Now that you’ve rung in another New Year and returned to a more normal routine, the goals and resolutions you made can begin to take a back seat to the realities of daily life. The carrot sticks were OK for a few days, but it’s just too hard to say no to those chocolate chip cookies, right? The demands on the job can quickly distract you from your professional goals so they become equally challenging to achieve. When it comes to setting goals, there’s an endless list of resources to help you. The trick is actually achieving them. If you’re inclined to set goals, I doubt you do so without intentions to make them happen. But those little things called obstacles – I like to call them challenges – pop up when you least need or expect them.

If you’re like me, you set some goals you know you’ll achieve. Writing them just gives you clarity about what you want the achievement to look like. Those are the “cruise” goals.

Then there are goals that stretch you; but if you keep them in front of you and create a plan, you’re pretty confident you can accomplish them (losing weight, staying on an exercise regimen, becoming more of a strategic partner in your business). Those are the “high gear” goals.

And then there are the “jet engine” goals. These get written and rewritten year after year. The only difference a new year brings is that it gives you another 12 months to figure it out and hope for new insight, a revelation or a miracle.

Do you know people who regularly seem to accomplish what you would consider “jet engine” goals? What do they do differently?

Here are some recommendations for bringing those “jet engine” goals within reach.

1. Believe you can. Belief is an amazing catalyst for uncovering the ideas, resources and tools you need to achieve your goals. And when you don’t believe, it’s amazing how you can be blinded to those same things. All of us have room to grow when it comes to our mindset, and the more we grow here, the more unstoppable we become.
2. Take up journaling. There are some great books that provide techniques for journaling. One of my favorite is The Artist’s Way. It explains how to get all the gunk out of your head first thing each morning so you can clear the way for creative thinking. It’s not just for artists – and there are many types of “art” in life.
3. Connect with a mentor or coach. Connect with one of those people you know who is achieving the jet engine goals and ask that person to mentor you. Learn how that person thinks, makes decisions and plans differently from others. Then identify ways you can change and grow from what you learn.
4. Persevere. It will take mindset shifting, habit changing, plan writing and execution. Remember, you are stretching yourself beyond your normal stretch goals so you are going to trip up. It’s like learning to ride a bike, roller skate or hang-glide. You are going to get some bruises. Only this time it won’t be your knees – it’ll be your ego. But the recovery is the same. Brush yourself off and try again.

Those are four simple things you can keep in mind to achieve more this year. Pick one area to work in and see what happens. Go ahead. Make 2012 the year for huge growth and big accomplishments in your career and in your life.