But not just goals, SMART Goals
The difference between a goal and a SMART goal is your goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound. SMART goals give you a much better avenue to reach your goals. Your dreams are the fuel that drives the high-performance goal engine.

Specific
Broad, general terms are not going to help. What, specifically, do you want to accomplish? “I want to be a better Driller”, is too broad. “I want to improve my footwork”, is much more solid and descriptive.

Measurable
How will you know how much you have improved? What will you use as your scale to determine your improvement? It is just fine to use a professional to give you feedback and rely on that as your tool for measurement.

Attainable
“I want to my footwork to be just like a professional tap dancer.” Probably not going to happen by your next competition or over the summer. Small steps are just fine.

Relevant
Does your goal strictly pertain to what you want? Make sure.

Time-bound
“A year from now, I want to be able to…” While a year is not an impossible timeline, it is quite a long time and there is a great possibility that you will get distracted. “In the next three hours I want to…” is also not impossible, but we need to find a happy medium. Give yourself a week or two, or even a month or six.

While we are on the subject:

Write it down
Successful people say it all the time, “Put it in writing.” In the Air Force I also learned, “If it isn’t written down, it never happened.” While professionally we may do this, sometimes we may overlook applying this to our personal lives. Goals in writing become real, it’s like making a contract with yourself. The contract then requires discipline on your part.

Sacrifice now for great dividends later
Practice, read and study. My articles and books and your service drill and ceremonies manual need to be at the top of your reading list. Wake up early to practice on your own. Carry the command list for the unarmed squad you will command for this year’s competitions. Read it when you are waiting in line. Put a copy of it up in your bathroom and read it three times while you brush your teeth.

Remind yourself why
People who are truly successful never let short-term pain override long-term goals. They know that the only difference between success and failure is where on the timeline they decide to quit. Even so, they constantly remind themselves of “why” they are doing what they do. Find an image that represents your goals and put it everywhere: your computer screensaver, refrigerator door, office desk and your bathroom wall at home. Think it, say it and repeat it. Never forget “WHY.”

While you may not have the power to predict and control the future, you most certainly have the power to shape and guide your future as you see fit. By following these six steps, you can begin to build your new future today, and take positive steps to make 2015 your most awesome year on record.