Most of us wouldn’t be able to make it through the twists and turns of LA without our handy GPS systems like Garmin or Siri. How many times have you tried to make it to an audition when your GPS leads you the wrong way? I know some people who can’t back out of their garage without the assistance of technology. I might be one of those people. The often-stressful traffic in LA can be a great metaphor for life as an actor and if you are traversing without a GPS, you are sure to wind up in Skid Row at some seedy strip club. Read more in “Effective Ways to List your Goals.”

Here are some tips to create goals and achieve them, and effectively list your goals.

1.  Keep your goals separated into categories such as: Career, Financial, Family/Friends, Spiritual and Physical/Health among others. Once you have made these categories it is easier to identify which goals will work together and give you balance. (Ex: Maybe in order to land a part in a Superhero movie, you’ll need to start hitting the gym and work on your Superhero body)

2. Start with long-term goals and then move backward.  Start by writing out your ultimate career goal (Ex: I want to win an Academy Award) and then go backward to 10 year goals (Ex: I want to work with Angelina Jolie),
5 year goals (Ex: I want to write and sell my own screenplay),
1 year goals (Ex: I want to fund myself solely from acting work),
down to monthly and weekly goals (Ex: Pay rent on time this month, Remember to feed the dog)

3. Use present tense language and write as if you were already there. (Ex: I am working with Angelina Jolie.)

4. Write it somewhere you can see it often. Use a notebook or day planner that you will look at the end of everyday or write it on the walls above your bed if you have to.

5.  Be clear and concise, and specific. Use dates to help you. (Ex: I pay my rent solely from acting gigs in December 2014)