Where to begin?

Someone asked me today, how should he approach goal-setting? Where should he start? He's not the first person to ask such a question and he likely won't be the last. What about your views?

1) Orient yourself: before anything else, it's vital to consider a destination. Brainstorm where you would like to go or what you would like to do. You'll likely be more motivated if you choose things you like or better still, you're driven by an inner passion. Think about a trip you will take and what you'll need. Before Tony and Maureen Wheeler founded the now famous Lonely Planet travel book publishers in Melbourne, Australia, they traveled through unusual places from England into Asian-Pacific. During their monumental journey, they found they needed maps. When they didn't find what they needed, they were unafraid to develop and draw their own.

2) Categorize ideas: I would break your ideas of destinations down further into areas of your life such as your personal, professional, financial, emotional, spiritual and pursuits in order to focus your energy later. Part of effective goal-setting requires you develop a sense of balance and priorities among your chosen categories. As you learn what is important to you, you'll develop the abilities to discern and intuit in order to multiply opportunities. Consider Jack Canfield, the co-author of the best-selling Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He admits having established goals at different phases of his life which covered different categories, including family and work, health and education, spirituality and other areas. He learned to focus on one thing at a time. It was determination that led him to realize significant milestones. He now shares lessons he learned.

3) Admit the truth: zero in on dimensions of who you really are and what you wish to become. Analyze your previous efforts, where you sense your strengths and weaknesses are. Admitting where you could improve and which benefits you foresee is a valuable way to generate success. It's believed that poet and playwright William Shakespeare wrote far more than he published. He wasn't always satisfied with his efforts. He didn't start out as a writer since he didn't believe in himself and writing didn't initially pay his bills. Yet, his diligence and commitment to what he really wished to do led him to be true to his soul and evolve into a popular writer during his life. His works are translated into key languages, and his plays are still performed worldwide.

4) Review your attitude: how you perceive yourself and what is possible will influence how far you are willing to go to achieve what you set out for yourself. This will reveal courage, judgment, and how you react to opinions of your goals. Louis Pasteur was a French microbiologist who made valuable discoveries in part because he wasn't easily discouraged by what people around him were saying or doing. His research and experiments confirmed how germs cause disease. He also discovered the rabies vaccine. Pasteur is also known to the West for a process he created called pasteurization. This prevents milk and wine from going sour. He thought he could and he did. How often do you encounter opposition? Be bold and nourish your self-esteem.

5) Write and attract positive energy : do all you can to visualize what you wish to feel, who you wish to meet, which mountains you wish to climb. You are preparing yourself for something. You're moving toward places you've never been. Writing and taking other steps to reinforce the power you hold to make them happen. New Zealand aviator Jean Batten flew solo from England to New Zealand in 1934 and became known for other record-breaking flights that followed. Similarly, Anne Morrow Lindbergh was also a pioneering aviator in her era. Both women became known for the books they wrote to give life to their adventures, thoughts and feelings in ways which engaged the public in surprising ways. They teach show goals can be emotionally-charged.