You’ve probably heard of the Harvard goal-setting study. Members of the class of 1979 were asked whether they had any goals. 3% of the class had written, specific goals for their lives after graduation. Another 13% had goals, but had not written them down. The remaining 84% of the class hadn’t set any goals beyond graduating and having a good time during the summer. In 1989, ten years later, the class was evaluated. Not surprisingly, the 13% with goals (even though they weren’t written) earned twice what the 84% with no goals earned. The shocker was that the 3% who’d written their goals earned ten times more than everyone else. The only difference? Their clearly-defined, written goals.

Goals make your actions intentional – on purpose, on task. There should be a direct connection between what you want and what you do.

If you look at goal setting like planning a cross-country trip, you’ll get a good analogy. How successful would your trip be without a plan? If you don’t plot out exactly where you want to go, and how to get there, you’re doomed from the start. It’s nearly impossible to end up where you want to go without a plan. Your plan must be tied to action – what you do, when you do it, how you’ll do it. With a plan in place, you know exactly what the next step is, and how much closer it’ll bring you to your destination.

If your goal is to get from New York to California, everything you do should work together to get you there. You plot a route, you pack what you’ll need along the way, you drive with purpose. While you might enjoy the scenery along the way, you know that it’s part of the journey – not the ultimate end of your trip. You know that each day you spend doing anything other than driving, you’re just delaying reaching your destination. You don’t just drive aimlessly, you take the most direct route.

A solid goal and plan prepare you for obstacles in the road. You’ll run into mountains, dead-end streets, and traffic jams that’ll delay and detour you – but because your plan is in place, you’ll be able to stay the course and get right back on track. Without a plan, any one of these troubles could completely derail you and leave you just looking at dreams and wishes again. Even with a system in place, you’ll face obstacles in the road – but you’ll have a solution-seeking mindset. It’s the GPS for your trip. It’s not the tradition Global Positioning System you’re thinking of – It’s my Goal Positioning System.

With the Goal Positioning System, you can see exactly where you are on the path to where you want to go. Your goals are mapped – go this way for this long, then do this, and this. Everything you do becomes purposeful, intentional. You eliminate a lot of wasted effort because you’re constantly evaluating whether certain activities go along with your plan or not. If it’s not moving you toward your goal, you don’t waste time doing it. When obstacles arise, you’ve got a solution-oriented plan and mindset that you can put to work to keep you on track. The system keeps you pointed in the right direction, and reminds you of the next right step to take.

Without a goal and a plan, most people get knocked out by the first problem that comes their way. Successful people have a different mindset – a solution mindset. They are problem solvers, constantly looking for the best way to move past obstacles. They ask how they can move along, then take the steps they need to in order to stay on track.

You’re going to face each day armed with action steps, and a system you will use to keep yourself accountable for how you spend your time. Your goals will be constantly in front of your face so you remember where you’re going. GPS will keep you on track, reminding you not to deviate from the plan.