The 5-step goal achievement process

Make a Plan
Think about your goal. What do you want to achieve? Start from there and work backwards. Steven Covey refers to this as 'Begin with the end in mind'.

Write it down
This means what it says. Actually write it down, as clearly as possible, and try to make it a S.M.A.R.T goal. Some people find that physically writing, with paper and pen, somehow makes it even more real.
This step significantly increases your chances of achieving your goal.


Send it to a friend
Send a copy of your Action Plan to a supporting friend, mentor, or even a group of friends.The Dominican University research proves that this step increases your chances of achieving your goal by about 50% over those who just do step 1.
Divide into Actions
Formulate a series of actions to achieve your goal. Again, make them S.M.A.R.T. as far as possible. These are your commitments to achieving your goal.
Dividing the journey to your goal into small steps makes it easier.

Regular Progress Reports
Final step. Send regular progress reports to your supporter. Weekly should be enough to keep the momentum going. The Dominican University report shows that this final step roughly doubles your chances of achieving your goal compared to people who only do Step 1.
There's an urban myth that Yale, or sometimes Harvard, did some research which proves that people who write down their goals achieve more than those who don't. A team from the Dominican University of California have done some genuine research which confirms this, and also discovered that a few more simple steps can DOUBLE your success rate.