Then we begin to encounter some obstacles. We may struggle through a few of them, but then we begin making excuses for not working on our goals. Perhaps we lose interest and get overwhelmed with daily activities. Before we know it, our goal has been placed on the "back burner" and we are no longer working toward it. Worse, maybe we no longer believe that we CAN make our dreams a reality. What happened? In my own experience, there are four key ingredients to making your dreams come true.

Why - What is your reason for wanting this particular goal? Let's say your goal is to buy a house. Ask yourself why you want that. Your answer may be something along the lines of, "Because I want to own my own property rather than paying rent for the rest of my life." Okay good. But why? What does it matter if you own your own property or pay rent? Your answer might now be, "Because I want to have the house paid off by the time I retire, so I don't have to worry about paying rent or a mortgage payment on a fixed income." Great! But why? What will that do for you? Keep asking yourself WHY, and writing down your answers until you get to the "meat" of your desire. Once you have a clear desire in mind . . .

Believe You Deserve It - many of us struggle with low self-esteem and at a core level, we don't feel we deserve success and abundance. Guess what? If we don't believe we deserve it, we will resist it when it arrives. We may do this unconsciously by sabotaging our own efforts, or we may outright refuse to even try. We must first understand and then truly believe that we DO deserve success and abundance. In addition, we must be willing to receive it. We're so good at giving to others, but many of us won't accept help or blessings for ourselves. We feel it is better to give than to receive, and in some ways it is. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't receive at all. Be willing to believe that you deserve to be successful and happy. Then be willing to accept that abundance when it arrives. Affirm aloud to the universe each day, "I joyfully accept all of the abundance and happiness the universe has for me, NOW."

Step by Step - If your goal is to buy a house, you likely have alot of smaller goals that must be accomplished first. You will need to build up a savings for the downpayment. You may need to clean up your credit report and pay down existing debt. You will need to see if you qualify for a mortgage loan. Always keep your ultimate goal in mind, but focus on the smaller steps that will get you there first. If I wanted to drive to California, I'd have to pay attention to the route I need to take to get there, not just the destination. Write out a list of the smaller steps that will help you reach your goal, and then begin working on them one at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking only of that big, shining vision of the completed project.

No Matter What - Decide that you will do this, no matter what. No matter what obstacles come up, no matter if your desire and determination begin to fade. True success comes to those who just won't give up. Make a promise to yourself that you will continue working toward your goals no matter what happens. Write this promise out and put it somewhere you will see it. Read it aloud to yourself every single day.

Keep reminding yourself that nothing will change unless you change it. Fuel your determination with positive thoughts and keep moving forward. If obstacles come up, find a way around them. If there is absolutely no way around a particular obstacle, switch your focus and begin working on another aspect of your goals. Many times obstacles will fade away if given enough time, or sometimes a solution presents itself when we least expect it. Let your determination glow hot and bright, and burn away all doubts and fears. Know that you can do it, and you will.