In just about any endeavor, the keys to success are usually the same. It doesn’t matter if your goal is raising $10,000 or trying to do 100 pushups. Your ability to reach the goal will come down to four basic things:

Set A Goal

So many people miss out on the most obvious part of reaching a goal - setting the goal. If you don’t know where you want to go, how will you know when you arrived? Its like heading out on a road trip without a map or a destination in mind. That is the difference between a journey and a Sunday drive. It is the difference between being in new territory and just being lost.

Take some time to clearly define your goals. What exactly do you want to accomplish? Maybe your goal is to lose 50 pounds. That’s a pretty clear goal. When is the deadline? How about one year from now? Ok - write it down and head to the next step.

Break It Down

Unfortunately, you aren’t going to wake up tomorrow 50 pounds lighter - unless you accidentally cut off a leg or something. Break down the goal into smaller pieces. You have 52 weeks, so that is basically a pound a week. Doesn’t “losing a pound” sound a whole lot easier than “losing 50 pounds”? When I started jogging, 5K seemed impossibly far. Instead, I just concentrated on getting to the end of the block - then the end of the next block. Before I knew it, I was done!

Make A Plan

What can you do to reach the smaller goals? In this case, maybe you figure you can cut out soft drinks and lose a pound a week. Maybe you decide to start walking a couple of nights a week. Whatever you think you need to do to lose that one pound - and reach that one goal - go for it!

Just Start

Ok, here is where 90% of all goals meet their doom. The dreaded “first step”. You make a plan, then say, “I’ll start on Monday.” On Monday, you aren’t feeling well, so you push it back a week. Soon, the whole thing is just a distant memory.

Don’t wait til Monday- start today. Decide on your goal and do something TODAY to move you toward the goal. Even if it is only one step closer -it is still closer!

By following these four rules of success, you will be on the road to reaching your goals in no time at all!