Happy New Year! Your Best is Yet to Come! Written Goals in Six Easy Steps Research has revealed that people have more difficulty setting goals than they do accomplishing them once they are set. The hardest part is sitting down and actually thinking about what you want to do with your life. The fact is, many of us have difficulty with finding time just for thinking and planning our lives. A start is to assess where you are, assess your abilities and talents, where you want to go and why you want to go there. To get where you want to go you need a map, a plan! I cannot imagine anyone planning a trip to a distant location, where they have never traveled without a map! The same holds true for achieving life goals, you need a written plan to navigate you to your desired destinations. Goals are not just for professional people, but for everyone who dares to dream of a better life. With the dawn of the new year, I want to encourage those of you who do not set goals and write them down; make this year your year to do so. A written plan is crucial to achieving your Big dreams of starting or expanding a business, starting or finishing school, becoming financial free, losing unwanted pounds, becoming healthier and fit or but not least, to become a better person. Here are 6 easy steps to achieving your goals: (1) Visualize the end from the beginning. In other words, plan the end before you start. Stephen Covey states:" Begin with the end in mind". A successful weight loss tip I have personally used to lose pounds and recommend to my clients, is to purchase the smaller size dress or pants they desire to wear (the smaller size may be in your closet), place them where they can see them each morning. This technique works in conjunction with following a healthy fitness routine and eating plans. (2) Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. An example of a SMART goal: Lose 30 pounds of body fat, not muscles, by July 1, 2018. This will be accomplished by incorporating exercise and following a healthy eating plan. (3) Plan and write goals in 6 areas of life: Spiritual, Relationships, Financial and Career, Physical and Health, Social and Cultural, Mental and Educational. Setting goals in each area will ensure a more balanced life. (4) Plan and write your goals in the positive instead of the negative. The more positive the goal the more positive the results. (5) Make sure your goals are high enough. Dream Big! Shoot for the stars! (6) Write down your goals, this is the most important step. Written goals create the roadmap to your success. Don't just write them down and tuck them away. Your goals should be reviewed frequently. The more focused you are on your goals, the more likely you are to accomplish them. A favorite Bible verse of mine is, "Man plans his ways, but God does the execution". But note, man must plan! Your plans should be well thought out and the next step is to write them down. Your best is yet to come! To Your Health and Happiness in the New Year!