I have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s resolutions. The start of the new year seems like the perfect time to start fresh and get your life together. However, creating goals just create them doesn’t really do you any good in the long run.

If you really want to accomplish your goals you need to put thought into what they are and how you’re going to accomplish them. Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful when setting goals and sticking to them.

1. Evaluate your life.

Are you unhappy for some reason? Do you feel stuck? Take a step back and think about what it is in your life that’s causing you to feel that way. If there’s something you can do about it, create a goal and a plan to fix it. Taking some time to look back at your previous year and determining what you can change will be totally worth it.

2. Make your goals realistic.

You can’t accomplish a goal that’s out of reach so make yours attainable. Give yourself a time frame in which you want to have your goals achieved and think about what you’ll realistically be able to accomplish within that period.

3. Be specific.

Although I fully believe that I just need to be better in general, “be better” isn’t a goal that I would put down. Your goals need to be super specific. If they are too general, you won’t know where to begin. If you want to go to med school, you shouldn’t put “go to med school.” You should break it down into smaller, less overwhelming steps like “study for the MCAT.”

4. Write goals down.

A goal is nothing if you don’t write it down. Having your aspirations on paper is essential to achieving them. They can be written in list form or even drawn out if you want to get fancy. It doesn’t really matter as long you’ve got it solidified and on paper.

5. Post them everywhere.

Now that you’ve got those goals written down on paper, put them up everywhere! Post a list on your nightstand. On your desk. On your mirror. In your car. In your planner. Make it your iPhone lock screen so you see them every day! You can even take it a step further and carry your goals around with you. Writing your goals down on a slip of paper that you keep in your pocket, purse or backpack is a guaranteed way to make sure you don’t lose sight of what you want!

6. Make a plan.

You won’t get far without a plan of action so do yourself a favor and layout your playbook. If necessary, research what it’s going to take to get you to the finish line. Create a step by step plan with checkpoints and a way to measure your progress. A great quote by Harvey MacKay says, “A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.”

7. Find daily motivation.

The thing about creating a plan is that following through is hard. You’ll probably need to remind yourself from time to time why you’re doing what you’re doing.

So whether it’s assigning someone to stay on your case about sticking to your plan or plastering motivational quotes all over a corkboard in your room, be sure you’ve got a way to keep the train going.

No matter what your goals may be, be sure you’re smart about setting them. Set yourself up for success by taking the time to think things out. If you make the right moves, 2018 will be a great year for you!