While achieving goals is rewarding and a result we should always be striving for, the reality is that whether or not you hit each individual goal is really inconsequential. The true purpose – the highest purpose – of a goal is the GROWTH that you experience as a result of your unwavering COMMITMENT and pursuit of the goal.

Sometimes you will reach the goal, sometimes you’ll surpass the goal, and sometimes you’ll fall short. Regardless of the outcome, it is who you become in the process that makes the biggest and longest lasting impact on you, your success, and your quality of life. It’s okay if you don’t end up reaching all of your goals (NO ONE reaches ALL of their goals), it’s just not okay to stop trying along the way.

The money you earn from your goals will be spent, and the recognition you receive will fade away. So giving it everything you have until then end, growing in the process, and becoming better than you’ve ever been before is the real purpose. Only the growth lasts forever.

Do YOU feel like you’ve grown in 2011? If yes, then you’ve achieved the highest purpose of your goals. If not, do better in 2012. Acknowledge yourself for any progress you’ve made, learn from your mistakes, and truly make 2012 the best year you’ve ever CREATED for yourself.

Which goals are YOU are most excited about for 2012? Leave a quick comment below (I’ll write back to you), and let me know if there is anything I can do to support you!

What are YOU focused on right now? What are you spending most of your time thinking about? Is it the holidays? Are you looking forward to spending time with family, taking a few days off of work, and getting some time to relax?

Or are you focused on the fast approaching new year, thinking about what you need to do to make 2012 your best year yet? The opportunity to make 2012 THE BEST YEAR OF YOUR LIFE is very real, although the question you must be able to answer is: are you prepared to make 2012 your best year yet?

Oh, I get it—you’ve heard this before. Maybe you’re skeptical. Maybe you don’t really believe it. Maybe you’re thinking, “Yeah right, Hal. 2011 was supposed to be my best year ever, but it was far from that.” All too often, those of us with high standards and expectations for ourselves end the year feeling like we could have been so much better, and done and accomplished so much more. Some of us might feel like we failed. Some might feel discouraged. I think most of us are ready to learn from the past, put it behind us, and focus on creating our best year ever.

Is There a [Secret]? There is one secret that you can put into action immediately, that will virtually guarantee that 2012 is by far, hands down, without-a-doubt the absolute BEST, most kick-butt, off-the-charts, life-changing year you’ve ever had!! But before we reveal this so called “secret” (which is really kind of a joke, since there are no secrets–only proven principles and strategies that, when applied to our lives, will give us the results, and the life, that we really want), let’s look at why MOST people fail year-after-year, despite good intentions, to make each year significantly better than the previous.

Why People Fail: Every year, around this time, we are focused primarily on two things: the holidays and the upcoming new year. The problem with thinking about both of these simultaneously, is that they create very different, and almost conflicting mindsets. One is a time to relax and take it easy (the holidays) and the other is a time to get motivated and take massive action (the new year). Therein lies the problem; while people are gearing up for what they say they’d like to make their best year ever, they are creating and reinforcing an arsenal of bad habits that will be counterproductive to their success in the near year. Habits like staying up late, over-sleeping, over-eating, being lazy, procrastinating, choosing to do what easy over what’s right, and many more that virtually destroy your chances of hitting the ground running on January 1st.

The [Secret] Revealed… The truth is, that best year of your life does NOT start January 1st. It starts TODAY. If you do what most people do and “check-out” for the next couple of weeks, creating and reinforcing an arsenal of unproductive habits, well then you’re setting yourself up for failure in 2012. If you are really committed to making 2012 the best year you’re ever had, you need to focus now on making the rest of December the best month you’ve ever created. You need to start living everyday NOW the way you’re going to need to live everyday next year to make it your best, and not let the holidays become more detracting than a day to enjoy with your loved ones. You must start creating and reinforcing positive habits now and conditioning yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically to be the best version of yourself for the new year. That is how you will guarantee your best in 2012.

YOU are destined for great things in 2012 – things bigger and better than you have yet to even imagine! YOU are smart. YOU are capable. YOU are deserving. Huge opportunities are available to you this year. And if you give it everything you have, YOU cannot fail! (Sure, you’ll stumble – we all will. We’ll make mistakes and learn valuable lessons along the way, but failure is a mindset that isn’t possible for those of us who continue moving forward and never give up!)  Decide to BE and DO today what is necessary to create your best in 2012.

What To Do Now
Here’s is a simple exercise you can take NOW to closeout and extract the most value from 2011 and prepare yourself for your best in 2012:

Your Best Year Yet [Exercise] – This exercise was modified from the book, “Your Best Year Yet” and is a powerful process for getting closure on 2010 and preparing yourself for your best year yet in 2012. Simply answer the following questions (in list format), either on your computer or on paper:

1. What were my accomplishments in 2011? — (Don’t hold back, list as many as you can – big and small – to reinforce your confidence in your abilities by reminding yourself of what you’ve already accomplished)
2. What were my biggest disappointments in 2011? — (Acknowledge the mistakes you made so you can learn from them, forgive yourself, and move on)
3. What are the most important lessons have I learned? — (Review your first two lists and ask “What can I learn from my accomplishments?” and “What can I learn from my disappointments?”)
4. What are my Top 10 Goals for 2012? — (What’s next for you? Dream big! Remember Truth #1: YOU are destined for great things – things bigger and better than you have yet to even imagine!)
5. What are the Top 6 Daily/Weekly Success Rituals (Habits) that will lead me to my goals? — (It is no secret that our life – and our quality of life – is created by our habits and rituals. This is why learning how to master your ability to implement and maintain positive, productive, success-producing habits will give you the power to create anything you want for your life, and it is literally one of the most important skills you can ever invest your time into learning…)

If there is anything I can do to support your goals and dreams in 2012, please let me know in the comments below. Or send an email to hal@yopalhal.com.

The Teen’s Guide To World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness

Okay, so I don’t write book reviews very often. Wait a minute – who am I kidding? I’ve never written a Book Review before in my life… until now. And there’s good reason for that.

You see, I’ve never read a book before, like the one I’m about to “review.” I’ve never read a book that made me literally LOL (seriously, I was laughing-out-loud on almost every page), but more importantly – it was while receiving powerful advice that can help any teenager to positively change their life, or help any adult to help a teenager make the changes they need.

In a world where self-help books are a dime a dozen, The Teen’s Guide To World Domination is truly one-of-a-kind and a “must-read” for every teenager, and any adult who impacts the life of a teen.

Who is Josh Shipp and Why Should YOU Care?

Josh doesn’t claim to have all the answers, but does have an international reputation as a leading authority on teen communication. In fact, he’s even been called “The Dr. Phil for teens” by FOX and “The Teen Dear Abby” by CNN. Recently, he was named to Inc. Magazine‘s “30 Under 30″ list of “America’s Coolest Young Entrepreneurs.” He gets 100,000 emails every year from teens, asking for his advice, and he’s spoken to well over a million teens… and counting. So, yeeaahhh… I think he may have an answer or two when it comes to helping any teen become happy and successful.

If you are a teen, or if you are responsible for influencing a teenager, I highly recommend you invest in this book, which you can buy for 30% off at Amazon.com. Just be warned: Get ready to LOL like you’ve never LOL’d before. And oh yeah – you can also expect to see positive, powerful, and lasting changes in your life. So, if you are not opposed to laughing-out-loud, and you are not against seeing your life change for the better, get The Teen’s Guide To World Domination today. Seriously. Do it. You’ll love it. Okay, I’m done. Merry Christmas! (It’s in 3 days…)