Note: this piece first appeared in the September 2006 issue of Clark Wellness ForkBytes.

Have you ever noticed how sometimes, things just come together?

Have you ever had the experience of “things falling into place” or felt like “the stars were aligned”?

What if you could create that kind of serendipity in your own life?

In my personal experience, as well as in observing the experiences of my clients, I’ve noticed over the years that this phenomenon of serendipity is far from random. Serendipity happens to you when you are crystal clear on what you want and committed to making it happen.

When you have that moment of recognition, of intuition, of saying, “Yes! This is what I want to do!” — the universe pays attention… and so do you. When you are clear and committed, you can see opportunities you didn’t notice before.

But getting to that moment of commitment isn’t as easy as it sounds. That’s why I want to share my method for figuring out what you want to do and making it happen. Read on for my goal achievement steps!

Committing to Yourself

As we shift from summer vacation mode into the autumn back-to-work mode, many of us are setting goals for the season. Use the steps below to ensure you prioritize and achieve what you want to achieve!

1. Dare to daydream. And I mean daydream wildly. In your most outrageous fantasy visions of your life, what do you see? A stream-of-consciousness journaling exercise may help you get the creative juices flowing. Let your thoughts travel where they will and see what comes up for you.

2. Write it down. Once you’ve hit upon a goal you’d like to work on, make a promise to yourself that you will achieve it. Committing the goal to paper helps make the decision to accomplish this goal real for you.

3. Declare it and share it. Joyfully share your intentions with people who will support you. Their support is crucial to your success — and if your friends and loved ones know what you’re trying to do, they can make you accountable for doing it.

4. Break it up. Break your goal down into manageable tasks with due dates. Every journey begins with one step! What can you do this month to get started on this project? This week? Today?

5. Follow through. Honor the commitment you’ve made to yourself by following the game plan you made in step 4 and seeing your goal through to the end. Appreciate yourself for doing what you set out to do!

It’s that time of year again! I really enjoy the transition from one year into the next… getting closure on last year and planning the year ahead. I love setting goals and making plans for what I want to do each new year. In fact, I love planning my New Year’s goals so much that I usually start in November! One thing I’ve found really helpful is being very clear about my goals. Empty resolutions don’t serve anyone!

New Year’s resolutions are a kind of fine-tuning process. Every year, each of us gets a little better at setting goals that really get us motivated to make positive changes in our lives. Here are my 6 Goal-Setting Tips for 2006!

1. Question everything. Many people make resolutions at the New Year that they feel they should make rather than really looking at what they actually want. First, ask yourself WHY you want to accomplish that goal. If you can’t come up with a good reason, it may not be something you’re able to focus on right now. That’s fine. Let it go.

2. Have fun. New Year’s resolutions should NOT be a drag! Every goal on your list must excite and delight you if you want to stay motivated to work on it. If you’re feeling blasé about a goal or, worse, dreading working on it, see #1. That goal may not be the right thing for you to work on right now.

3. Reframe last year’s resolutions. If you’ve had “lose 20 pounds” on your New Year’s resolution list for the past three years, it’s time to re-evaluate that goal. If you’re sure it’s a goal you really want to work on this year (see #1), maybe you need to think of it in a different way. For example, maybe a better goal for you would be “eat more delicious, healthful vegetables” or “move your body more.”

4. Watch your language.
Goals should be worded in positive, upbeat language that captures your excitement about the desired result. I also like to make sure my goals are focused on what I can do versus what I’m trying not to do. For example, “stop being such a workaholic” is a negative statement (telling you what NOT to do); “take a vacation with your best friend to the beach” is a positive statement. Which would you rather work on?

5. Think big, work small. You may have an overarching goal of showing your artwork in a gallery this year, but it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of living your life and before you know it, the year has slipped away without your working on your goal. Break your goals down into manageable steps that you can work on each day, week, or month, and schedule time to work on them. In the art gallery example, your steps might be develop your portfolio, contact gallery owners to set up meetings, install your artwork, coordinate the opening, etc.

6. Keep yourself posted. It is essential that your goals have measureable steps along the way, and it is equally essential that you check in with yourself to see how it’s going. Make a plan now to reevaluate your goals at the end of March (or sooner) — ask yourself whether you are where you want to be and how you’d like to move forward.