“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.”  ~T.E. Lawrence, AKA Lawrence of Arabia

Reluctant is the most accurate word to describe me when my mentor suggested that I keep a journal of written goals. However, at that point in my life, things had turned to crap. I had a handicapped child in desperate need of stability, my business was imploding, and my young wife had just passed away from cancer. 

My life sucked and I saw no way out. My mentor had been successful under difficult circumstances, and I think if he had said “stand on your head and quack like a duck” I was willing to do it. So, I started a journal of my goals and it’s a practice I continue to this day. The results were staggering. Within 12 to 24 months, nearly 80% of my goals were becoming a reality. I had never seen progress like this. Writing down my goals helped me come to understand several important things.

1. The process of writing down what I wanted forced me to clarify what I really               desired.

2. It reinforced my goals to my mind, helping me become aware of opportunities. Many of these opportunities had been there before, but I had failed to recognize them. They were like pieces of a puzzle. Without the picture on the box, I didn’t know what to do.

3. A written record of what I wanted, regularly reviewed, kept me focused. In addition, it served as a scorecard helping me emotionally.

4. As goals were achieved, this confidence in “possibility” helped me expand my goal list to things I didn’t think were possible or hadn’t ever imagined. Achieving these new and bigger goals has become a reality for me.

A $1.00 journal, a #2 pencil, and a commitment to regularly journal for 12 months will yield results beyond what you currently imagine. Goal achievement, resulting in an expanded life is another big step in “getting a life”. Decide TODAY if you are serious about reaching your goals. 

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”  ~Abraham Lincoln

“The size of your question determines the size of your answer.”  ~Tony Robbins