There is absolutely nothing that sounds more terrifying than wandering aimlessly through life. Being mediocre is not what most of us picture when we close our eyes and imagine our lives in the next ten years.

On that same note, most of us probably have no idea if or when we are ever going to see those dreams we envision when do close our eyes to imagine our future selves. You see, without the ability to create and achieve goals, our lives very quickly become mediocre. They become that nightmare of working a mundane job, paying the bills, and getting stuck doing absolutely nothing with your life.

If you want to avoid this fate, then you have to learn how to achieve the key life skill of creating and achieving your goals. There are three simple steps that can help you avoid a boring, mundane fate. Setting and achieving goals sounds like an easy thing to do, but this is an extremely complicated feat.

This is why so many people get stuck living a life they never thought they would lead. Read on to find out how to create and actually achieve your goals.

Motivate Yourself with Your Goals

This may sound kind of silly, but your goals should be created using what actually motivates you. Many people get stuck in a rut because their so-called “goals” were not actually goals that interested them. Do not let backward thinking keep you down.Try not let your family, friends, or even your significant other influence your long-term goals. After all, this is your life that you get to lead, not theirs. Allowing others to influence a decision like goal-making will harm your ability to reach that goal in the first place. Think about what it is that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning. Focus your long-term goals around that excitement.

If you enjoy making money, for example, then focus your goals on financial aspects of your life. If you get out of bed in the morning excited to see your children, then focus your long term goal planning on the family bonding. Whatever it is that you choose as your goals, be sure that you feel motivated to achieve them. We need motivation to keep us going.

Document the Journey

Another major pitfall in sticking out the long-term process of achieving goals is giving up before we get anywhere near the goal. Sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes other goals take priority, and sometimes we simply fizzle out on our motivation. Keeping a log of goal success can give you a major boost in confidence along the way. You may decide to keep a written journal, a video blog, or even just a weekly recording.

Whatever you decide, logging your success in a small way can give you resources to remember your motivation if you begin to feel stuck along the way.

Stick it Out

Over any other goal you set, try to set a goal to stick it out no matter what challenges come your way. Getting through mental hoops involving long-term goals can sometimes be the biggest challenge we face in our lives.

Simply making a mental commitment to stick it out can help you to persevere through the pitfalls of achievement.

No matter what goals you set for yourself, you will never see them if you do not learn this essential life skill. If you want to avoid falling in a rut and living the mundane life, then it is time to set your mind to doing something for yourself!