Goal setting is not a difficult process but we make it so daunting, like we're climbing Mount Everest. The secret to setting and achieving goals is to decide what you want and make a plan. There are important steps along the way that will help you achieve your goal. We will look at the rules that will keep you on the path to getting what you want. When you set a goal and begin working on it, your life begins to change. It is an absolute fact that you can reach your goals. If you set it and follow the rules, you will reach it.

Rule 1: Make a decision about the goal you want to achieve.

This is the step where you will spend the most time. Deciding what it is that you want is critical to your living the life of your dreams. So many of us settle for what we think we can get that we don't set the goal that we truly desire. This is your life and you only get one go around so make sure you are setting goals that you really want. The other reason that this is so important is that you are trading your life for this goal. If you set a goal and it is not what you really want, then you are spending your days working to achieve something that does not ignite your passion.

Rule 2: Choose the right words and write them down.

Here you want to become clear about the language that you use to describe your goal. This is not a place to be wimpy. Goals should be clear and definitive. You don't want to write, Someday I am going to lose weight. If you write the goal like that, you are placing your results in the future. You want to write your goal in the present tense. The formula I use to write my goals, I learned from my mentor Bob Proctor. I always start with I am so happy and grateful now that.... (Finish the sentence with your goal in the present tense). An example would be I am so happy and grateful now that I am at my perfect weight that supports my lifestyle. I have all the energy and strength I need to accomplish my goals. You want to write your goals down. Writing causes thinking. I used to write my goals down on my computer but it turned out not to be effective. Write your goals down the old fashioned way, on paper. There is a connection that is made by actually writing down what you want.

Rule 3: Get emotionally involved with your goal.

It's great to write a goal but if you never get emotionally involved with it, you will never achieve it. This is where visualization comes in. Hold the image in your mind and see yourself achieving your goal. Feel what it's like to have already accomplished it. Gratitude is an important component to setting and achieving goals. Having a grateful heart helps you stay in a positive vibration. When you're feeling positive, it is easier to successfully visualize your goals.

Rule 4: Invoke the Law of Attraction.

If you have written down what you really want and hold the image and become emotionally involved with it, you will invoke the law of attraction. The law of attraction states that energy flows where attention goes. James Allen wrote, "All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts." If you hold your image, you will by law create the conditions and circumstances that are necessary for you to achieve your goal.

Rule 5: Have a Goal Card.

I carry my goal card with me at all times. It is the first thing I look at in the morning when I get up and the last thing I look at before I go to bed. Keep it in your pocket or purse and look at it periodically during the day. It will serve to remind you of your intention. If you put your hand in your pocket during the day or go into your purse, feel your goal card. Your words have energy and touching them will connect you to them.

Our thoughts are very powerful. Thinking about what you really want and declaring it will set in motion what you need to achieve your goal. Following these 5 rules can dramatically change the results you get in your life.

A Coach can help you optimize the goal setting process. We help you to get clear about what you really want and formulate the steps to achieve your goal. Goal setting really isn't a difficult process as long as you keep the 5 rules in mind.