When I was a 15-year-old drug addict, dealer and dropout growing up on the streets of New Orleans, nobody (including me) would have guessed I’d go on to build a multimillion-dollar business. Looking at me then, no one would imagine I’d amount to much, let alone work with world leaders, movie stars, astronauts, top CEOs and athletes. At the age of 17 I experienced a miraculous transformation. I was set free from addiction and completely changed by the power of God.

It was then that I set some goals for my life. They were not normal goals. They were outrageous. I wanted to be a public speaker, fill up the largest arenas in America, and teach people how to become more successful. I wanted to travel to 70 countries. I wanted to go on elephant-back safari in Napal. I wanted to bungee jump over Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and swim with dolphins. My goals were ridiculous, they were impossible, they were insane…. And yet they’ve all come true!

The reason most people set goals and never see results is because they don’t set goals strategically. Here are my top five steps for setting and achieving your goals:

1. Put it to Paper. It doesn’t matter how lofty your goals seem, just write them down. Be sure to set goals that add balance to your life. Set goals for every area of your life—spiritual, marriage, family, financial, career, health, educational and recreational goals. Only set goals that excite you. You’ll need the fuel of enthusiasm to propel you toward your target.

2. What do you want to tackle first? Put your goals in numerical order, from your first priority to the last.

3. Chunk it Down. Break down each goal into bite-size pieces. What do you need to DO to achieve your outcome? Be specific.

4. Start the Clock. Set deadlines for your main goals, and also for the incremental pieces you identified in step three. A goal without a deadline is just wishful thinking.

5. Take action. This is the most important component of goal achievement. You must DO something every day that moves you closer to your goal. Remember, desire is no substitute for action. Only actions produce results.

Reaching goals is like paying down a thirty-year mortgage. The first few years you pay so little toward the principal it seems like it will take 1,000 years to pay it off. But in the end it goes quickly. Your goals will be the same way. At first it will seem like you are barely making any progress. Just persevere… and you will accomplish your goals!