Truly, most statistics leave me bored and lacking interest, not to mention enthusiasm.  Like my high school Prob and Stats class, they go in one ear and out the other.  So many statistics!

Well.. this came to an abrupt end when I recently encountered a statistic while reading a book.  Now I can't get it off my mind, (the statistic that is!)   I think, maybe there's something important about this one.  This is not typical for me.  Really!

I read the stat in the book The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan.   (Really good new book on time and life management.. statistics no extra cost).   I tend to like things that point  to a more intentional way of living, and trust me, I need all the help I can get!  And I can't stand when life get's all willy-nilly and without any direction (even as I coach others to not go to that end!)  So, if something promises to help me quit just going through the motions and get more in touch with higher purpose, smarter priorities and greater productivity, then I'm in!  Don't you tend to find that when you get more intentional and do things you want to really do instead of floating willy-nilly, you experience more peace and purpose?  Life is better.   It just seems right!

That's where the statistic comes in.  It really is possible to become more intentional and create more of the good we want with a few simple steps.  A statistic points to a real way to do that.  That is IF we heed the statistic AND actively DO something about what it says..... which is typically what most of us fail to do when it comes to things learned via statistics.  Well, this one may be the first one worth heeding for you too.

OK, so here's the statistic: According to research by Dr. Gail Matthews, individuals who write their goals are more than 39.5% more likely to succeed. AND (that's not all) individuals who write their goals AND send progress reports to friends are 76.7% more likely to achieve them. 

Wow!  Think about that. By simply writing down what you want (takes less than a minute), and sending a progress report to a friend (takes less than about 3 minutes) the chances of doing what you want goes up to almost 8 in 10 success!  So, I shoot to lose 10 pounds and I write it and tell Rich --- I am likely to do it!  I want to get 3 new clients this week and I write it down.. and tell Amy, I am more likely to achieve it than to fail! Wow!   Who taught us THAT in school!?

• Want to get out of debt?

• Want to write that book?

• Date again?

• Sell your company?

• Read through the Bible?

• Buy a dream house?

• Start a retreat center?

And you?  What do you want?  Really want?  Bad enough to risk writing it on a piece of paper and sharing your progress with a friend or two?  What comes to your mind?   If nothing that bad, then I'd simply ask you to check your pulse.  Really?  You don't want anything bad enough to do those two simple things? Nothing?  Or may be that you're just "wanting too small." "Nobody who ever gave his best ever regretted it," according to famed coach George Halas.  And, now we might add: Only a small percentage who ever wrote their goals and shared them with a friend ever didn't achieve them.

Well... the next step is up to you.