One article shows you how to set one big goal for the year and then break it down into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily segments. Furthermore, it tells you to write all that down as well as your accomplishments each day regarding your daily segment.

You do that for each of your goals. Let's hope you don't have more than two goals and then decide you want to lose ten pounds.

That is the conscious, left-brained approach.

Another article tells you that you need to program your subconscious mind to put it in synch with your conscious desires and goals. I've written several of these. This can be done through hypnosis, self-hypnosis, directed writing, and, above all, repetition. It works like subliminal advertising and can even motivate you to write down all that stuff the left-brained guys tell you to do.

Those trained in neuro-linguistic programming echo my thesis that goal setting and accomplishment needs the cooperation of the subconscious mind. To the concept of repetition they emphasize adding the appropriate emotion so the programming will take hold. For example, if you set a goal to complete a degree by a certain date in order to make more money but do not have a passionate interest in the coursework, the programming won't hold.

Or, if you have a goal to save enough money to quit your lousy job but don't have another job or business in mind that really attracts you, no matter how strong your negative feeling is your subconscious won't help. But, when you add a strong feeling toward something you want badly, your subconscious will help you get it.

Unless, of course, you get caught in psychological reversal. That's called PR in some circles-not marketing ones.

Psychological reversal means some part of your psyche does not want you to have what you consciously think that you want. That part of your psyche was drummed into you through repetition years ago and is lodged in your body. It can be uncovered and released through a combination of specific affirmations and tapping acupressure points.

This is the third approach. So, if you have not yet met your monthly goal or have given up setting goals, you can find out why. Meanwhile, forgive and accept yourself every day. Why not?