Hands up who has stuck to their new year's resolution. Whether you wanted to get fit, learn Chinese or set up that business you've always dreamed of, chances are you gave up in February.

With spring approaching, now is the perfect time to readdress those failed resolutions.

Dr Zaffran Shahzada of Bradford company ImagineAction is helping people do just that, by boosting their brain power.

Using hypnotherapy, neuro-language programming, thought field therapy, counselling and life coaching, he helps people understand more about the brain and how to put ideas into reality.

The starting point, he says, is decluttering the mind.

"The first step to mastering the outside world is to master yourself, " he says. "When we're children we're inquisitive about everything but when we're older we're often prevented from asking questions or setting our sights on something. Obstacles stop us achieving our goals. Decluttering our thoughts helps us lay down clear plans and work towards them. It's about getting people to think in a more efficient way."

Status anxiety, says Dr Shahzada, can fill our minds with clutter. "We're surrounded by success stories, we become concerned with eating at the right restaurant, wearing the right clothes, earning the right salary. We lose sight of what we really want out of life. It's like going into a job interview knowing you have all the right information in your brain, but because you're nervous it comes tumbling out in a mess.

"I provide a fun, relaxed environment for people to reflect on what they really want out of life, and how to achieve it. We're inspired by the changing seasons so spring is a classic time for working towards goals."

Dr Shahzada works with clients on a professional and personal basis and says the main area of concern is careers.

"Sometimes people want to go for promotion, or they may have gone so far down their career path it has impacted on their personal lives.

Managing directors sometimes lose touch with their employees. I assess people on an individual basis and design the way forward.

"I listen to people and watch their body language, looking at the way they think and behave. I ask what motivates them, why they want changes and how these changes would fit in with areas of their lives like relationships.

"Some people equate wishes with fairy tales; they assume life will be perfect if they get that promotion, lose weight or find the right partner or win £1 million on the Lottery, but the problem is lack of follow-through action. And they don't always think ahead and plan for what happens if they achieve that goal, particularly if there are other areas of life they don't want affected by it."

Through helping us to become more in tune with our own brains, whether it's through hypnotherapy or life coaching, Dr Shahzada helps to boost confidence.

"I get people to be more aware of how they come across to others, to listen to what they're saying to people and communicate clearly.

"That comes once they've identified what they really want to achieve, and fully thought it through. With every step you will believe you can succeed, rather than dreaming 'what if '" FACTFILE To mark National Ideas Day and National Brain Awareness Week, we asked Dr Shahzada for tips on achieving goals: Write a wish/goal list with set dates Ask why you're doing this, what will achieving this goal do for you that you're unable to do now Be aware of your circumstances - look at how your new plans will fit your life Commit to change Choose how you react to situations - Don't get pushed into reacting as others expect Be solution driven - when problems arise, think about how you can solve them Visualise how you'll feel when you achieved it For more details ring 01274 532391 or visit www. imagineaction. co. uk or email Zaffran@ imagineaction. co. uk