How to Achieve More by Focusing on Your Goals

by Anonymous
(Newyork, U.S.A)

"We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them." Abigail Adams(1744 - 1818), letter to John Adams, 1774


If someone asks you what your resolution for the New Year was or still is, you may respond by saying "to exercise more." The bad news my friend though is that, going by that response, that is not exactly a goal because it is vaguely worded. Now if your answered back by stating "I want to exercise 30 minutes daily," that my friend is a goal because it is precisely stated and can be accomplished.

Going by our quote today, let's look closer at two ways that you can easily implement to help you to be able to focus on your goals and ultimately achieve full results.

1.) Write a List

Most people when they apply for a job, they take it seriously. They prepare for the interview by making a list of their strength and weakness. That exact focus will be required to make your list of goals so that you can be able to attain them.

One example:

Let's say you desire to stop smoking. Make "stop smoking" be the heading of your list. In column number one write down how many cigarettes you are smoking each week. In column number 2 you will write down how much the cigarettes cost, and in column number 3 write down the amount you are cutting down weekly.

Eventually, the amount of cigarettes being smoked versus the price of them will in turn lower the figures being listed in the third column. This is effective, realistic, and transmits a message subliminally to the brain of the savings in terms of money spent outweighing all the other benefits associated with smoking which in turn will help you to achieve your goal to stop smoking.

2.) Make a Chart

There is this particular TV series I used to watch that was produced in Australia, the cattle ranch was entirely managed by a woman, and the manager placed a chart on her wall. It was a goal that she came up with for a five-year period. On that chart the manager had listed her goals for education; early jobs; and some other goals, along with the main goal written at the very end.

That chart was unique because it was set up like that of the family tree we are so familiar with. Each goal that had been achieved was marked off. Using black and red ink to underline specific achievements, the manager was on track to getting her ultimate goal; owning a cattle ranch of her own.

Charts are great tools for focusing one's attention and showing their progress in reaching their goals. If more education is needed then place that on the chart. If you need to apprentice somewhere to obtain your dream position in the company, then also place that on there too.

Charts can be used as maps to guide you in your plan for success. Many times we go off course enough to get lost and it can be impossible to get back on the course we originally set out to do. So the chart can be a continual reminder of which direction we want to go and where we want to end up.


In conclusion, when you decide your next year's resolution and goals for your life that you want to achieve, jot down what steps it will take you to get there. Let that list act as your guide. Write down every detail of what you need to do to attain your goal. You need to memorize the core steps; stay focused on them, and feel empowered to get your goal. You will not fail if you do exactly that.