1. Make a Commitment

Goals require commitment and dedication. There’s no other way around it. If you are struggling with committing to a specific goal, go back and start the process over. You may not have identified the goal just right, or you may be lacking the necessary motivation to see it though.

2. Keep Track of Your Progress

Just as it’s important to put all of your goals down on paper, it’s equally important to track your progress. You can do this with a goal tracking worksheet, a goal management tool or a method of your own. The key is to regularly check-in on your goal progress and take note of where you are and where you need to go before your next check-in.

3. Break It Down

It’s good to have big and very ambitious goals, but many times, you can make them more attainable and realistic by breaking them down. A set of five smaller goals that will get you to your ambitious goal can be a lot more manageable and a lot less overwhelming.

4. Get Help

You may need external support to accomplish your goals, or maybe you are struggling with the commitment factor and need someone to hold you accountable. While your goals may be personal to you, that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. If you need help, support or just a cheerleader, ask someone your trust.

5. Be Willing to Revisit and Revise

Your regular goal check-in process is the perfect time to consider if the path you’re taking to accomplish your goals is valid. You may find that you have more clarity after you’ve outlined your goal. It’s okay to make changes and modifications, as long as they support what you set out to do.

6. Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Thinking about the big picture is important, especially with long-term goals. While there will be times when you’ll be so focused on working to move forward that you may not consider the end result, it’s necessary to take time to think about where you’re going. Envisioning your success can help keep you motivated.

7. Be Consistent

Consistency and routine can play an important role in reaching your goals. Be consistent when you have progress check-ins, how you track your advancement, and how and when you focus on your goals. The more routine you can make the process, the easier it will be to keep going.

8. Let Your Goals Grow Up

Life changes and so will your goals. You may have a few long-term goals that span the next few years, but if you consider them set in stone, you may miss out on modifying your plan to fit current business, lifestyle and societal changes. In order to keep your goals relevant and realistic, let them change and grow as you do the same.

9. Focus on Positive Thinking

As cliché as it may be, positive thinking can empower you to reach success. If you consistently think negatively, you may be sabotaging your entire goal process. Positive thinking and self-affirming mantras really can get you through the most challenging parts of reaching your goals.

10. Celebrate Every Success

You can’t expect yourself to work steadily toward a goal without any type of reward along the way. Not only is that bad for your morale, but it can diminish the power of the entire process. Take time to celebrate every success for every goal, no matter how big or small. It will build your confidence and commitment and make it easier to keep pushing to reach those large-scale future goals.

What do you do to ensure your own success? Are there certain processes that you use to make it easier to strive for even the most ambitious goals?