There is an amazing ancient Chinese saying that says that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. In order to be able to turn your dreams into reality you must first turn them from dreams into achievable goals…

Starting the dream list:

Let's start your personal goal-setting process now by listing a broad range of things you'd like to accomplish, experience, or own. Make sure you set no limits on their price or what you presently think your chances of ever achieving these goals are. This is a process I have used to accomplish writing my own marketing book and starting my own golf club management firm so be sure to be one hundred percent honest with yourself.

On a blank sheet of paper right now, begin to write until you have one hundred things written down in front of you. Call it a Wish list, a Dream list, a Wants list, a What I Need List. It doesn't matter what you call it. Just pick up a pen and write.

(Or you can copy and paste this article into your text editor and then fill in your answers.)

Where are the ten places you must visit before you die?

List your top ten places to visit here:

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What are ten events you'd really love to experience first-hand?

What events would be so awe-inspiring that you would more than likely talk about them for the rest of your life?

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What ten skills would you most like to acquire?

What would you like to become excellent at?

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What does your dream home look like?

Describe your dream home…

Where is your dream house located?

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How many bedrooms?

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How many baths?

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What color is the kitchen?

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What type of flooring?

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What style?

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How will you decorate?

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How many square feet?

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How much money would you like to earn per year?

What amount would provide for your family, with everything you need, plus ample left over for your savings?

When do you want to retire?

And how much income will you need to for your family to live on?

To be safe, do not forget to add at least 4% inflation per year! (Of course, I don't think any of that money for retirement ever goes to clothing.)

What type of physical shape would you like to be in?

What weight would you like to be?

How many miles would you like to be able to cycle, swim or run with relative ease?

Did you know that most people who run marathons start running at the age of forty three? The middle-aged belly becomes the middle-age motivation.

What negative habits [like smoking cigars] would you like to eradicate?

What would you like your immediate family to experience over the next 5 years?

A trip to the buildings in New York City, London or Paris?

Perhaps you would like to be able to send your children to a private school or a special sports camp in the summer?

A trip to the Grand Canyon?

Maybe you would like to take your family to Disney World in Florida. (Just be careful not to go on It's A Small World, you will not be able to get that song out of your head for days!)

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What ten toys would you most like to own?

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What five things would give you the greatest sense of accomplishment in your business life?

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What ten things would give you the greatest sense of accomplishment in your personal life?

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Turning dreams into goals.

Start your goal setting process by creating a list of dreams. Force yourself to write down one hundred things before you go back and polish your list.

List places you want to visit, experiences you want to have and toys you'd like to own. List things you would like to accomplish in life, skills you'd like to acquire and the amount of money you'd like to make.

Detail the type of house you would like to own, the business or career you would like to create and the lifestyle you'd like your family to enjoy.

From this wonderful list pick the ten most exciting things and add deadlines. Next, go back and set in-between or halfway goals for each. Finally, the last thing you must do is list short-term goals that will contribute to the accomplishment of the intermediate goals and ultimately the long-term goals.

There is completely no limit to the number of goals that you can set for yourself, just make sure you list only those that you are truly committed to attaining.