Some of your goals may have fallen by the wayside already.  Many are starting to get discouraged and motivation is starting to descend like the value of the dollar.  So I think it is a good time to review the basics of goal setting.  Let us refocus on the results we want and why they are important.  We can make our goals a reality.

Before we get into the fundamentals I think it is important to first determine what your definite purpose is. What is it that drives your passion in life? What is at the core of your values? Once you determine this then you can evaluate your goals by how they will positively or negatively affect your striving towards your definite main purpose.  This will be the mark on which your decisions will be based.

"The person who labors without a definite purpose backed by a definite plan for its attainment resembles the ship that has lost its rudder.  Hard labor and good intentions are not sufficient to carry anyone through to success, for how may any of us be sure that we have attained success unless a definite desired objective had been established in our minds?"  (Napoleon Hill - Law of Success)

Action!  Almost all of us have goals in life we'd like to reach, but many of us fail to see them through because we lack the knowledge to get started making them reality. We must first take action towards getting those goals out of our head and into the world of reality.

Review the following step-by-step instructions to help you create goals and the actions needed to complete them. By following this plan, you'll be more apt to succeed at meeting your goals in life, no matter what they may be.

1. Write it down. Many dreams are forgotten because we neglect to put it on paper. One day we'll say, "Oh, yeah, I wanted to do that when I was young." No one says that you have to pursue all of the goals that are listed on the paper, but if you do choose to work towards it, you'll remember what it was in the first place. One effective way to do this is to make your list of goals within a journal because you will be writing other lists that pertain to these goals as you work towards their completion.
2. Make a decision about the goals you've written down. Each goal has possibilities and difficulties. Begin a list of the pros and cons of each goal you wrote down in step one. This will help you narrow down your choices. Those with too many cons may need to be omitted from your list or at least moved to another list for now.
3. Are these goals for me? Now that we have narrowed the list to the possible goals, how do you feel about each one? Take the time to list your feelings about the goals left on the list. Be sure to list positive thoughts as well as any misgivings you may have. Being a lawyer can be a worthy goal, but if you have small children at home, this may not be the right time to pursue it. Or, there may be other ways you can help with law enforcement besides becoming an attorney.
4. Create a plan for the goals. This goes for every goal even if it won't be pursued right now. Five years down the road, you may want to think about selling your home or moving to another state. When it comes time to look at this goal, you will already have a plan for achieving it. The plan can be for a long term or short term goal. If plans for different goals mesh together, more than one goal can be pursued at a time. Tip: It might be wise, especially if this is the first time working with goal planning, to focus on one or two goals right now and revisit the others at a later time.
5. Divide the plan into manageable steps. It is easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about the completed goal. Starting a business is a commitment both of finances and time. Realize everything doesn't have to be done all at one time. Steps or milestones allow for smaller goals to be achieved on the way to the bigger one.
6. Get going. The hardest part is over. You have taken the time to put a plan in place and pursue the dream that has lain dormant for years. Start with step one and work your way forward.

Taking action towards a goal does not have to seem overwhelming if you take time to decide which goals are worth going after, plan the steps necessary to get to the desired result, and simply get going with those steps. Before any goal can get off the ground, it needs a direction to go. Once you have the direction it's just a matter of checking things off your list until they are complete. Take things one step at a time and you'll reach the finish line before you know it.