change in the world?

What do you want to accomplish? You have 364 days until the next Father’s Day. What could you achieve if you set and accomplished your most important goals?

It is time to Think GREAT. Use my goal-setting techniques, from my book, The GOAL Formula, to achieve greater results – personally and professionally.

Over the net 90 days, I will be outlining key concepts; strategies and techniques to help you accomplish your goals – no matter what circumstances you face!

HOMEWORK:

For now, I want you to think, not just about your goals, but about your Big Picture! If you could design your life, what would it look like? What is most important to you? Take a moment and start to write down, in crystal-clear detail, what you desire from your life. I will elaborate on my formula in each upcoming posting (Mon & Thu). Read it, study it, apply it to your life. In fact, pass it along and help others to take control of their lives.

To learn more about The GOAL Formula, and other resources to achieve greater results, visit my website: www.ThinkGreat90.com

Turn your goals into realities!

Your Coach,

Erik

Help Our Troops to Accomplish Their Goals!

While we enjoy our freedom today, thousands of our young men and women are overseas serving our country. Many have left their families behind to fulfill their orders and to fight the war on terror. Regardless of your opinion of the war, there is no doubt that our troops need help! In addition to the hardships of being at war, the length of their deployments have been increasing, placing an even greater level of stress on our service members, their spouses, and their children. The divorce and suicide rates for our military members are too high.

In addition to their unique struggles, many veterans return home with significant physical and mental challenges. I have seen, first-hand, the challenges faced by our troops. As a keynote speaker at many pre-deployment events for our service members and their spouses, I have listened intensely as they described their difficulties to me. They struggle in ways that most people will never experience.

Our military leaders understand the importance of keeping their troops focused on their personal goals, especially while they are deployed. However, staying focused on your goals is not that simple, especially when you are in a combat zone. After all, most of us stop moving toward our goals as soon as their is a slight ripple in the water. Imagine trying to stay on track with your goals as bullets whiz by!

As a former U.S. Marine, I speak to our troops and their families about the goal-setting strategies in my book, The GOAL Formula. But I can only reach so many of them at military-sponsored events. I am committed to reaching more of our service members. With your help, we can reach them all.

In addition to speaking to our military, I speak with a lot of civilians who want to give back to our troops. Wearing yellow ribbons and waving the flag is a start, but very few people actually take action to “support” those who put their lives on the line – each day! Most Americans want to do something, but often do not know what to do to support out troops. Now, we can all take GREAT action to help support the men and women of our military!

I have launched OPERATION GOAL FORMULA to help our troops to accomplish their goals. Individuals, businesses, and organizations can buy copies of my book, The GOAL Formula, at a discount, and we will have them sent to our troops via care packages. As the holidays approach, help us to deliver a powerful tool to our troops!

Each book includes a message to the service member, from the person who bought the book. It also provides the service member with a way to write back! We have already started to ship books to our troops! Help our troops to stay focused on their goals. This week – take action!

Here’s how you can participate in OPERATION GOAL FORMULA:

1. Buy a Book for a Hero: Order copies of The GOAL Formula and we will send it to our troops via care packages: http://www.thinkgreat90.com/index.php/solutions/operation-goal-formula

1. Go to our Facebook page and give us a “Like”: http://www.facebook.com/Operation.Goal.Formula

1. Spread the word – tell as many people as you can!

If you are a business owner, become a sponsor of OPERATION GOAL FORMULA. Your company logo will be posted on our website and printed on our literature – E-mail us for more info.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our heroes.

Think GREAT,

Erik Therwanger

3-D Sales

Every business and every organization want the same thing – greater results. Is it time for you, your group, and/or your team to achieve greater results? I have sold many different products in many different industries, and I have learned a valuable lesson – selling is not always easy! Your desire will play a critical role in your ability to accomplish your sales goals.

A sales professional without desire is like an engine without fuel. Even the best vehicle will fail to perform, when it is lacking the necessary fuel. An idle engine creates no movement. Your sales efforts need momentum, not only to get things started, but to keep things moving. A deeper desire yields a more powerful fuel.

Being a salesperson is a lot like being a professional athlete. While both fields have the potential for an amazing income, the best salespeople and athletes focus on more than just money. Having the desire to win, they are willing to do what it takes to accomplish their goal.

Although most superstars typically do not have a desire to practice, they do possess a strong desire to win. Football players desire to win the Super Bowl. Baseball players desire to win the World Series. Olympians desire to win the gold medal.

Most salespeople desire to win, too. They desire what a successful sales career will bring them: lifestyle, security, freedom, etc. Many people do
not have a desire to sell. This is not a bad thing. It is a reality. People get excited to close big sales and understandably so, but that is not what they
are truly passionate about. Passion is always deeper than a paycheck. If the depth of your desire does not exceed your wallet, it is highly unlikely
that your earnings will ever exceed your expectations.

I have seen people get excited when they make a big sale or when they lock in a high–volume client. And I have seen the spark in their eyes when
they receive valuable referrals. That is excitement! But that excitement would quickly fade if there was no financial gain. Why? True desire is not
about money. Those with the greatest results focus on much more than just their commissions.

To succeed in sales, you must be able to distinguish between excitement and desire. A successful sales career must have a high level of excitement
while a 3–dimensional sales career must also have a high level of desire. People get excited about the money they earn because it brings them closer to their desires – their goals.

Today, identify three sales goals that will provide you with the motivation you need!

My next blog in this series will discuss Determination.

Please leave a comment and forward this blog to a friend. For more information about 3-D Sales or Think GREAT, please visit our website: http://www.thinkgreat90.com

Sell With a Purpose,

Erik

I found an opportunity in the financial services industry. I knew nothing about sales, but I needed to sell! Over the years, I developed a 3-Dimensional approach to selling that allowed me to become a top producer and recruiter in the financial services industry, become the vice president of a post production company, and develop clients for my company Think GREAT.

My experience in the Marine Corps may not have directly trained me for sales, but it enhanced my ability to become a 3-Dimensional Sales Leader. In my book, 3-D Sales, I lay out, in great detail, three crucial components designed to change your perception of selling and enable you to experience new levels of success:

1. Learn the 3 Ds of Selling: Desire – Determination – Decisions
2. Understand how to Keep Your Sales Gears Turning
3. Discover that The More You Know, the More You Grow

I have found that the great success does not come from your sales skills, but rather your people skills. Unfortunately, sales people tend to focus only on their clients – hoping to sell to them and earn a commission. Well, after all, that’s the objective. But they tend to overlook a very important person in their business – themselves.

You already possess everything you need to start taking your results to the next level. Having a strong desire will help you to create a crystal-clear vision of what you need. Exhibiting a powerful determination will enhance your ability to stay the course with your sales goals. And making great decisions will open up opportunities to create the career you dream about.

As you focus on the 3 Ds of Selling, you will change your perception of yourself, your clients, and your success. Over the next few weeks, I will highlight each chapter of my book, 3-D Sales, in this blog series: Becoming a 3-Dimensional Sales Leader! My next blog in this series will discuss Desire.

Please leave a comment and forward this blog to a friend. For more information about 3-D Sales or Think GREAT, please visit our website: http://www.thinkgreat90.com

Sell With a Purpose,

Erik