I took some notes on proper goal setting, which could more or less be powerful stuff, so I'm going to record it on this blog before I recycle the piece of note paper on my desk for aesthetic purposes!
Goals are driven by internal motivation and what can get us going is having that positive emotion of just "being in the flow." A negative attribute that can keep us from reaching our goals is anxiety.
What goals are supposed to do is activate, direct, and adjust our behaviors. There are mainly seven steps when it comes to setting up goals.
1. Define the goal.
2. Describe where you are at.
3. List what you need.
4. Make a plan for improvement.
5. Pursue regular actions.
6. Commit yourself completely.
7. Continually monitor your progress.
Basically you figure out the how(?) portion, realize your personal values, and maintain motivation.