Have you ever wondered why some people just seem to accomplish whatever they set out to do? They are the constant achievers, the successful

producers - the people that just never seem to stop moving towards the top. Of course, some people are driven by a higher purpose to succeed, to become rich, to achieve fame and acknowledgment or they simply are over-

competitive and hate to loose. But there are many others who have managed to create a system that helps them achieve their goals.

Whatever it may be that has these people achieve what they want, most of us probably have friends like that somewhere in our lives. I do too. In fact I was so amazed (and perhaps a little jealous) at what my friend was accomplishing on a day-to-day basis that I sat down one day and asked him how he does it.

So this article is not about how to set goals. This is about how to accomplish them.

What happens all too often is that a goal (especially one in the distant future) seems like an insurmountable obstacle. The sheer volume of work that needs to be done is enough to actually stop most people dead in their tracks.

However, what is a goal but the result of a series of small actions, decisions and accomplishments.

This really is the key to making anything happen. You have to break your goal/project into smaller steps that you can organize and schedule on a daily, weekly and monthly level. Break the goal down into manageable tasks that don’t overwhelm you. Then focus on your daily tasks, complete them successfully, and you have the peace of mind that you are one step closer to achieving your goal. Of course this sounds a lot easier than it is. Let’s take a closer look.

First, you need an accountability system.

A platform on which you can schedule your daily, weekly and monthly tasks, have them in front of you and check them off when they are done. It is also very important that this system be flexible to accommodate unexpected obstacles, time line extensions, additional tasks, schedule changes etc.

In my experience it is best to use your computer rather than a physical planner such as a calendar for your accountability system. For example, I

have created a simple spreadsheet that allows me to log my monthly, weekly and daily tasks, organize them by priority and enter the daily tasks into a 24 hour time table. This way I know exactly what needs to be done by when, what has to be completed that week or month and I can also track my past accomplishments to see if I am on schedule to achieve my goals. It takes the

pressure off me having to remember every detail and every task.

In addition to this spreadsheet system I also have a PDA that reminds me of meetings and to-do’s, contains my contacts and calendar and is with me at all times so I literally can’t forget anything. Whenever something new comes up I schedule it immediately. That way the new task exists in a set place in time and I can plan accordingly and schedule around it as more things come up.

Second, plan backwards and break down work into manageable tasks.

We touched on this earlier but I would like to expand on this step a bit further. As stated above, a goal is nothing more than a series of smaller actions, decisions and accomplishments. Begin by setting yourself a realistic deadline for what you are trying to achieve. Then determine the main steps needed to fulfill on this goal. Calculate how much time is needed to complete each step and plan backwards from your deadline to set completion dates for each main step. Then within each completion date determine the components to complete each main step and break them into daily, weekly and monthly actions (depending on how long your project timeline is).

Again, going backwards from your completion date, schedule these actions into your accountability system. You can continue breaking down the components of your goal further if you need to.

Be as specific in your break-down process as possible. Really define each task in detail so you know exactly what you need to do to complete it. This may take some time now but will save you a lot of headaches and going back and forth later on. In other words, the clearer you are on everything the faster you can accomplish it.

Now you have created a detailed step-by-step plan on how to accomplish this goal. All you need to do is follow your plan and complete whatever you have planned each day and you are right on target.

As mentioned earlier, your system has to be flexible and account for unexpected changes. So, plan in extra time - be reasonable and generous

with your scheduling. The likelihood of achieving your goals will be much higher.

Third, you must become skilled in prioritizing.

Determine which actions will yield the greatest results or which tasks need to be attended to first due to deadlines, high importance, client promises, etc. I rate every task (daily, weekly and monthly) by number: 1 means this task has to be done today; 2 means within the next 2-3 days; 3 within this week and 4 within this month. I schedule higher priority tasks first and make sure they are completed before I move on to other things.

Focus primarily on what needs to get done in the short term not in the mid or long term. This way you avoid feeling overwhelmed by large goals, huge work loads, etc. Before you know it you are done with the project.

NOTE: One pitfall is that you schedule those tasks that are easy and fun first although they are not high priority. You won’t really move forward and the knowledge of having avoided the important tasks will weigh you down. You should resist that urge as much as possible. Get the important and sometimes uncomfortable stuff out of the way first and results will follow. Through experiencing successes no matter how small, you will become more disciplined and effective over time and you will start to know yourself as

someone that can produce results. You will be able to count on yourself to achieve what you set out to do. That is real power!

This is also what my successful friend talked about most. He literally lit up when describing what it feels like to know himself as someone that achieves what they say.

Apply these three steps to whatever you want to achieve. Give yourself some time to learn and properly apply this technique and you will be amazed at the results you can produce.

Here is another personal tip on how to beat procrastination: when I am experiencing an off-day where I just can’t seem to concentrate or be really productive, I schedule a few very specific tasks or a set time frame after which I won’t continue working. For example, I schedule to make 10 more phone calls, write one article, complete this one task or work for only 2 more hours. I have found that knowing exactly what I have to do to be complete for the day gets me past my procrastination. And once I have finished the few tasks I set out to do, I feel good about myself because I accomplished something, created a small success for myself and did what I said I would do.

After that I can go and enjoy me free time without guilt.

Best of luck.