Goals are the most important tools you need to accomplish anything, and there are certain steps you can take to complete your goals after you’ve made them. There are certain areas you need to consider while you work towards your goals, which will help you succeed:

Define your goal. Your first task is to work out the factors of your goal, then write your goal down, as clearly as possible, and keep it in a prominent location.

Examine obstacles that stand in your way. This is a time to guard against negative assumptions and other self-defeating thoughts. Remember the definition of realistic. An obstacle blocks you only if you let it. You should also write down your innovative ways of overcoming obstacles with your goal.

W.I.I.F.M. What’s in it for me? Why do you want to achieve the goal? What kind of payoff is motivating you?

Plan your action. You need to carefully list the steps you will take to bring you closer to your goal. The smaller the increments the easier they will be to accomplish. There is a German proverb that says, “He who begins too much accomplishes little.” As the American Dental Association is fond of saying, “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.”

Project a target date for your goal. State your deadline range, such as, “between March 15 and April 1.” Think carefully about the amount of time you need. Too little time will increase the pressure and frustrate you. Too much time may reduce your drive.

Know how you’ll measure your success. Goals should be described in terms of the final outcome of an activity rather than as the activity. This is part of being specific. Instead of saying, “I will be running more in four to six months,” you could say “I’ll be running three miles instead of two miles in four to six months.” How will you measure this? Probably by having one-third more blisters on your feet.