We’ve all experienced times in our lives where achieving a goal or aspiration seemed like too much of a mountain to climb, and instead of pushing through we’ve retreated to the comfortable crutch of ‘staying the same.’

No matter what the goal - be it health or fitness related, professional, or simply to finish decluttering that closet once and for all, rest assured that there are steps that can be taken to increase your chances of successfully following through.

Goal-achieving is all about your mentality. By claiming responsibility for our thoughts and beliefs surrounding a goal, we can begin to notice patterns in our awareness and our tendencies to self-sabotage.

This self-sabotage in relation to goal-setting and achieving is usually subconscious, and we need to acknowledge these damaging tendencies and habits to achieve transformative actions.

Another common theme I find among clients who struggle to achieve their goals is starting with unrealistic goals that are not aligned with their capabilities.

Setting reasonable, realistic goals within manageable timeframes and available resources is by far the best way to start moving towards achieving success.

This exercise will test your ability to acknowledge your skill-set and analyze your goals honestly and with a realistic mindset.

Write your goal on a piece of paper in as few words possible. Next, take into account the timeframe within which you WANT to achieve this goal (by next week, next month, two months from now...etc), be realistic. Consider if there any factors you’re forgetting about that may hinder your chance for success. Finally, write out manageable steps you can take to achieve your goal, and take action.