Clearly defining what you want and feeling good about your goal gets you at least half way to the accomplishment. That's how important it is. Yet this is the step most people drop out on. Even you probably don't do it to the degree that you could.

It takes practice to master goal setting. And the best time to practice is now. And the best place to practice is on the little things. So, look at your life and what you're interested in being, doing and having. Choose something simple that's really "in your face" - like having an organized office, managing your money or figuring out how to get the kids to help around the house.

Maybe these don't seem simple, but they're a lot less overwhelming than choosing something like "make a million dollars in the next year" or "lose twenty pounds before next month."

Whatever you choose, get paper and pencil and make a list of what you want to accomplish from your goal. For example, an organized office list might look something like this:

- a very comfortable place to work in
- an excellent reminder system for bills and appointments
- easy to find files
- a method to handle each piece of paper only once
- structure for cleaning up projects
- a pleasant atmosphere

Once you have a complete list, analyze what each item on your list means to you. Does "very comfortable" mean your chair is ergonomically designed, the phone is on the correct side of the desk, the file drawers slide easily, the lighting is perfect, the heat and air conditioning work well or something else?

If you want positive results in your life, you need to be clear about and comfortable with whatever it is you want. This applies to everything from visiting your family over the holidays (how do you want that experience to turn out and what do you want to accomplish?) to becoming a millionaire.

You can master the skill of getting clear about what you want. But, before you take on the big things (like big bucks), you need to practice on the little things in life (like paying the bills).