| Goal setting with pictures fit together like laughter and | | | | "OK." |
| fun. Both end with feelings of joy and contentment. | | | | "As you push off and your body is heading into the |
| Yet many grown-ups don't experience this. They fail to | | | | water, what do you see?" |
| turn their dreams into goals. Don't let this become your | | | | "My eyes are closed. I don't see anything." |
| child's fate. Childhood is the best time to teach your | | | | "Kevin, before you fall asleep at night, picture the |
| child the tools for setting goals. | | | | water and your feet on the tip of the diving board. Feel |
| "Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into | | | | your head tucking in and your feet pushing off the |
| the visible." - Anthony Robbins | | | | diving board. Once off the board you don't have to |
| The Parenting Tip - How to Picture the Goal: | | | | see anything. Just experience the great feeling of a |
| To make his goal visible, teach your child to mentally | | | | good dive. Try picturing it now." |
| picture what he sees as he looks outward from | | | | If Kevin is having trouble picturing the dive, keep asking |
| himself. Tell him to do this mental picturing as if he is | | | | questions to help Kevin picture it clearly. |
| accomplishing his goal right now. This is different from | | | | Goal Setting with Pictures - The Conclusion: |
| picturing himself inside his goal. Let's examine this | | | | Some kids might give answers different from Kevin's. |
| parenting tip further. | | | | Their answers may be just as good. After all, in order |
| The Parenting Strategy - An Example for Picturing the | | | | for this parenting strategy to work, it must be your |
| Goal: | | | | child's picture. Your task is to make sure your child is |
| If your Kevin wants to learn how to dive, pretend you | | | | not picturing himself from a distance, like from the |
| are sharing this conversation: | | | | other end of the pool or on the sidelines. Make sure he |
| "Kevin, what would you see before you dive off the | | | | sees outward from his eyes while making the dive. |
| diving board?" | | | | Goal setting with pictures can change dreams into |
| "I'd see the water." | | | | reality. Why not teach your child the tools for turning |
| "What if you tucked your head in toward your body?" | | | | the invisible into the visible? If you do, your child will |
| "I'd see the water and my feet on the edge of the | | | | experience how goal setting and pictures fit together |
| diving board." | | | | like fun and laughter. You'll both enjoy the contentment |
| "Picture the water and picture your feet on the edge | | | | of a job well done and you'll be building character too. |
| of the diving board right now." | | | | |