Everyone knows that setting goals will help you achieve more and adds excitement and meaning to life. But setting goal is only the beginning. We often fail to following through, and our goals turn into unfulfilled daydreams. To eliminate that pitfall, here is a step by step, seven steps approach that will help you turn your goals into realities.

1. Decide what you want to achieve. Determine exactly what you want. Be specific. Be sure your goal is measurable, so you can tell when you are making progress. Pick a target date for achieving it. Be sure it is realistically achievable.

2. Ask yourself why it is important for you to achieve this goal. How you will benefit from reaching these goals? Knowing why you want something raises your level of motivation. The higher your motivation level, the more likely you are to act on your own goal. In addition, highly motivated people are more likely to make any sacrifice necessary to reach their goal.

3. Consider what obstacles, problems, or personal shortcomings might block your progress. List every one you can think of. Some obstacles will be real, others may be only imaginary. You must conquer both.

4. Examine the obstacle one at a time, and think about how you might solve each problem. Ask others to help you brainstorm for solutions.

5. List the people who could help you achieve your goal. Decide specifically what you will ask them to do.

6. Consider what information you need that you don’t have now. Where will you get it? What could you read? Who would you talk to? What seminar could you attend?

7. Write out a detailed action plan for achieving your goal. What are the priorities involved? Which tasks must be done first? When will different actions take place?

Setting goal is a good step, but it is only the beginning. It takes all seven steps to make sure you actually following through, and by so doing achieve your goal.

To Your Success.

Ryan Yan