A friend of mine recently shared the good news that she had realized several important goals in her life. Remembering a time not long ago when she felt frustrated and stuck, I asked her what she thought was key to the dramatic shift.

I could tell that she was not entirely clear about it, but that the concept of a key element intrigued her. In search of an answer, she began to relay the chronology of events. There came a point when it was evident to both of us that the shift from frustration to momentum occurred after she took action on one goal in particular.

That goal was significant because it was the one out of three over which she had entire control. Acting on her desire to reach a goal without having to wait for someone to act or something to happen was empowering and motivating. Her momentum increased and before she knew it, the other two goals started to come together to the point where she could step in and do what was needed to complete them.

Using my friend's success as a guide, here are a few simple, yet effective steps you can take to move closer to your goals:

1. Make a list of what you want and recognize what is actually in your control.
2. Focus your wholehearted attention and act on what you can do something about.
3. Take stock to determine whether or not progress has shifted around your other goals to the point where you can now take action.

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I'll be speaking at the following upcoming events and invite you to attend:
"Get Beyond the Midlife Crisis: Life and Work in the Second Half of Life" Saturday, May 19, 11:45am, Goodall Hospital's Annual Women's Expo.