As New Year's is upon us, many people get motivated to make changes, set goals and wipe the proverbial slate clean to start anew. My work in the field of sport psychology has taught me a great deal about how to set goals, put them in motion and achieve them.

- Write down your goals. Most people think about goals, and even talk about goals. Very few write them down in a specific plan of action.

- Your next step is to visualize what you want to happen - literally see yourself in your imagination after you have lost that 25 pounds or finished running a 10k race! Visualizing is tip No. 2.

Visualizing our target helps clearly define what you want and what the outcome looks like. It is a powerful tool used by most professional athletes. Roy Williams, the head coach of University of North Carolina men's basketball team puts it well: "Without goals you are like a ship without a rudder - heading in no particular direction."

When setting your goal(s), be specific, state your outcome in positive terms and be in control - your outcome must be initiated and maintained by you. It does not depend upon others to change or do something.

- Put a reasonable time frame to your goal(s). This is tip No. 3. Reasonable time frames are helpful as it might take you six weeks, six months, one year or five years. If you have multiple goals, focus upon your three top goals.

- Tip No. 4 is making an action plan. There is a Buddhist saying: "The journey of 1,000 miles starts with the first step." In order to begin a journey (and achieve goals) you have to act - take a step. Your actions determine whether or not you achieve your goals. The best plans are very specific and clearly state each step you need to take. Write down three actions per goal, with one action being something you will do in the next three days.

- Your next step is to take your written goals and post them where you will see them every day. Posting goals is tip No. 5. Posting your goals increases the likelihood that you will achieve your goals.

- Finally, at the end of each week evaluate your progress. Are you taking the action steps you wrote down? Are you committing to the action steps you and only you control? If you find that you are not achieving what you want, re-evaluate your action steps. After you have done so and addressed the obstacles, re-write your action steps and start over. Another option is working with a psychologist or coach who can help you along the way.

Joe Lenac is a licensed psychologist and Peoria native who works in the area of sport psychology and executive coaching. He lives in St. Louis.