Have you ever committed to a goal and as the deadline looms in front of you, you wonder what were you thinking when you set that that large, now seemingly impossible goal?

As I work with my coaching clients, I encourage unrealistic goals. They are much more fun, borne of passion and possibility. Too often we see ourselves capable of only the small, manageable, ordinary goals. It makes us very uncomfortable to say we'll do something that we have no evidence we can do. Yet, there is an excitement in pushing ourselves beyond what seems possible. I believe, in fact, one of my jobs as a coach is to see my client BIGGER than they see themselves. The people who have inspired me most in my life did that for me and I am eternally grateful. So, in Napoleon Hill's words, "If you can conceive it, you can achieve it."

Lately, I've been attempting to grow and stretch myself. If you haven't seen the movie, The Secret, I highly recommend it, if you are doing your business planning for 2007 and are ready to go for what you REALLY want. Heck, you can even watch it for free on YouTube.

So, when, in response to their challenge to raise $1 Million for CARE, I told the folks at More Magazine I had a giving circle and we were going to raise $100,000, I believed we could do it. I figured I could find 20 other incredible women who would each take on raising $5000 each and we'd be in like Flynn (whoever that is!). They even published  my comment "we were going to do this, no matter what!", for heaven's sake!

Lots has happened....Isn't that the way when you set a big goal? The circumstances that are the roadblocks are great excuses! Most reasonable people will agree with you when you explain what happened. Maybe you got sick or the market changed or you had to move and start all over. Whatever the excuse-it is logical. I will spare you the details with my goal, because I don't for a minute believe I want to use any of them as a substitute for getting the goal. That's what usually happens: we end up with or goal or the reasons why not!

Now, another inspiring force has been the book, The One Minute Millionaire, where the heroine needs to raise One Million Dollars in 90 days to keep from having her children removed from her. The great question I ask myself and sometimes my coaching clients is, "If someone's LIFE were at stake if you didn't make this goal, would you be doing anything else?" Now, it doesn't always mean you are going to stop everything and do that...But it is a great measure of how important this really is. Maybe the goal is a wish. Maybe you are in your own way thinking this goal is too big for you when it isn't-you just can't do it alone.... Because, truly, every day, your life IS at stake when you don't do what you are really capable of.

So, what has this all to do with me and my goal and you and yours? I will share with you what it has to do with mine and my hope is that you can use this to finish your year where you want to be or find something here to empower and motivate you to be outrageously intentional in getting your goals for 2007.

The deadline for my goal is December 31, 2006. We have raised or have committed pledges that total $19,225.41. So...that leaves us $80,774.59 short. It would be easy to say, "Oh, well, raising $20,000 will make an incredible difference (It is enough to send 400 girls in Afghanistan to school for a whole year) and that's the best we could do." But, I am crazy enough to approach this from the standpoint of, maybe this is a good place for me to walk my talk. It's easy as a coach to tell others they can achieve whatever they can conceive and to go for it as their life depended on it, but when the rubber meets the road, am I willing to put everything to test? Am I willing to pull out the stops, even if it means some people are tired of hearing about this and wish I would shut up?

So, if you will indulge me, I intend to GO FOR IT! I want to prove, in spite of the odds...miracles can happen and I know I need to stir up some cosmic dust to do that and am willing to work to pull this off. I know the power of community and many of you have already, generously given support. When I called it the WebWomenGivingCircle, I envisioned the thousands of people that 20 of us could reach with all the communities we were related to. But, I know there are also people who don't realize that $10 can make a BIG impact or think they wouldn't make THE difference. If each person who reads this donates $10, we will make our goal and if you can donate more, all the better(Heck, if you have $80,000 or know Bill Gates..that'd be ok too!)

Are you in?????? Do you want to be involved in making a miracle happen, so you can also see you can remember this when your goals look impossible?

Here are the ways we have devised to make it a win/win:

1. Buy a premium package. It is a business expense.  You get a business plan, a negotiating program, a book or two, a free website or great discount, Bigwig Business Planning Software, a free Real Estate Game, and a Gold membership to the RealEstateKitchen! And ALL OF YOUR MONEY GOES TO CARE

2. Buy your Christmas gifts through our Amazon link and we'll get an affiliate payment that will all go to CARE

3. If your friends have enough stuff and you want to give a gift of appreciation that will make a difference and touch lives (instead of waistlines!) Nominate a woman who has inspired you at www.InspiringWoman.com for $10 or more(it's up to you)

4. Or, you can just give the money directly to CARE

5. And, if you are a Blogger and would like some more traffic on your blog...book a visit from me on our upcoming tour!  We could use a few more bloggers to participate. In a nutshell, we set a date, I post it on my website as an event with links and love and hugs to you. Then, on the set date, you post an interview (we'll conduct it via email, to keep it easy on everyone) that we call  a stop on the CARE tour and everyone clicks through that day to read and love your blog (or web site). Book a date here!

6. Pass this along to 3 friends you think would also like to make a difference and could afford $10 (or more!)

Are you in????? Can you help me prove a seemingly impossible goal can be achieved? I need your help for it to happen, but together, I KNOW Miracles are possible!!!

Joanne Fossland 
http://joeann.realtownblogs.com/