The Secret of Success And Achievement

There is a saying that goes: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there" and the truth of the matter is if you have no set direction or are not clear where you are heading, you could land up anywhere.

There is another saying, this time by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which says: "The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going." The point being made here is that with a clear set direction, or clear goals, you are more likely to achieve your life dreams.

So how do you go about setting a clear goal and what makes an achievable goal? Follow the 9 steps below:

1. You need to be clear on what is you want. "I want a car" doesn't hold any power and so your goal must not be vague. For example: I want a new Aston Martin DBS - that's being specific.

2. Once your have a definate and clear goal, the next step is to develop a clear vision of it in your mind. The more you can you incorporate your senses into this vision the better - see it, hear it, feel it etc. Imagine yourself in the driver's seat, the sound of the engine, the smell of the new leather, the feel of the car under you. Put it all together and really see it in your mind.

3. Ensure your goal is measurable - how will you know once you have attained it. Getting a car is easier than if your goal was to be financially free for example. You need to know exactly what YOU mean by being financially free, how much will you be earning or how much will you have in your bank account. You need to be specific about this so you have a tangible goal that you can measure you progress against as well as to know when you have arrived!

4. Ensure your goal is achievable and realistic. Although we are all powerful and can create far more than we give ourselves credit for, if you don't have a good singing voice, you need to be realsitic about winning American Idol! Although I advocate setting big goals, if you confidence is a little on the low side, you should start with some smaller goals to make a start and build on these.

5. Setting a date by when you will have achieved this goal is the next step. Dates are important as they motivate you to start doing something as each day that goes past, so does your target date get closer. The point here is to get you working on your goal, however if the date arrives and you haven't achieved your objective yet, this does not mean you havge failed. The main point is to have made progress towards your goal and setting some timescales ensures you get there quicker.

6. Once you have achieved your objective you need to reward yourself. All to often we continue on as if nothing happened. It is important to acknowledge yourself and your result, so plan a treat and stop to appreciate what you have accomplished.

7. Break down your goals into smaller steps and work out what you need to do for each one. Then schedule these steps with dates in your calender or diary

8. Capture all of the detail above by writing it down in a goal statement. Phrase it in the present tense. For example: "By 1st January 2009, I am earning 100,000 per year through my online business and I am driving my Aston Martin DBS. My reward is taking a holiday in a 5 star hotel in the Maldives." You should be excited after reading this!

9 . Now begin to take action! Ensure that you read your statement each day, preferably in the morning and in the evening and begin your action steps.

Remember - you can change your goals if you decide you want something else as prioroties do change - but ensure you are changing them because you have changed your focus not because your current goal is not happening or too hard.

That is it - now take action and beging building the life you desire.