While 2012 brought us amazing experiences, sweet successes, and sometimes bitter disappointment and sorrow, today is the day to look forward.

What do you want to accomplish in 2013? What are your goals? And what steps are you willing to take to attain those goals?

Remember, the key to accomplishing goals is having realistic, specific goals that are backed up with a plan of action. And it takes 30 days to make an action a habit. So today, while you have the time and your goals and motivation are fresh, write down your goals and under each goal, outline what specific steps you’re going to take to achieve them. Write down WHY these goals are important to you. Are they to better your health so you can spend more quality time with your loved ones? Are they to improve your standard of living? Are they to experience different things in the world? Having a “why” attached to your goals can be a powerful motivator to continue.

Making dreams a reality takes more than wishful thinking. It takes hard work, discomfort, struggle and frustration. You may be distracted. You may be tempted to abandon your dreams because the path is bumpy. Don’t! Go back to the goals you’ve written down and remember why you are on this road. Look ahead.