Achieving success is a lofty goal that we all strive for. Whether it is at work or in our personal lives, we all have things that we would like to accomplish before our time is up. Whatever those goals are, they can seem rather daunting at first. It is only when we begin to break them done step by step that we begin to see the path to success.

Setting a goal can sometimes be the easiest and hardest part. It is easy because most of us like to dream; travel the world, be the company president etc. On the other hand it is difficult because sometimes all we see is the obstacles in our way. Interns at sales organizations like Southwestern Company are required to set sales goals shortly after arriving that seem large and impossible at first. It is during this time that we can easily become discouraged with the process, but that just means it’s time to step back and begin developing a plan of attack.

It is important to set a time frame for your goals . It is perfectly fine if you need to adjust it later, but begin by giving yourself ample time. Then begin working backward. If you set your time frame for 10 years, what do you need to accomplish in 9 years? 8 years? Look closely at each of the steps you need to take along the way. Southwestern Company interns begin with a set number of sales calls each day. As they progress, that number increases and by the end of their term they have reached their goal.

Anything can be achieved if you are willing to work hard and be persistent.