"Set a specific goal and take action. Goals are nothing without action." Colleen Kettenhofen

Everyone dreams of achieving success. Whether you want to increase sales, grow your business, take a long-deserved vacation, or lose weight. Greater success is possible if you practice the following steps and take action on your goals. Because ultimately, goals are nothing without action.

Let me say you'll have heard some of these techniques for achieving goals before, but often we need to hear them again.

An easy acronym to remember is "smart" goals. Smart goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable and action oriented, realistic and time specific. I applied these strategies to becoming a motivational speaker. These easy tips produce results if you practice them consistently.

1. Specific goals: Write down your specific smart goals. Then, write down an affirmation for each of your goals on an index card. Start with the words, "I am." "I am" keeps your affirmation personal, positive and in the present tense. Next, add a feeling word such as, "happily," or "easily." Next, add a verb or action word. Include a specific month and year for when you'd like to have achieved that goal.

2. Measurable smart goals: For example, one of my affirmations for a specific goal back in 1995 was, "I am easily conducting speaking engagements all over the world, including in Hawaii, by March 1996." Write down a specific date. As a matter of fact, be as specific and measurable as possible including things like a job title promotion, specific sales goal, or number of pounds you want to lose.

3. Attainable and action-oriented smart goals: On the back of the index card I spent several minutes each morning writing down action steps for how I would achieve this goal. I then visualized myself taking action and attaining it. All Olympic athletes do this because they know it gets results!

4. Realistic smart goals: It may sound unreasonable that one of my goals was to do business in Hawaii. But, having "interviewed" other motivational speakers who spoke at conferences in Hawaii, I knew this was a realistic goal, and have since achieved it.

5. Realistic time frames on your smart goals: I gave myself nine months to achieve the goal of becoming a motivational speaker. It was going to take time to send out demo videos to speakers bureaus.

Look at your goals and affirmations daily. Write down specific action steps. Keep them in your wallet. Visualize how it would feel to already have achieved those goals. Don't wait another day. The future is now!

About the Author

Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker and co-author of The Masters of Success, featured on NBC's Today Show. Popular topics: leadership, management, difficult people, public speaking. For free articles, e-newsletter, video: http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Colleen is available for keynotes & seminars. http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com