by guest blogger Dr. Sheri Prentiss

Yesterday, I talked about setting goals and working toward achieving them. Now here are some practical tips that have worked for me:

• Reaffirm your commitment – Make sure you take a firm position in your mind that no matter what happens you will stick to your goals. Pledge firmly that you won’t forget about your goal until you achieve it.
• Get priorities in order – Your goals should be in sync with where you see yourself in the future. Get rid of the immediate obstacles and assure incremental progress.
• Take a deep look – Are your goals realistic? Each of you is equipped with the strength, willingness and determination to achieve your goals, but these traits will not be enough if you are spreading yourself too thin.
• Make an action plan – You have set goals, maybe you’ve even written them down, and now you are all set to start achieving them. First step – make an action plan! There could be more than one way to achieve your goal, so you have to decide which one works best for you.
• Track progress – If you don’t track your progress, you don’t get an idea if you are going in the right direction or if you will achieve your goal in the time frame you had set in your mind. So track your progress every day.

• Involve others – It is always good to involve others in the process of setting and achieving goals. Let them know your plans so they can support you – reminding you when you veer off track and congratulating you when you succeed. Take advice when necessary, and don’t be rigid. There are people in your life who are willing and want to help, so let them!
• Welcome failure – I don’t know anyone who had an absolute smooth run on the road to success. Failure is an important part of the entire process. Welcome it. Learn from it. And remember, you’re not a failure because you try something and it doesn’t work out; you fail only when you stop trying!
• Persist – Don’t give up. Try out different methods. Learn and improve. Be patient. Be persistent.
• Celebrate – Celebrate when you have successfully taken the next step. You’ve just shortened the path to your destination. Stop thinking for a while and enjoy the moment.
• And finally, don’t lose sight! Stay focused! – “Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.” Mario Andretti.

Never lose sight of your goals. Remember where you want to go at all times. Learning to spot opportunities that will propel you closer to your goal is important. Remembering where you need to go, even more so.

Never forget where you’ve been. Never lose sight of where you’re going. And never take for granted the people who travel the journey with you.