We have had a good new year's vocation and we are now in the beginning of 2010. If you haven't made your New Year's Resolution, you still have time to make one. Whether your goal is to make 80,000 dollars, lose weight, or stop smoking, you can use this guide to maintain your motivation and avoid common pitfalls.

1. Think about what exactly you want the most. This may help to make your goals clear. You may want to achieve a lot of things in 2010, that is ok, but you have to take only one at a time, therefore you should always consider the most desired things first.

2. Set a SMART goal for your resolution and write it down. Most people failed to keep their resolutions because they don’t set a SMART goal. A SMART means your goal should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For Example, if your goal is “I want to have a lot of money”, it is not a specific and measurable goal. And if your goal is “I will make 80,000 dollars before December 31st, 2010”, it is specific and attainable enough for you to measure you achievement.

3. Break down your large goal into smaller ones so that you can achieve your goal step by step. Let’s say your goal is to make 80,000 dollars in 2010. It’s January now and you indicate a target date of December 31st. Then you break it down into your monthly steps. So your average monthly income should be $6,666.67. If you know your business can’t make you $6,700 right now but will grow steadily, you can set your goal $4,800 for January, $5,200 for February, $5,600 for March, and so on. Make sure your first goal is attainable and easy to finish, and every new goal should be attainable based on your last one.

4. Write down your plan step by step and set rewards for every achievement. Follow your detailed plan and you will begin to see results. The small success is easy to achieve, that will help you to build your confidence and you will become more motivated to continue. Small rewards are also great encouragement to keep you going during your journey.

This is a simple way how I set all my goals and it works in most time. Later I will share with you how to keep your new year’s resolution and achieve your goals.