Achieve your goals with an action plan.

Reaching your goals can be exhilarating, whether it is on a personal or business level. Setting goals and priorities that align with your values is a good way to stay focused on the things that matter.

Want to become a better parent, a healthier person or more successful at work? Ask yourself this: What am I doing towards my goal? Are my priorities and values aligned to help me reach my goals? Do my lifestyle choices align with my goals?

If you want to succeed, you need to set goals. Without them, you lack focus and direction. Simply saying “I want this or that” doesn’t really work.

The most essential part of goal-setting is prioritizing your goals and having focus. Have you ever decided to accomplish multiple goals at the same time? It is necessary to select and determine which goals are the most important to you and why.

People are different; what motivates me might not necessarily motivate you. This is why only you can decide what your goals are and how you are going to achieve them.

Set yourself up for success with these 5 steps:

1. Set goals that motivate you.
This means setting goals based on what is important to you. What are your priorities? Set goals based on those, and it will act as your motivation. If you don’t like the goal or believe in it, then it shouldn’t be a goal at all.

2. Set SMART goals.
Yes, you’ve heard it a million times, but it works! Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Clear goals give you direction and focus. Measure your success by creating a timeline. Make sure your goals are achievable; if you have no hopes of achieving them, you will not have confidence.

3. Write down your goals to make them “real.”
Use positive language, like I “will” instead of “would like to.”

4. Create an action plan.
Think about your priorities & how are you going to align them with reaching your goals. Think about the small steps you have to take towards your goal.

5. Be accountable and commit.
Here’s the truth: you will not always be motivated and you will not always be “in the mood.” But you need to always be committed. Being accountable means that you realize that you are the only one in charge of reaching your goals.

Discipline and commitment are the keys to success, and through them, habits are created – habits that don’t die out half way through the year, that last you for life, that become a part of you. This is the “secret” to succeeding.