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Success seems to have become so much more complicated than it used to be. Instead of plans, we have strategies. We worry about things like CRM and ROI. And we've become so wrapped up in the technical stuff that we've forgotten how to get anything done.

We set goals. We make deadlines to meet those goals. We fill our planners and PDAs with to-do lists. And we feel like we are so busy getting things done that we don't have time to accomplish anything.

Stop. Relax for a minute. Don't get so caught up on how much you have to get done. Learn to work smarter so the things you do accomplish amount to something. Here is a 12-step plan to help you get back on track for success.

1. Do a little daydreaming.

In this real world, you've-got-to-be-busy-to-get-things-done environment, you'll probably be criticized for daydreaming. But dreams are the foundation of great ideas. Dreaming allows you to put your ideas in action to see how well they work. It also gives your dreams a sense of reality. How do you work for something you cannot see? How do you know when you've arrived? Dreaming shows you where you should go.

2. Visualize the path to your dream.

If you don't know how to get there, you will never arrive. Spend some time mapping out the path to your dream. Know what it is you need to do that will turn your dream into reality. When you have a clear vision of your path, you are ready to start the journey to your dream.

3. Put your dream in writing.

You are not committed to your dream until you have put it in writing. Detail your dream by defining exactly what it is you want to accomplish. This turns your dream into a goal. Create a clearly defined action plan. Determine the steps you need to take to reach your goal. Try to determine what obstacles you will encounter and how you will overcome them. You may need to acquire special skills and knowledge. And you may need to enlist the help of others in accomplishing your goal.

4. Schedule your success.

Put a completion date on your calendar. This makes it a commitment. You now know when you must be finished. Keep that date in mind so you have a sense of urgency to complete your goal.

5. Take a daily dose.

Goals taken as a whole are often overwhelming. There are so many tasks to accomplish; you become paralyzed with figuring out what to do next. Your goal seems to slip farther and farther away.

Once you know where you are going, don't worry about how many steps you must take. Break the goal down into daily bites. Think of your goal as a bottle of vitamins. You don't take the whole bottle at once. Just be sure you take your daily dose every day. Step by step you will move toward your goal.

6. Accomplish daily tasks.

It's easy to think we are moving ahead just because we are "busy" working on a goal. Make your daily dose a specific task that is accomplished each day. If a task is too big to accomplish in a single day, break it into smaller pieces or tasks. Your daily dose must include finishing a task.

7. Make periodic course corrections.

Occasionally, take a step back and look a look at the big picture. Are you heading toward your goal or do you need to make a course correction? Distant goals require adjustments to make sure you arrive at the correct location.

8. Keep yourself on schedule.

It takes self-discipline to keep moving in the direction of your goal. Stick with it. Don't miss your daily doses. You must stay focused on your goal if you are to arrive on time. If you find yourself falling behind, adjust the size of your daily doses.

9. Experience the thrill of victory.

When you arrive at your goal, concentrate on that sense of accomplishment. Let that thrill of victory permeate your being. That sense of fulfillment will energize you and make it easier to accomplish the next goal you set.

10. Celebrate.

Make an occasion of achieving your goal. Celebrate your victory. Include those people who are important to you and who supported you. Rewarding yourself gives you the motivation you need to do it again.

11. Don't overdo it.

Celebration is good but don't overdo it. You have other more important victories ahead of you. Get back to work. You've probably had time to consider another dream. Start back at the beginning of this plan and do it again.

12. Onward and upward.

Well, I really didn't have a step 12, and only having 11 was so close to an even dozen that I just couldn't resist. I must say that accomplishing goals is a character builder. It establishes self-discipline. Self-discipline leads to integrity. Much respect is given to those with integrity. Those are the people we can depend upon to do what they say they will do. And those are the same people who are blessed with abundance and opportunity.