Success: the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or anything else that one has desired. To every person, success means something very different. No matter what your fairytale picture for your life looks like, being goal-oriented and focused on your dreams will undoubtedly help you achieve it. Being passive and just letting things happen may not always get you the results that you were dreaming of, and it takes you out of the position to determine your own future. Especially for late high-school and college students, keeping your career and life goals in mind is essential to performing the best in your classes and beyond. Here are some very easy ways to become a more goal-focused person:

1. Make either a physical or mental list of both your short-term and long-term goals.

This may sound over-the-top to some people, but they don’t have to be specific. A short-term goal can be as simple as “Get into college/grad school/my program,” and a long-term goal can include “Get a job/buy a house/have a family.” Having this in the back of your mind as a conscious reminder of why you are working so hard will truly provide you with the extra motivation when you need it.

2. Realize that some sacrifices may need to be made.

Going out every night of the weekend, for example, may have to be sacrificed if your life goals include things along the lines of obtaining a competitive job or position. However, if your goals include meeting as many people as possible and expanding your social status, then going out often is something that you will have to do in exchange for your nights cuddled in bed with Netflix. Whatever your goals may be, it is important to identify that there is always something that will have to be sacrificed to get there.

3. “Fake it ‘til you make it.”

Even if you are totally not confident in yourself and what you are doing, pretend that you are and make everyone around you believe that you are. It does not mean to be someone that you completely aren’t, it means to become the person that you truly think you could be. If you are presenting a proposal to an instructor or employer, for example, you have to act like you are entirely confident in yourself and what you are saying. This is something that all of us have been doing since childhood.

4. Do not compare your position to the position of others around you.

Just like with everything else in life, people are constantly comparing the way their life is compared to the lives of others around them. Everyone achieves their own individual goals at their own pace and magnitude. Always keep your morals in mind, as some people will do quite literally anything to get to where they want to be. Personally, I believe keeping your integrity intact along the way is just as important.

At the end of the day, I am a teenager who has held zero high-position jobs in any company and have arguably not achieved a whole lot of anything. But, what I do know is that with a little hard work and focus, it is possible for each and every person to be happy and get to where they always dreamed to be. Whatever your goal is, and however you plan on getting there, don’t let anyone or anything stop you.