When you’re designing your life for success the most important action you take is goal setting. An important function of setting goals is creating your life’s map in the form of a goal log or journal.

You’ll separate your goal log into sections. The first section is a list of all the things you want to happen to you in the next five years. Section two details the most important items on the list in section one. You write a definite statement of each item in the present tense. And you give a short explanation about what you think you must do during the next five years to make each of those items come true.

Do you know that the subconscious mind works toward anything it thinks you want?

Here’s why that happens, and it’s very important to remember: Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is real and what is make believe.

Got that? Good! Because when you tell your subconscious mind that something is true, your subconscious believes you. It starts working on making sure that you’re right. So be very careful what you tell your subconscious mind.

We call section one the list of your “long-range” goals. Section two is the detail of your most important “long-range” goals.

In section three you enter your “medium-range” or “mid-range” goals. Here you get even deeper into the detail.

Here’s another little nugget for you to store in your “memory treasures” file: In writing out this goal log, you’re really planning your life for the next five years.

Jim Rohn says, ”We all have two choices: We can make a living or we can design a life.”

Most people leave formal school, get a job, and work that job for thirty years or so. That’s their whole life. They’re only making a living. Most make only enough to barely survive.

Especially in today’s economy.

But when you’re setting goals and designing your life for success you have a clear picture of how you’ll create happiness, comfort, and even luxury in your life.

Not many people take the effort. Not many people even know how to plan their life.

Once you have this goal log finished, and start checking it every day, you’ll adjust your goals when you need to. Keep your journal current to the changes you encounter. No matter what happens in your life you have your goal log to guide you. You’ll know exactly what you need to do to get around any obstacles in your life.

As you make section three use section two as your guide. You need to take each five-year task (what you need to complete in the five year period), and break it down into yearly actions.

You’re writing new chores now. For each five-year chore first write a chore for what you need to accomplish by the end of four years. Once you have that finished take each four-year task and decide what you must do in the next three years to make the four-year task possible. Then write a two-year chore that takes you to your three-year chore. Finally, write what chores you must perform this year to make each two-year chore possible.

When you finish this goal setting exercise you only need look at your map. Right there on the page you have the step you’ll take today. That’s the first step that starts you toward where your log says you’ll be at the end of this year. Take that first step, look back at your log, and you’ll see step two.

You lay your whole life out right there in your goal’s journal. That’s how it is when you commit to designing your life for success.