Most people will readily admit that they are not where they want to be in life.  Perhaps spiritually, financially, in their relationships, academically, etc.  Recognizing that there are deficiencies is one thing; willingness to do something about it is another.  Unfortunately statistics show that although a large percentage of the population is unhappy with their status, they are content to live with the status quo and are unwilling to take action to achieve fulfillment.

Change is never easy because we become comfortable with the way things are, but change is the one thing you need to take hold of to alter the course of your life and in taking this step it is important to lay the foundation for growth, progress and success by setting goals.  You may have to work on changing your mindset in order to accept the need to implement setting goals. Goals are essential because they give you a clear focus or path to follow. Without specific goals your efforts can be derailed quite easily by the negative influences that are likely to come along the path.

The key to setting your goals is to keep them simple, realistic and attainable, but will move you forward out of your comfort zone.  Because goal-setting is new to some persons, it is recommended that you create and follow a step-by-step approach.  We recommend that your goals be put in writing, on your computer, wherever you need to so that they are visible.  From my own experience I firmly believe that a goal is just a dream if you fail to write it down.  At the same time it is important that you take the time to memorize the goal and steps to achieving the goal so that it is impressed on your subconscious and becomes a part of you.

“You can eat an elephant one bit at a time” is a quote I’ve adopted as one of my own because it says it all. For example, if you are severely in debt and your goal is to be debt-free in 1-3 years, you will attain that goal only by having a step-by-step plan that includes a goal sheet where you write down your current income, your current liabilities, and your monthly expenditures.  Then you would need to go through every line and see where you can reduce expenses and channel the money saved to increase payment on a particular debt.  The point is you can achieve your goals by taking action step-by-step, but you may first need to change your mindset to accomplish this.

The key to achieving your goals is to be able to review your goals and measure your progress.  Click to learn more about Goals on Track , an easy to use, web 2.0 style goal setting, goal tracking, task and time management software that helps you accomplish any goals in life.

Today I’m not doing any keyword research for this post because it really is just a beautiful poem that I’ve had for some time.  Unfortunately I cannot give credit to the author because I have no idea who wrote the poem, but if there is anyone who does, please let me know so I can give credit where it’s due.  I have a copy of this poem on the wall in my office and whether you are new to internet marketing, or a successful marketer, I encourage you to print it and keep it where you can refer to it frequently.

SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE ARE DREAMERS WITH GOALS

Your dreams are you vision of where you’ll be after the battle,
your prize at the end of your journey to success.
Your goals are the steps you take to finally attain your prize.

Unless you’re willing to work hard and establish some discipline in your life,
all of your dreams will be pipe dreams,
little mental fantasy trips that will never materialize.

Make concrete steps toward fulfilling your ultimate dream,
and start with solid objectives and goals.

Your dreams are where you want to go,
your goals are how you get there.

The indespensable first step
to getting the things you want out of life is this:
Decide what you want.

Don’t be afraid to think big and dare to be great.
Dreamers are not content with mediocrity.
They never dream of going halfway.
People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.

The last stanza/paragraph is my favorite: “Don’t be afraid to think big and dare to be great.  Dreamers are not content with mediocrity.”  Enjoy and dream big!