1. It begins with a desire. You must have the desire to achieve your goals and be willing to articulate them, if not to the world then at least to yourself.
  2. Positive thinking drives you forward. Positive thinking is the first step to achieving your goals. You must believe that you are capable of achieving what you want to achieve, whether it is more success at work or losing weight. Simply by allowing yourself to have a positive mindset, you will be more motivated.
  3. Take baby steps. Instead of thinking about the final destination, focus on taking the next step. Losing 50 pounds starts by saying no to one cookie.
  4. Get Up. You can make lists, write goals, type up business plans, and dream away your life. At some point, you actually have to get up and take action. Do it.
  5. Don’t Let Fear Control You. It is so easy to let negativity and fear keep you from doing and being who you want to be. The only way to succeed is to get tough – with yourself, with the negative thoughts that invade your mind, with the excuses it gets so easy to make.
  6. Quit looking for overnight success. There are no get-rich-quick schemes. There are no magic diet pills. There are no secrets to success. Everything in life is a journey, so enjoy it.
  7. Let yourself dream. Whether it’s creating a dream board with all the things you will do and have when you reach your business goals or that cute pair of denim shorts you keep to remind yourself of your goal size, let yourself dream often about where you’re headed. It’s the motivator that keeps you moving in the right direction.
  8. Dreams won’t get you all the way there. Dream, yes, but back that dream up with a definitive plan, complete with the steps you need to take to get not just from point A to point B but to every little pitstop along the way.
  9. You are as important as everyone else. You can pretend you don’t know what I mean, but let’s be real: kids, spouses, work, and even just a moment of down time often get placed ahead of you taking the next step toward achieving your goal. Stop that! Every day, you need to remember that your goals are as important as everyone else’s needs and do something to help you get there.
  10. Don’t give up. Real success doesn’t come easily, so don’t give up when it gets tough. Remember, it’s a journey, and journeys are more than just straight lines from here to there…they are way more fun when they meander a bit.
  11. De-clutter your life. Focusing becomes easier when there are less things dragging you down. From removing the junk food from your kitchen cupboards to refraining from buying yet another purse you don’t need, you can find ways to simplify your life and boil it down to what is really important.
  12. Enlist help. Telling other people your dreams is scary, but the people who care for you are your biggest cheerleaders, helping you take the steps you need to take. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and support you – and stay away from the negative people who cloud up your sunny skies.

Nothing can stop you from achieving your desires…

What are you waiting for?