Setting goals is something that most people don’t do. The reason is very simple. If you set a goal and don’t achieve it, then it becomes a constant reminder of how you have failed.

So, instead of having a constant reminder of how you have failed, it’s easier to just never set any goals. However, if you don’t set goals in your life, you never know if you are achieving anything significant.

Here are 4 success keys that you can use to create goals that are small, bite size pieces, instead of creating goals so huge that you can never accomplish them.

1. Identify.
Write down the goals that you have in your life. Don’t become overwhelmed at trying to figure out how you are going to achieve these goals. For the moment you simply need to identify where it is you want to go. Maybe you want to be making an extra $15,000 per year, or you want to lose a certain amount of weight, or maybe it’s to stop smoking.

2. Select 2.
Most people sabotage themselves by trying to reach all of their goals at once. Instead, select one major and one minor goal that you want to reach in your life. The reason you want to select one major and one minor goal is to create momentum. Major goals usually take longer to accomplish than minor ones. So if you select two major goals and they both take you a year to reach, you may become discouraged because you haven’t reached any of your goals yet.

Instead, with selecting one minor goal, you will be able to achieve that goal and move on to another minor goal while you are working on your major goal. This will help to prevent you from becoming discouraged because you will be reaching your smaller goals, which in turn, will most likely help you achieve your major goals faster.

3. Start small.
Now that you have selected your major and minor goal, create smaller, progressive goals. For instance, let’s say that your minor goal is to wake up an hour earlier so that you have more time to get things done during the day. Instead of setting your alarm an hour earlier right at the beginning, only set it 2-5 minutes earlier every morning until you reach your goal. This way it would take you 30 days or 12 days respectively to reach your minor goal.

Remember, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

4. Repeat.
Once you have reached your smaller goal, continue to increase the your wake-up time by a few minutes each day. Before you know it you will have created the momentum of success because you are consistently achieving your minor goals, then a major goal, then more minor goals, and then another major goal.

These 4 success keys will help you set and achieve your goals in a way that will minimize discouragement and maximize your success. If you use these 4 keys, you will start to break past the barriers that have stopped you from reaching your goals in the past.

Jason Osborn
www.findyourgreatness.com