By this time of the year, everyone who expressed excitement at the start of 2016 should have completed their written visions and objectives for the year, right?! Unfortunately, studies show that more than half of the population who desire success will not achieve it.

In my previous article, "Four reasons why dreams die", I listed four reasons why people's dreams never become a reality - fear, priorities, inertia and bad advice. However, there is a fifth reason that many take for granted - an absence of written goals.

Forbes reports a remarkable study about goal-setting carried out in the Harvard MBA Program. Harvard's graduate students were asked if they have set clear, written goals for their futures, as well as if they have made specific plans to transform their fantasies into realities.

The result of the study was only three percent of the students had written goals and plans to accomplish them; 13 percent had goals in their minds but haven't written them anywhere; and 84 percent had no goals at all. Think for a moment which group you belong to.

After 10 years, the same group of students were interviewed again and the conclusion of the study was totally astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals, but did not write them down, earned twice the amount of the 84 percent who had no goals. The three percent who had written goals were earning, on average, 10 times as much as the other 97 percent of the class combined.

People who don't write down their goals tend to fail easier than the ones who have plans. This study proves that statement, even if the only criteria was the monetary reward of each Harvard graduate. The clear principal is this, when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

When I conduct my monthly DreamBoard parties, I share with participants that their vision should be clearly outlined in at least five life areas. These areas are as follows.

1. Livelihood and lifestyle, which include career, money, work, home, space, style, possessions, fashion, travel, gifts, sustainability and resources.

2. Body and wellness, which include healing, fitness, food, rest, relaxation, beauty, mental health, sensuality andmovement.

3. Creativity and learning, which includes your artistic self-expression, interests, education and hobbies.

4. Relationships and society, which include romance, friendship, family, partnerships, community and causes you want to support, clients, customers, teachers, mentors etc

5. Essence and spirituality, which include your soulful practices, your inner self, faith and practices, etc.

Once you have written your vision down in the above areas, you must take the necessary steps to increase the odds of realizing your vision:

Clarify your goals
If you are not sure, answering these questions will help: How much money do you want to make each month? How will you make this money? How do you want your body to look? Where do you want to live? How do you imagine your ideal house? What do you want to achieve in your relationships? Do you want to follow any specific career path? Do you want to learn a new craft? Do you want to start a new hobby or learn a new skill?

Write it down
A short pencil is far better than a long memory. With the amount of items that we are faced with on a daily basis, relying on your memory is the worst thing you can do. Take a moment clearly write out exactly what you want to achieve this year. Don't be afraid to write down impressive, huge goals. The key is that your goals must inspire you enough to take action.

Make it specific
"I want to lose 20 pounds" is hugely different from "I want to lose 20 pounds in the next four months". The second is specific and gives you a deadline that will push you to take action. It must be challenging enough to push you and motivate you to take action without being extremely tough to achieve.

Another level of specificity is writing down the reason WHY you want to achieve your goal. Will losing 20 pounds make you feel confident enough to pursue a desired speaking career? Writing your 'why' will help when you are tempted to give up.

Have a plan
A goal without a plan is a wish. Therefore, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds of weight in four months, write a plan with one or more strategies. For example, "I will go to the gym and lift weights three times per week. I will eat 500 fewer calories each day. I will eat junk food and sweets only twice per week., I will drink soda once per week. I will walk for 45 minutes every day".

Now you have a specific plan or a roadmap that will lead you to your desired destination. Once you have completed these four steps, you will fall within the three percent of life's goal achievers.

Don't take this process lightly
Your path to success and achievement simply must be authentic and driven by you. Failing to do this will mean one of two things. Either you will drift through life with no path to follow or you will be controlled by someone else's definition of success. If you would like assistance with the development of your goals for 2016 or need help getting clear on what you want, schedule a time with me at www.meetwithkeshelle.com.

o Keshelle Davis is a master trainer in the area of corporate productivity, business strategy, professional development and personal growth, a keynote speaker, author and entrepreneur. Her roles include executive director of the Chamber Institute, the education arm the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce; president of Creative Wealth Bahamas and founder of The Training Authority. Keshelle was listed as The Nassau Guardian's Top 40 under 40 for the 40th anniversary celebrations of The Bahamas. Contact Keshelle at keshelle@keshelledavis.com.

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