The New Year and decade are upon us, and this is the time to turn your dreams into a reality. The first step is to create a plan. Now is the time to set your goals in place by following these seven tangible tips for a successful year to move forward with an improved you by cultivating a routine that focuses on just that — YOU.

2020 is your year to accomplish the aspirations that you want for your life. Set yourself up for success by making these small changes to your daily life to move forward with want you want for yourself, family, business, and community.

1. Your SMART Goals
What are your SMART goals for this year? Carve out some time to focus on what you want and envision for yourself over the next 12 months. Then, write them down and put them in a visible place that you will often see as you navigate your day. You may find that your bathroom mirror, by your computer, or inside your car are the best places. By having your goals in a prominent location, you are more likely to take in the visual cue to focus on your future.

When developing your goals, the SMART goal process will ensure that your objectives are doable. Each goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By reshaping your intentions to have a clear focus, you reduce the amount of time you spend drifting from one idea to the next. Instead, you’ll bring clarity to your future and, in the end, achieve your life dreams.

2. Daily Goal Practice
In 2020, start the practice of daily writing down your biggest dreams in detail. Neuroscience explains that if you want to achieve your goals, you need to take the time to put pen to paper. By creating this visual, the chances of you achieving your goal are “1.2 to 1.4 times more likely.”

This step will improve your recall of what matters to you over time and then focus your attention on the life you want to live. Your goals are a promise to yourself and, therefore, should take priority on how you start your day.

3. Enlist a Mentor
Your mentor could be a person in your community that encompasses the qualities that you want to grow within yourself. Connect with this individual once a month in person or via the phone. These meetings are an excellent way to have a cheerleader, as well as an accountability partner. If you cannot find a mentor, then look for someone online that has the career or business you want to emulate. You may never need to meet them in person, but seeing their achievements can help motivate your future success.

4. Have a Support System
Any goal worth pursuing will not be an easy journey, and it’s something that you cannot do alone. Therefore, spend time to find a supportive community and plugin. You are a reflection of the five people you spend the most time with, so select your support team of colleagues, friends, or family members with intention. You need to trust that they can hold you accountable while cheering you on when you falter. If your group of friends reflects a negative or unmotivated attitude, then reach out to other groups via the Internet or within your community.

5. Celebrate Your Wins
When you reach a milestone or a goal, take a moment to celebrate these “wins” as they are the building blocks into developing your better self. By having these small celebrations throughout the year, this will serve as reminders and help grow your self-confidence. That way, when you have a rough day or are faced any unexpected tough situations, you’ll have proof that you can focus on what you want and can comfortably take a day to reset.

6. Schedule a Check-In
Take time on your calendar to schedule a weekly or monthly check-in to gauge how you are progressing on your goals. This step is one that you don’t want to skip because it gives you time to shift the focus from your busy schedule to your future. Are you where you want to be? If not, evaluate why and what are the obstacles that you need to overcome within the next quarter, month or week.

7. Prepare for a Marathon
Reaching your goals is not just accomplishing a single race, but think of this next year as finishing a marathon. There will be days that you will get off track – but know that life will be okay when it happens. Maybe you missed a deadline, a workout, or your project didn’t come out perfect. Take a moment to pause and evaluate the negative outcome. Is the reason why you missed your goal lack of time or resources, or are you being too self-critical? In 2020, give yourself some grace as you navigate this new chapter of your life. Setting goals is not about creating extra pressure but instead, challenging yourself to be a better you.

Your goals are a reflection of the expectations, wants, and dreams that you have for yourself. Find a way to hone in on your persistence as you work daily towards each objective, even if you accomplish something small.

Life will throw you a curveball as it always does in the next year. However, that is not a reason to give up on yourself and the new life that you envision. The key is to find your supportive community that will provide the motivation you need on those off days. This group can offer you the needed words of encouragement to push towards making tangible progress. Use these tips as tools to help you accomplish your goals for the next several months; all you need to do is start.