Why is it some people set goals & knock them out of the park, while others flounder? Hard work & dedication are essential. But so is setting yourself up for a pattern of success. Yes, a pattern of success.

There are a handful of tried & true golden rules you can follow to set goals AND achieve them. Let’s get right to it.

1. Set Goals That MOTIVATE You

Seems obvious, right? But the first key to succeeding at goal achievement is ensuring they are indeed YOUR goals. If a trainer or partner or friend establishes a goal for you, you may be inspired, but where is your heart? Where is your motivation? These need to be YOUR goals, your dreams & your ambitions. Motivation is key to achieving goals.

2. Be SPECIFIC

The simple fact is that for goals to be powerful, they need to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & time bound. Follow this formula to ensure you create SMART goals.

• Specific.
  Your goal must be clear and well defined. Vague or generalized goals don't provide sufficient direction for an action plan. Get CLEAR on what you want.

• Measurable.
  Include precise amounts, dates, and so on in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you have actually achieved something. Adding 30lbs to your deadlift? Dropping 7lbs by your birthday? Adding a mile to your run? Those are great measurable goals. Ensure yours can be quantified.

• Attainable.
  Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set, but not too easily. You want to raise the bar and give yourself the sweet satisfaction of achieving a goal worthy of pursuit. But be realistic enough that you are motivated to follow through.

• Relevant.
  Goals should be aligned with your life goals. By keeping goals aligned with your life focus, you'll develop the mindset and will to achieve them. Is physical fitness an advantage to your professionally? Will it enhance your personal life? Ensure your goals a aligned with your overall life direction & plan.

• Time Bound.
  Your goals must (yes, MUST) have a deadline. This means that you know when you can celebrate success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency & commitment increases. Do this, and achievement will come that much quicker.

3. Put it in WRITING.

A goal without a plan is just a dream. Trust us. If you don’t have it in writing, laid out in front of you, written clear as day - it’s just fluff an nonsense. Sorry, but it’s true. Writing down your goals and seeing them in front of you triggers something in you. It awakens a sense of excitement within you. It empowers you. DO NOT miss this amazing step. It will transform your goal setting results.

4. Develop an Action Plan

Think about the steps you need to take to achieve your goals. Write. Them. Down. Typically, you’ll find that these smaller steps look less intimidating. Less overwhelming. Write them down and ensure you can physically (or digitally) cross them off as you complete them. These mini-achievements will be gasoline to the fire of your determination to achieve your goals. Be clear about the action plan, as they are your roadmap to fulfillment.

5. Develop a winning mindset. Tenacity. An keep it!

This is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll need tenacity. By ensuring you’ve aligned your goals with your life passions, defined the steps to achieve them, given yourself ways to measure success and made certain these are relevant & achieveable - your motivation to succeed will remain high. Develop tenacity and KEEP GOING!

Now, go get a pen & paper - map out your plan and start crushing those goals. We believe in you!