Here is a certainty: What you think about, you’re more likely to achieve. If you focus on what you don’t want, you might get it anyway. Whatever images and feelings you put in your brain are the only servings of information your mind can employ to direct you toward or away from a goal. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, your mind will manifest memories and situations in which you have felt fearful in public or see others as confident so that your own fear can build on itself.

Have you ever noticed that when you are thinking of choices that are neither fear enhancing nor which you are deeply passionate about, you have a very different outcome? Your mind catches these images and you find that you move toward them.

There are some basic principles to help you achieve your goals without scattering yourself in too many directions.

Principle 1: You need to be attached emotionally to what it is you desire. When you think of a particular goal, do you feel excited, calm or passionate about it? Is it a goal that you want for yourself or is it something someone is pushing to explore? Does any fear come up when you think about what life will be like when you achieve your goal? (e.g. more responsibility).

Principle 2: Where you put your attention determines what your outcome will be. Do you plan on exercising today, Monday or next week? Are you excited about that or are you feeling that it will take up too much time and you resent it. You’re not going to accomplish a goal by resenting a part of it.

Principle 3: Place your attention on goals that you can accomplish in a short amount of time. We are instant gratification junkies. Work with it. While long term goals are good, it’s best to break them down into parts that are more manageable.

Short term goals are useful for jumpstarting a project and evaluating how you are doing. They can also help you understand whether or not you still want your original goal or if you need to improve upon it.

Long-term goals are not all that persuasive or motivational for most people. Everyone knows they want to make a lot of money or they should save $12,000 or more per year from now until retirement so they can retire. Less than one percent will actually do what they need to do to make this a reality. They will instead do what they want in terms of instant gratification.

Instead, focus on getting your short term goals accomplished. Things you can do today, this week, this month. You’ll see quicker results and access the motivation to keep going.

Also, remember that if you do make a deadline for yourself, make a backup plan if something occurs and you can’t make it. We naturally want to accomplish tasks in a minimum amount of time. We don’t think about kids getting sick, us getting sick or having to take an unexpected detour.

Allow yourself to be able to adjust your timelines to things that happen in life. That way you won’t be tempted to give up. Goal setting is a good way to start and complete projects. By mapping your success in short term processes, you can become a master to your destiny.

Amy Hale is a Certified Hypnotherapist, HypnoCoach and Reiki Master Teacher specializing in Medical and Advanced Hypnotherapy and Past Life Regression. She is the owner of Changing Lanes, Ann Arbor, MI. www.changing-lanes.com