One of the most useful techniques for staying on track with our goals is the combination of mental contrasting and implementation intentions.

1. Identify your desired end state. Make it as vivid and rich in your mind as possible. Try to really feel what it would be like if you actually reached your goal. What about your life would be different and better?

2. Anticipate obstacles you'll encounter along the way. These could be both tangible, like lack of time or conflict with other commitments; or more abstact, like "losing motivation" or "being too tired." Write down a few obstacles you might hit.

3. Develop if-then rules for yourself for when you, inevitably, bump into one of those obstacles. For example, if you're feeling unmotivated, then you might listen to your favorite song to help raise your energy.

4. Write down the if-then rule for the obstacle you anticipate hitting first on the path toward your goal.