Did you set some goals for 2012? Perhaps 12 for 2012? (I’m seeing that everywhere.) It’s the beginning of the year. Hopes are high. Energy renewed. This year, you’ll make it happen.

Will you?

The past few years, I’ve accomplished almost every goal I’ve set. Those I didn’t accomplish fully, I’ve still made good progress on. So what is the trick? What makes the difference between people who make their resolutions a reality and those who don’t?

Excuses.

It all comes down to excuses. You don’t have time. You don’t have the money. You don’t have the talent.

If your resolutions are

• realistic
• measurable
• focused

you can make it happen.

This year, finish that novel, one hundred words at a time if you need to. Set aside thirty minutes a day to work out and lose that weight you wanted. Invest in a local group to help sharpen your skills or learn that new craft you want to learn.

If you have twenty different goals, you might need to take a hard look at your list and whittle it down to what matters the most. Pick five things you want to focus on this year and look at your current schedule and routines. Do you really need to watch that TV show at night or can you devote that time to exercising? Spend less time on Facebook and use productivity tools like batching and Evernote to help reorganize your life.

Don’t make this another year where your goals are forgotten and failed. No excuses. No failure. Make it happen.