Are you making New Year’s Resolutions or are you setting Goals?  Ideally, you are doing both.

Being successful at making change in your life requires more than the wish or the desire to change. Resolutions must have passion behind them and a commitment to success. However, this may not be enough if you have not taken certain action steps with short term goals to achieve the success you desire.

According to the American Society of Training and Development, you have only a 10% possibility of completing a goal if you just think of an idea and only  a 25% probability of completion, if you consciously turn  the idea into a resolution.

To increase your probability of success there are a few goal-setting steps that will help you.  You will have a 40% probability of completion if you set yourself a deadline.  Before setting the deadline, you may need to create a plan of action with little steps or small reasonable goals leading to your big goal.

When creating your action plan, look at the obstacles that may get in the way of achieving your goal.  For example, are there some people that you may need to avoid or spend less time with? This may include those who are not supportive of your goals.  Is there an upcoming big event that may get in the way of achieving your goals?

In your action plan, you need to consider what resources you will need in the way of money, time , or tools.  How much energy do you need to follow your steps to success?  Do you have the money needed or can you rebudget your finances to have the funds?    Is your schedule too full to find time to do what is necessary?  Perhaps you need to set some priorities on what needs to be done and what is not required for goal success.  Are there other things needed to guarantee success, like diet changes, classes, technical assistance, or special equipment?

Not everyone can achieve success without support.  Do you have family or friends who will support and help you reach your goals?  Would you benefit from contacting a professional?  Do you know someone with a similar goal who can be your companion as you both strive for success?

Having all of this in your plan of action increase your probability of success to 50%, but those odds of success are not what most of us want to hear.

So what are the key ingredients to tip the scales more in favor of your success?  Remember the decision of setting a completion date for meeting your goal?  Telling somebody else what you will accomplish within a certain time limit increases your success rate to 65%.

Now to really increase the chances of success up to 95%, you will need to have someone who will hold you accountable for your success.  Oh the embarrassment, if you have to face another when the time is up and success is still elusive.  This is a big incentive to actively pursue your goals.

In conclusion, for success with resolutions and goals:  1)Decide on a resolution/goal; 2) Plan on how to tackle the goal; 3) Decide when you will complete the goal; 4) Share your goal with someone; 5)Meet with an individual who is holding you accountable for your dedication, hard work and success.

As a bonus I have provided an additional step for you:  Set your goals on January 4^th.  Astrologically, January 4^th is the optimal day for setting your goals for 2011.  January 4^th is a triple- charged day.  On this day there will be a new moon which is considered a time of new beginnings.  The new moon signifies a great day to experience the full intensity of your big or immediate needs in life.  January 4^th there will also be a solar eclipse.  This is a powerful time for old things to come to an end and for new beginnings to be made.  During the wee hours of January 4^th, a Quadranti Meteor shower is expected to bring in an energy that amplifies your chances of success.

May your New Year bring you joy, happiness, health, abundance, and success while offering you gentle challenges for growth and enlightenment.