| On BBC1 on Thursday, 05 January 2006, a young | | | | day, keep it visible, and use it as a guide to action as |
| couple were interviewed on how they had managed | | | | you go through the day."Some experts suggest |
| to pay off their mortgage in 2 years. There are | | | | making your daily list the night before so that your |
| lessons we can all learn from their efforts whether | | | | subconscious mind can work on it during the night. |
| we have a mortgage or not.They had set | | | | Either way, the key thing is to actually make a |
| themselves the goal of paying off their mortgage | | | | list.The number six has been suggested as a viable |
| early so that they would be free to give up their | | | | number of things to do. Some prefer a smaller |
| jobs and move to the continent of Europe. They | | | | number like three. Any number will do.Start on the |
| achieved their goal by both saving and making | | | | most important task and finish it. Then go on to the |
| money.They had shown real discipline in making | | | | next job. If you don't finish your list, you will at least |
| savings. The man had given up his season ticket to | | | | have achieved the most important tasks for the day. |
| Coventry City Football Club. One could argue that this | | | | This is far more than most people manage.My first |
| was no great sacrifice as Coventry are not doing | | | | most important job today is writing this article. I am |
| especially well this season! However, a true soccer | | | | focusing on it with determination in spite of several |
| fan will want to support his team whatever the | | | | interruptions by Lizzie, the cat, who likes to wander |
| results.The woman had given up her cigarettes. This | | | | round the house in a crazed manner at this time of |
| saved about twenty pounds a week. They had also | | | | the morning.She also loves to meaow loudly for no |
| cut down on wine and takeaways and had endured | | | | apparent reason. I can hear her now in the distance. |
| some miserable nights as a result.This would not have | | | | The vet is giving her monthly injections of steroids to |
| been enough to pay off their mortgage on its own. | | | | keep her going as she is nearly 22 years old. The |
| They also had to bring in extra money. They showed | | | | steroids are clearly working well!There will always be |
| determination and enterprise in making this extra | | | | obstacles to achieving any goal. I expect the couple |
| money.The man, for example, taught NLP lessons for | | | | above were told by their friends that there was no |
| pay and they both used NLP visualisation techniques | | | | way they could pay off their mortgage in two |
| to help achieve their goal.They concentrated on | | | | years.They obviously ignored advice and focused on |
| visualising their goal all day long by putting up pictures | | | | their goal and their big reason for wanting to achieve |
| of their dream house and car on several visible areas | | | | their goal - freedom to leave their jobs and home |
| like the fridge. They had even placed a picture of the | | | | and find their dream life abroad.They showed huge |
| house on their computer as a screensaver.Their two | | | | belief in their ability to achieve this goal. Strong belief |
| year goal plan had thus been kept in the forefront of | | | | is usually a major cause of success.There is no good |
| their minds.They thought daily about freedom, a | | | | reason why the rest of us should not achieve our |
| house and a car. Eventually they achieved the | | | | dream goals. I, for one, have completed my first goal |
| extraordinary goal of paying off their mortgage in 2 | | | | of the day by finishing this article in spite of the fact |
| years. It took me about 20 years.It is also worth | | | | that the cat is now meaowing non stop as she sits |
| keeping your DAILY goals in the front of your | | | | on my bed.To be fair to her, she is now quiet and |
| mind.Alan Lakein, the well known time management | | | | dozing peacefully as I check and submit this article to |
| expert, advises the following:"One of the secrets of | | | | the article directory! |
| getting more done is to make a TO DO List every | | | | |