Before you can accomplish something, you need to identify precisely what you're pursuing.

Not what your friends think you should do. Not what your family expects of you. Not what everybody else is doing.

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Think about that for a moment. Picture yourself having already accomplished your goal. What does your life look like? What have you created? What have you learned? How has your situation improved?

In my book, I discuss using vision boards, photographs, written descriptions, and other visual reminders to help you define what you're working toward.

If you want to become an author, for example, why not create a mockup of your future book cover?

NOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT! Just remember, looking at a picture won't write the book for you!

Here's an approach I absolutely LOVE! Instead of beginning with everything you DON'T KNOW how to do, start by picturing your completed goal and work backward. Let's say you want to publish your first book. What's the final step? Making the book available for people to purchase. What happens before that? Uploading and approving the finished files.

Before that? Formatting the interior and designing the cover. And before THAT? Writing, researching, organizing, and editing the manuscript! See how that works? Suddenly, what once seemed like a huge undertaking becomes a collection of individual tasks you can research, organize, schedule, and accomplish.

I also recommend studying people who have already accomplished what you're pursuing. Learn what they did, how they prepared, what mistakes they made, and how they overcame their difficulties.

DON'T JUST ADMIRE SOMEONE'S SUCCESS. STUDY HOW THEY ACCOMPLISHED IT!

One concept I discuss in Motivate Yourself To Succeed is what I call a LIFE BUSINESS PLAN. Think about it. Businesses create plans to guide their operations, manage resources, establish goals, and measure performance. WHY SHOULDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH YOUR OWN LIFE?

Your LIFE BUSINESS PLAN can include your personal mission, strengths, weaknesses, goals, available resources, deadlines, action steps, and methods for measuring progress. It doesn't need to be complicated. A notebook or computer document will do just fine! But WRITE IT DOWN!

I can't tell you how many ideas I've captured over the years while traveling, eating at restaurants, jogging, or simply going about my day. Your next great idea might arrive when you least expect it.

DON'T TRUST YOUR MEMORY TO KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING. DOCUMENT IT!

Oh, you thought we were finished after creating that beautiful plan? HAHA! NOT EVEN CLOSE! Here's where you roll up your sleeves and start accomplishing something!

Determine which tasks deserve your attention first. Set aside productive working hours. Reduce unnecessary distractions and give yourself sufficient time to concentrate. Personally, I've accomplished enormous amounts of work during the quiet nighttime hours. That's what works for ME.

You might do your best work early in the morning.

THE POINT IS TO FIND YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE HOURS AND PUT THEM TO GOOD USE!

And don't confuse activity with accomplishment. Being busy for eight hours doesn't necessarily mean you've made eight hours of meaningful progress! Ask yourself regularly: What have I FINISHED?

As you move forward, regularly examine what's working and what isn't. Are you meeting your deadlines? Are your efforts producing useful results? Have you discovered a better approach? Make adjustments when necessary. Your plan isn't carved into stone. It's a working document that should evolve as you gain knowledge and experience.

And when you complete an important milestone, take a moment to appreciate the progress you've made! Then return to your plan and tackle the next task.