In Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen's original "Chicken Soup for the Soul," I am reminded of the short story titled "Another Check Mark On the List." This is a story about a 15-year-old boy named John who, on one rainy day, when it was too wet outside to play, he decided to write a list of goals. John continued writing until he had 127 goals. These goals included exploring the Nile River, climbing high mountain peaks around the world and learning 3 foreign languages. He also wanted to be featured in a Rose Bowl Parade and play several musical instruments.

Of the 127 goals that he listed over 60 years ago, John has achieved 108. If he lives to become 75 years old he will achieve 109 (he listed "live to see the 21st Century"). How did John achieve all of these goals? He wrote them down.

Step 1 Write It Down:

Write it down, write it down, and write it down!

Have you ever got to a point where you were going to write down a New Year's Resolution or some other goal you thought you wanted, only to find yourself procrastinate. One year later, did you need to achieve the same New Year's Resolution or goal? Why does this happen?

It happens because of that little voice inside of you that says, "I am not good enough or worthy enough to be in possession of the benefits derived from achieving my goal." "I have been programmed for failure."

I recently read a motivational quote that said: "If you can't write it down, you can't do it."

Let us think about that for a minute. Every day you may be compiling lists of things to do to run your household, perform your job, or plan your business trip or vacation. How many times do you really write down, exactly what you want out of life?

How many long term or short-term goals do you write down?

Now when thinking about what you want to achieve focus your attention on specific words and ideas relating to your goals. Give those words and ideas your complete attention as you write them down.

Did you ever write a letter, business report, or term paper and at times find your fingers flying across the keyboard?

Since written words are symbols of objects, ideas, or feelings, could the physical process of entering these words onto a page actually create a subconscious connection?

I believe it does. When you use language to communicate on paper, you need to process the information on a subconscious level.

The help you are getting while creating your list of goals is coming straight from your powerful subconscious mind. Why not take advantage of the power of your mind in achieving your goals?

Write your goals down in your day planner, write them down, and hang them on your walls. Write your goals on sticky notes and place them on your bathroom mirror or on your windows.

Every time you write your goals down, your body is moving towards them. The goals are getting clearer and clearer. The roadmap you create by writing goals down projects straight to your subconscious mind and is being acted upon.

A now popular syndicated cartoonist wrote down 15 times a day, every day the following sentence. "I want to be a syndicated cartoonist." He did this every single day, even when he did not feel like a syndicated cartoonist. Now, Scott Adams, the creator of the "Dilbert Cartoon" is a full-time, syndicated cartoonist, known the world over. Scott "wrote it down."

One way to state that goal in a more positive and immediate context is to say, "I am a syndicated cartoonist." Act as if you already are in possession of the goal. It takes a lot of pressure off you during your daily activities when you feel the new role. You then become comfortable with it.

Write your goals down everywhere. As you write them down think about John, the 15-year-old goal achiever from the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" story. Now that John is in his seventies, what advice would John have for you when you ask him, "What is the most important thing I can do to achieve my goals?"

Listen to John whisper in your ear these three words... write it down.