Individuals make progress by accomplishing goals. From a young age people are taught to make a plan and follow guidelines to end up with their desired outcome.

Difficulty lies in setting long term goals. Studying for next week’s test and receiving a good grade gives the immediate satisfaction of accomplishing a goal, however long term goals with rewards far away are more difficult to stay motivated for.

Creating the goal should use the “SMART” approach to effectively break up the tasks in a specific, measurable, realistic, and timely way.

By breaking goals apart into small, achievable sections, one does not feel overwhelmed by the prospect of eventually achieving it.

Setting a plan such as studying an hour every day or working out three times a week seems less far-fetched than gaining a six pack or receiving straight A grades.

Even those who do not give up on the goal often forget to keep up with the weekly or monthly goals.

The final step in this case would be a keyword reminder. Write the goal on a bathroom mirror or another location that can be seen every day as a reminder.

As another reminder, write the keyword or goal in a DAB or any other type of weekly planner on each week until the goal’s deadline.