You know, experts on the science of success know the brain is a goal-seeking organism. Whatever goal you give to your subconscious mind, the brain will actually start looking for information, for resources, and for opportunities and other ways to achieve the “want” you have identified. While this may sound like an impossibility given your current situation or circumstances, we’ve seen countless individuals “suddenly” get what they want — often from a source or opportunity that already existed in their life or sphere of influence, but that they had never instructed their brain to find it before.

Now to effectively engage the powers of your subconscious mind, a goal has to be specific and measurable. How much, by when. When there aren’t any criteria for measurement, it is simply something you want… we call it a wish, a preference, or a just good idea, but it does not register in the mind as a goal.

So you’ve got to decide what is it that you want…and then be specific. For example, “I want to lose weight” is vague. But it might become… “I will weigh 135 pounds by August 1st at 5 PM.” Or “I will increase my income to $80,000 year by December 31st at midnight.” Or I will live in a 35,000 square foot home, as big as the one Bill Gates has, by December 31st at midnight.” Now, notice in these examples, they all stated how much, by when. A specific amount that you can measure by a specific time that can be measured.

Now an easy place to start when you’re setting goals is to simply look at one area in your life that you would like to be different. It might be where there is something that is negative or disturbing that you’d like to eliminate, or it might be where there’s something missing that you’d like to create. Something you’d like more of…more money, more love, more time.

Now once you’ve decided what you want you can either do something about it…or not. It is your choice and you have responsibility for your choices.

But bear in mind that you have to be willing to change your behavior and do something different if you want to create a different outcome. You have to be willing to take whatever risks are necessary to get what you want.

Now, if you’ve already taken some initial steps in the right direction towards some of your goals, now’s the time to decide what next steps do you need to take to keep moving you toward your chosen goal.

You see, it’s very liberating when you finally realize that you have the power to make your life whatever you want it to be. It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that your success does not really depend on anyone else.

So if you’re looking for one thing to do different today than you did yesterday, make it this: Commit to taking 100% responsibility for every aspect of your life. Then choose what it is you want. Decide what actions you’re going to need to take to create it and then take those actions one step at a time.

There are a lot of things you can learn to do to accelerate your success. But the basics that will move you from where you are to where you want to be are simply this: Decide what you want, take control of your thoughts, visualize what you want, make a plan and then take action. Actualize your plan.

Start with these simple steps and I promise you that you’ll start seeing the results you want.