By Mark Andrew Beach

Many success gurus talk about goal setting. In fact, it’s such a foundational part of the laws of success that if someone claims to be a success expert but downplays goal setting—you can be pretty sure they’re not the real deal.

That said, while studying all these different success principles, I found myself totally confused by the goal-setting process. One expert would say I needed a clear, concise, measurable goal. Then another would tell me to describe how I wanted my whole life to look. I’d hear about vision boards, then about life visions. Bob Proctor teaches to begin writing a clear goal with:

“I am so happy and grateful now that I…”
—followed by two or three pages of specifics.

It was overwhelming. It all seemed like one giant concept—a goal. I didn’t realize I could break the process into smaller, manageable pieces. I didn’t know I could start with the big picture and then break it down.

Once I had that “aha!” moment, the confusion lifted and clarity took over. So let me share how I made sense of it all.

Step 1: Start with the Big Picture—Your Life Vision

This is where I began: with my life vision. What is that, exactly? It’s a broad, inspiring overview of how you want your life to be. Some people write it as if it’s the last day of their life and they’re reflecting back on everything they’ve experienced. Others use Bob Proctor’s script:

“I am so happy and grateful now that I…”

Whatever format you choose, make sure to write in the present tense:
Use “I am,” “I do,” “I have.”
Avoid “I will,” “I want,” “I was,” or “I had.” Writing as if it’s already true trains your brain to see it as real and possible.

It’s also helpful to organize your life into categories. Think:

• Your inner or spiritual life

• Your relationships and family

• Your physical health

• Your emotional well-being

• Your career, business, and finances

• Your dreams, aspirations, and your message to the world

Your life vision may include long-term goals, but it’s not a to-do list for next month. Another misconception I had was thinking life visions were set in stone. They’re not. One mentor told me she rewrites hers 6–10 times a year!

How long should your life vision be?
You’ll be reading or listening to it twice a day, every day—so aim for something that takes 10–15 minutes to read aloud. Some take as long as 20 minutes.

Step 2: Set Specific, Chunked-Down Goals

Once your life vision is in place, you can zoom in and create more specific goals. These might be annual, monthly, or even weekly goals.

These are the kind you write down separately and read about 70 times per week (yes, really). These goals should be specific, measurable, and—again—written in the present tense.

Step 3: Build a Vision Board

This is the fun part! Vision boards are goal setting in visual form. Here's how I did it:
I took an old framed picture from a thrift store and turned it into a 9-box "tic-tac-toe" grid with duct tape. Classy, right? You can keep it simple or make it fancy—it’s totally up to you.

Then, in each box, I placed a picture or a 3x5 card representing one of my goals. The key is to review your vision board for three minutes in the morning and three minutes at night. Keep those images fresh in your mind.

So there you have it—the three main ways I approach goal setting:

1. Life Vision (the big picture)

2. Specific Goals (chunked down and reviewed often)

3. Vision Board (visual reinforcement)

Yes, there will be some overlap between these three—but honestly? I want all the reinforcement I can get. Don’t you?