Question:

How can I make 2015 the year I really achieve my goals? –Steve G., via Facebook

Answer:

For me, the key to setting goals and achieving them always begins with visualization. You have to create a picture in your mind of what you want to achieve and imagine it’s already true. Then it’s almost easy to get there because you know what it is you want—it just takes time and work.

See Your Success

People fail to achieve goals because they can’t really see themselves succeeding, so they don’t believe they can, and then they quit at the first sign of adversity. Successful people don’t quit because, in their minds, they’ve already won. It just isn’t official yet.

I like to use the example of how I brought up my calves to illustrate this. When I finally acknowledged that they were a serious weak point, I began to visualize my calves all the time—I saw them growing and taking shape. This automatically led to me taking practical steps to make them grow. To help me concentrate even more, I cut the legs off of my sweatpants so that I could see my calves whenever I trained. It didn’t matter how puny they looked; I kept seeing them as champion-level calves. Ultimately, my calves grew and fulfilled my vision.

And that’s the formula for success: Create an image and let it lead you down a path that makes it real.

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