LEADERSHIP & DESTINY ~The Key to Achieving Your Goals and Dreams According to Yana Hempler: Most people have a general idea of where they would like to be in life, but unfortunately they spend a lot of time wondering why their goals did not come to fruition. People are always dreaming and wishing, which is great, because every truly amazing achievement begins with a dream. However, after a dream is formed, certain actions are required in order to make that dream a reality. A dream without action cannot possibly come to fruition, because if it was that easy, everyone would be highly successful in whatever it is that they dreamed of. What separates those who achieve their dreams from those who don’t? First, turn your dream into a clear goal. Having a general idea of what you want to achieve is a start, but it is not enough if you actually want to accomplish it. Clarity allows you to measure your progress toward your goal. Knowing exactly where you want to go makes it easier for you to see where you are at and how far you still have to go. In addition, having a clear direction allows you to create an effective action plan. For example, if you stated that you wanted to go to Europe but did not specify the country or the city, there is a chance that you may end up in the part of Europe that you did not necessarily want to visit. However, if your goal was to travel to Paris, France, you would know the critical details, such as which flight to book, how much it costs and where you would stay once you got there. Same goes for your goals. If your goal is to “be successful,” you need to dig deeper into what success actually means to you. For example, for some success means a lot of money and for others it means having loving friends and a happy family. It’s your job to define what success looks like to you. Once you’ve clearly defined what you want to achieve, write it down . Writing down a goal solidifies it. You can look at what you’ve written and you can feel yourself achieving it. People often write down to-do lists so that they don’t forget the important things that must be done. Same goes for your goals. If they are important to you, writing them down is an essential step that should not be overlooked. Also, writing your goal down allows you to evaluate it to make sure that it is realistic. After you’ve written down the goal, you can break it up into smaller steps. People often get overwhelmed when they have a huge goal that requires a lot of work. They sometimes feel like there is no way to reach it because they have no idea where to start. Therefore, it is crucial to have smaller goals, also referred to as milestones, within the goal. Achieving smaller goals that will eventually lead you to reaching your ultimate goal will help you gain confidence in yourself. Confidence is that state of mind that keeps you believing in yourself. When you are trying to achieve something great, it’s crucial that you don’t get too discouraged along the way when you face some setbacks. This also helps you see that your goal is attainable if you keep working on it. Keep measuring your progress because it keeps you on track . In addition to keeping you focused, measurement allows you to evaluate what you learned from your journey as well as how to avoid pitfalls for your next goal. Once in a while, it’s important to assess where you are at and what you can do to improve your plan. You can also evaluate the results that you are currently seeing. Then ask yourself if you are happy with the results so far. If you are, that’s excellent. If you are not, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and revise your plans. This doesn’t mean that you have to change your goal completely, it just means that a slightly different action plan is required. Ask other people for advice. If you are finding yourself “stuck,” there is absolutely no shame in asking for advice from people who have achieved a goal that’s similar to yours. Most successful people are more than willing to talk to others and provide helpful information. In fact, they achieved their success through a combination of focus, hard work and information from people who have done it before them. It’s crucial to leave your ego out of this and listen carefully to those who are giving you advice that you can apply to reaching your goal. Ultimately, apart from accidents and other unpredictable events, you are in total control of the direction of your life. First, your goal must be specific because that is how you will know exactly where to go. Second, you must write it down so that you can see whether the goal is attainable and realistic. Third, it must be measurable because you want to always be aware of how far you have come and how far you still have to go. Lastly, the goa