As December gets underway, it's not unusual to start setting our sites on the New Year. A major part of this vision will no doubt involve our goals for 2010. Since many of us fall short between setting our goals and actually achieving them, we thought it appropriate to seek the advice from an expert on the subject of self-improvement.

We are proud to welcome back Juantia-Beth Morgan, a behavioral modification expert and certified hypnotherapist. Having contributed to YOU Magazine articles ranging from the fear of success to passive-aggressive behavior, we felt she was the perfect person to consult.

We began our interview by asking Ms. Morgan about the differences between a goal and thoughts that fall under the categories of hopes, dreams, or desires.

"A goal is an objective that requires a decisive and determined state of mind, and is followed up with action," states Morgan.

According to her, the hope, dream or desire is something you never formally determine to accomplish. Rather, she claims, the emphasis is put on the pleasure received if it were achieved. Morgan feels in order for a thought to be a goal there needs to be a defined structure that accompanies it. In other words, a goal starts by imagining yourself doing it.

An example she put forth is of a person who would like to change careers, but has no idea what they want to do. This person realizes they need relief, but is having trouble imagining the rest of the story. Morgan feels that for many people, hopes and dreams are not in proportion with their actual goals. This, she says, is an imbalance that needs to be addressed.

The Importance of Goals
"Many people are not completely sure they're doing as well as they can," says Morgan, adding the best way to overcome this feeling is by having identified goals and achieving them. She adds that goals not only help create a positive self-image, but also boost self-esteem.

Goals also help you to combine time with structure. She advises to use your energy peaks, or "primetime" as she calls it, wisely. Doing so will not only feed your overall motivation, but also create self-entitlement for the rewards of a job well done.

Boredom is another troublesome area for many of Morgan's clients, due to its tendency, as she puts it, "to create negative states of mind". Goalless jobs or relationships usually don't challenge you in a positive way and are apt to become boring, something Morgan says can lead to conditions ranging from lack of fulfillment to depression.

Goal as a Four-letter Word
We thought it important to ask our expert if goals had the potential to be negative.

"People do have a change in heart," says Morgan, explaining that problems can occur when one's goals don't reflect this change. As an expert in the subconscious mind, Morgan says abandoning a goal can equate to the feeling of loss, which is why many people stick with goals they no longer desire.

Many people also make the mistake of allowing their goals to "belong" to other people. She says this brand of misdirection creates a sense of failure if the goal changes. It is important to remember that personal goals are yours and only yours.

Morgan went on to explain that any goal causing an imbalance in one's finances, relationships, peace of mind, or health is also potentially destructive, stating it is a major reason for many divorces. If you are faced with one of these imbalances she advises to look at alternatives for accomplishing the goal that would be more satisfying. If none exist, a choice must be made between proceeding with the goal and abandoning it for the sake of restoring equilibrium in your life.

Why Goals Go Unaccomplished
Ms. Morgan lists the following as some of the reasons why many goals go unaccomplished:

• The goal is unrealistic
• Bad timing
• Health issues
• Lack of support
• Transitional periods within one's life

Morgan says if none of the aforementioned blocks exist you may want to seek some type of professional counseling to determine what is blocking you from achieving your goals. "I just can't seem to do it," is a phrase she commonly hears from clients. In most cases, she says, the client is suffering from a glitch between the conscious, intellectual mind and how they subconsciously feel about the goal.

"Many times," Morgan claims, "A person's goals go unaccomplished because they haven't, or can't imagine themselves in the situation." Referring to the beginning of our interview, this person's "goal" is really only a hope, dream, or desire.

Tips for Goal Setting
Since the idea of achieving a goal starts with setting one, Morgan offered up a few tips.

1. Examine the time frame
Start by asking yourself, if this is a short, medium, or long-term goal. This is important for the purposes of time management and organization. Morgan says that with any goal you must carve out the proper amount of time in order to accomplish it. This will never happen without an understanding of the time frame.

2. Keep your goals up to date with your current lifestyle
Without realistic perspective, goals can easily become outdated. Morgan suggests periodically asking yourself, "Is this still important to me?"

3. Write down your goals
Ms. Morgan is adamant that you must always write down your goals, claiming it is no different than having a business plan. You would never walk into a bank asking for money without first having formalized your plan on paper. Writing down your goals not only makes them specific, but it also makes them real.

Tips for Accomplishing Goals

1. Avoid procrastination
For more information about the subject of procrastination and how to avoid it, see Ms. Morgan's interview in the July 2009 issue of YOU Magazine, entitled "Are You a Procrastinator?".

2. Break up the goal into manageable increments

3. Set deadlines

4. Chart your progress

5. Avoid temptations to stop or slow down
Morgan says both reactions are linked to passive-aggressive behavior. For more of her thoughts on the subject, see her interview in the November 2008 issue of YOU Magazine, entitled "Passive-Aggressive Behavior".

6. Take advantage of your energy peaks, as well as your peak times of day

7. Remind yourself of the negative consequences of NOT accomplishing your goal

8. Appropriately reward yourself for progress

As a parting shot, Ms. Morgan advises that if you are a competitive person, you should think of accomplishing your goal as beating an opponent to the finish line. And for those who are less competitive, think of the many benefits that come along with challenging yourself. Either way, the possibility for self-improvement will be live and well.

Here's to a positive and productive 2010.

Juanita-Beth Morgan, C.H.T is a graduate of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, having continued her studies at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, under the direction of Walter E. Brackelmanns, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA. Morgan is a member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, American Hypnosis Foundation, American Counseling Association and the Hypnotherapist Union. She is a recognized public speaker on a national level and is available for speaking engagements for groups of any size. Always accepting new clients, she can be reached at
(213) 389-2715. Ms. Morgan asks that anyone contacting her for an appointment to mention YOU Magazine as your referral.