How can you succeed at moving from merely dreaming to setting and achieving goals?

It’s simple, really. Setting and achieving goals is the process of creating a roadmap from going from "here" to "there". It is a process of self discovery - personal goal setting is all about you and no one else!

Why should you set goals?

As Henry David Thoreau said, "If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

So Where do You Start?

Well, you start in the NOW. Whether you like it or not, analyzing your current situation is the key of success in setting and achieving goals effectively. Consider this...

• Wherever you are in life today, there IS a road that takes you to where you want to go,

but

• You must always be aware of where you are today to develop the specific goals that take to your next destination.

Setting and achieving goals is an intellectual process that requires time and focus to decide what it is that you want. As Henry Ford once said, "Thinking is the hardest part."

However, anyone can succeed at setting and achieving goals - and that includes YOU. Let’s review briefly the...

Seven Goal-setting Guidelines

• Ensure your goals are in line with your personal values, or else you will fall short of achieving them. For example, you may think that to provide a safe and secure home for your family, you need a high-paying corporate job; but this might get in conflict with your core value of living in nature.

• Break down your bigger goals into little achievable steps. If your goal is to climb Mount Everest, it is foolhardy to think you can immediately go into high-risk, high altitude mountain-climbing without extensive training.

• Write down your goals framing them in the positive. Be as detailed as you can, to activate the Law of Attraction. Say them out loud each morning.

• Develop a system of accountability to keep you on track. Share the process of setting and achieving goals with a life coach or a close friend. They are to ensure that you take the necessary actions that carry you forward to achieving your goal.

• Establish goals over short, medium and long-term to keep yourself motivated. Short-term goals are the little steps that you take to achieve the medium term goals. For example, if your long-term goal is to earn a degree, your short-term goals are to attend your classes, and your medium term goal is to pass your exams.

• Don’t spread yourself too thinly - pick the goals most important to you and work on those first. Having a selective focus enables you to harness your energy with greater precision.

• The last guideline is the most important is setting and achieving goals successfully.