Success happens by engaging in the actions that take you from your present state to your desired state.  To get to your desired state, you need goals.

Goals are the stepping stones to your dreams.  Unlike dreams, goals are specific, defined and measurable.  By setting goals, you break down what may seem unreachable into smaller steps that are manageable.  But even better, simply having goals conditions us for success.

Chris makes an intriguing observation in his post on setting goals, which is that while we are working on our goals, our goals work on us.  I’ve been contemplating that for a few days and I can think of a few ways that goals work on you.

GOALS KEEP YOU FOCUSED.  Life is so crazy these days.  There are demands on you from all directions.  It’s easy to see that hours, days, weeks or even months can pass quickly.  If you don’t know what you’re working towards, if you don’t have goals that are specific, defined and measurable, success will elude you while you’re busy doing other things.

GOALS CREATE OPPORTUNITY.  When you know specifically what you are trying to accomplish your mind is primed to recognize and create the opportunities that can have the most impact on your success.  This is similar to staying focused in that when you’re clear on your goals you will be able to quickly jump on the right things that cross your path and avoid the time-wasters.

GOALS EMPOWER YOU.  Having specific and measurable goals make you the prime actor in your journey to succeed.  By definition, goals are about what you can do and work toward.  They create in you a positive intention.  Goals set you up to imagine all the things you can do to get there and hold back from center stage the constraints that you don’t have control over.  When you hit an obstacle, goals help you ask, “What can I do next?” instead of giving up.

GOALS BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE.  Setting goals and achieving them is deeply rewarding.  It can also be addicting.  Starting your day with a small, attainable goal (such as not hitting the snooze bar on the alarm) and achieving it can make you want to keep it up the rest of the day.  Use goal-setting to build your self-confidence.  Start small, celebrate the successes and then create progressively harder goals. 

How do you create goals?  I think there is a simple way to start. 

In my post on vision, I said that vision is the ultimate answer to the question, “Why?”  Goals are the answer to the question, “How?”  Try this fun exercise.  Whatever your vision is, imagine you have achieved it and ask yourself how you have achieved this state.  For example, if your vision is to be trim and sexy, imagine that you are, and ask yourself, “How am I so darn trim and sexy?”  Begin creating your goals by answering that very positive question.

If you put the thought and time into following along with this weekly series (start here), at this point, you should have, 1) a positive attitude and a check on your limiting beliefs – the expectation that you will succeed, and 2) a breathtaking vision to inspire and enliven you.  These two elements, expectations and vision, are the heart and soul of success.  From this point on, success is about action.