I have a habit of embracing June with the same optimism as January. After all mid-year is an ideal time to celebrate our accomplishments, analyze our setbacks, and reevaluate the big-ticket BEST goals we set at the start of the year. These activities, especially the last two are instrumental in propelling one to future success.

Let’s face it. Despite best intentions, often times New Year goals remain unaccomplished and resolutions, if remembered at all, are safely rationalized into obscurity. We’ve all been there – started something with an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm only to lose steam and fail to finish. It’s a lousy feeling and one that if left unchecked, can incessantly chip away at your confidence. Luckily, the following tips can help you get back on track and set yourself up for a great second act:

Ensure It’s YOUR Goal

Often times people fail before they begin because they never owned the goal in the first place. Sure you can lose weight for your spouse, win the title for your dearly departed dad, or build a business so your kids can have the best of everything. These are powerful motivators, but they will fail unless YOU – that means your head and heart – own the actions. The world is replete with noble causes and amazing people, but YOU have to decide which is worth your time and how you will support them.

Ditch the Shoulds

Due to their formulaic nature, SMART goals tend to multiply and transform into little more than tick-box action items. Once you’ve decided to truly own a goal, you have to make it big and by big I mean B.E.S.T. – a Bold, Enriching, Supported, Target. If you want to make an impact on your life or the lives of others, you must let go of the white noise and focus on the one or two most important items.

Be a Jackass

There is a great line in the movie Serendipity where Jeremy Piven’s character praises John Cusak’s character for unabashedly going after love. If you really want something, you have to be willing to risk spectacular failure – I’m talking an old school, Wide World of Sports ski jump accident, style failure. But here’s the thing, even Vinko Bogataj, the original “agony of defeat” example, survived the fall and lived to see another day – happily I might add. You have to embrace (potential) embarrassment as a consequence of possible success. Better to soar for a moment than to never reach for the sky.

Take this time to recommit to your BEST goal or, if priorities have changed, select a new one and then commit with all your energy. There’s a word for the “jackass” who achieves the goal. It’s winner.

Need a career coach? Contact me via www.plotlineleadership.com.

Be sure to check out my new book The Introvert’s Guide to Job Hunting: http://amzn.to/1xfTdRk and follow me on Twitter at @timtoterhi