So… you have set the goal and started the process of achieving what you want. You work towards the goal, think about the goal and are really excited. Then something happens. You loose steam, you get busy and the excitement that you had while you were working towards your goal fades and another project gets stuck back up on the shelf. Waiting for completion and just outside of your grasp.

These projects and goals that you shove to the side have an impact on your mind. They are promises that you made to yourself that you have broken. Inside there is an overdrawn debit account for every project that you did not complete. The internal stress from this debit account wears on you if you cannot put it back into alignment.

Getting Back Into Integrity

One of the ways that you start to live in integrity with your goals is to figure out what you really want in life. Many times you start a goal and never finish it because its something that you don’t really want. Maybe some of the goals you have been setting have been for other people and not you. You will never make real progress until you have clearly defined goals that you actually want. Think about each of the projects that you have tabled or not completed and evaluate whether you want that for yourself or whether you were just going through the motions for another person.

Once you have that done list out the five main areas of your life: wealth, health, family relationships, love relationships and your form of spirituality. Write down what you want in each area of your life and be specific.

Do A Daily Check-Up

Each morning when you wake-up read your goals. Plan out what you will do each day based on the five categories of your life. Make sure that you devote at least five minutes every day to each of the five areas. At the end of the day go back over your list and ask yourself if you lived true to your goals during the day.

Living in integrity with your goals means that you take steps each day to move towards them. You align yourself in terms of your habits and your thoughts so that you are helping move yourself closer to your goals. If you merely sit around and dream without taking action you are out of integrity.

Distance learning programs have become increasingly popular in recent years. By offering individual attention and accredited lessons, distance learning programs are extremely appealing to parents of homeschooled children, especially those who want to do everything they can to help their children succeed in school and gain admission into college. However, the increase in the number of distance learning programs has also made it increasingly important for parents to take the time to choose the program that is best for their child or children.

The following is a short, simple, but effective guide to what parents should consider when choosing the right distance learning program for their child. Choose wisely. 

1. Individualized Programs - The entire idea behind a distance learning program is that it provides students with individual attention and an individually tailored curriculum that they might not necessarily receive at a traditional school. Parents looking to enroll their child in a distance learning program should consider whether a program provides this one-to-one attention and whether or not the program can be uniquely tailored. 

2. Consider the Teacher - Parents must also take the time to find a program that features highly qualified teachers who are able to effectively and efficiently communicate with the students they have been assigned to, as well as with their parents.

3. Accreditation - Parents should also make certain to select a program that has been officially recognized and accredited by an official licensing organization such as Western Association of Schools and Colleges. By doing so, the assure themselves that the curriculum is in line with academic standards, and that the teachers delivering the curriculum are fully credentialed.

4. Inspect the Curriculum - Since the ultimate goal of a distance learning program is often to prepare students for admission and success in college, parents must take the time to look over the curriculum to see if it is designed to help students meet admission requirements for a particular college or university. Other factors that parents should look for in a program’s curriculum include the method of delivery, the grade level covered, and whether or not it is aligned to local or national standards.

5. Read the Reviews - Since there are so many programs that parents can choose from, it is always important for them to look at what other parents are saying about them. Don’t be fooled by fancy graphics or “extra” features, instead, look at who is running the program, and who the program is accountable to.

Besides these five factors, parents should also look at a distance learning program’s record of college placement, the existence of learning opportunities with other colleges and universities, available support services, the “community” associated with the program, and whether or not the program offers any additional parent training.

Choosing the right distance learning program can be a huge decision in the life of both a parent and a child. There are definitely many factors to consider, but by taking the time to choose wisely, students can certainly reap the benefits of what has become an extremely effective method of preparing students for admission and success in college.