What enables one person to doggedly persist in making and keeping a New Year resolution, while others quit before they even begin just days or weeks after January 1? What enables one person to live a dream, while others are too afraid to try, prompting lives of sorrow and regret? The complete answer to those questions is undoubtedly unique to each individual. That said, having achieved many of my own resolutions, dreams and goals, there are certain key ingredients, steps, qualities, and behaviors that have helped me to succeed, learn from my mistakes, and turn failure to eventual victory. They can help you too. Keep reading!

My own experience with success and failure helped me to create the I Resolve To System For Success - Five Simple, Common Sense Steps For Busy People. First, open your mind and 'Dare to Dream'. Second, 'Decide' to turn that dream into reality with a firm, determined resolution. Third, 'Define' that resolution in one simple, concise sentence. Fourth, 'Develop A Plan' that includes all the steps (goals) necessary to achieve your dream, along with deadlines, timelines, and a system to measure success, make course corrections, and reward yourself for hard won victories. Fifth, 'Do It Daily; passionately, patiently pursue your goals, one at a time, one day at a time.

All too often, we make the process of achievement more difficult than it needs to be. Success can be built step by step, with common sense and good and old-fashioned hard work. In many cases we already possess the skills, qualities, and 'know how' to make a dream happen, turn a resolution into reality, and achieve daily goals. The larger question is do we have the 'guts to make a complete leap of faith' and doggedly, persistently, patiently reach for the stars. If you're ready to make that leap of faith, you can make the journey infinitely smoother and more enjoyable with proper forethought in five critical areas:

1. Possessing a dream about which you have great passion, interest and desire is central to making and keeping a resolution. You need to know 'what you want and why you want it'. You must have 'fire in the belly', and 'want' to succeed more than anything else. To 'give up' is not an option.
2. Creating a realistic plan will tell you 'how and when' to tackle the many goals that will culminate in victory. A plan will guide the way. It will enable you to take small daily steps (goals), form a timeline and deadlines, measure success, reward your wins, and make course corrections when progress has stalled. A plan will help you to avoid feeling 'overwhelmed' and disorganized. A plan will enable you to make your dream a reality.
3. Keeping your eye on the 'prize' - how you will benefit if you succeed in achieving your dream, resolution, goal - will inspire and motivate you. Celebrating your successes will also increase motivation. If you're having fun, enjoying the journey, receiving fulfillment and pleasure, you're much more likely to continue day after day. Success breeds success. Your energy and enthusiasm will grow along with your confidence, self esteem, and knowledge.
4. Maintaining a Daily Resolution Diary, and Calendar will keep you accountable. Checking In, both daily and weekly, will help you to build and refine your plan and plot your timeline. When you see weeks and months of progress - in black and white - you will want to continue the journey, and make your resolution a Lifetime Resolution that is with you for good.
5. Anticipating and planning for obstacles - and overcoming each and every obstacle - will build confidence. It's easy to get discouraged by obstacles thrown at us by 'Life's Events', as well as those that we create ourselves (fear of success, fear of failure, setting the bar too high, having unrealistic expectations, getting overwhelmed by unrealistic goals, and so on). On those tough days you must keep optimism, faith and hope alive, and know that a new day is coming. The well known phrase, 'things will get better' is not a 'cliche'. Hope, faith, and a positive outlook will get you through the darkest days.

Personally, I'm pretty stubborn and determined. I rarely give up easily. All are traits that have served me well more often than not. Those traits, and the qualities, systems, and behaviors that I listed above have helped me to earn college degrees; excel at sports, photography, and writing; and build a business that I love. They're helping me to write a book and pursue my dream to help people to achieve their dreams, resolutions and goals. Bottom line, if you believe anything is possible, and if you believe in yourself and your dreams . . . then the possibilities are infinite and achievable.

Remember: I Resolve To Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year. It's your choice. Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that is with you for good! Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who keeps resolutions and enjoys the journey! Let's Go for it!

Kim Simpson, a former journalist, provides communications and fundraising services and strategic planning, for Members of Congress, Non-Profit Organizations and Associations in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. A self-employed entrepreneur, with more than 25 years of experience, she launched http://www.IResolveTo.Com in 2005 in an effort to help others to achieve their New Year Resolutions, Dreams and Goals. Her motto is - I Resolve To Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year. Let's 'Go For It'. This article is Copyright © I Resolve To, Inc.* All Rights Reserved. It can be printed for personal, non-commercial use in achieving New Year Resolutions, Dreams and Goals. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kim_Simpson