“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”—Andy Warhol

There is no denying that it’s been a tough couple of months for most of us and more clouds of doom-and-gloom seem to be in the forecast. It’s so tempting to give up, to throw in the towel and declare “It can’t be done”—whatever the “it” is.

And yet…there is that small spark within us that isn’t quite ready to quit. Fan the fire with three key ingredients: action‚ belief and commitment.

Start with belief—you have to believe in what you want and believe that you can accomplish it. Can you describe your goal, your dream, your objective? Why is it important to you? What three qualities or abilities do you possess that will make it possible for you to achieve that goal?

Follow with commitment: make a plan to follow and a promise to follow that plan. Figure out the key steps that will take you from dream to reality. What do you need to do today, tomorrow, next week to keep you moving forward?

Finally act: don’t talk, but do. Every day, take one small step toward your goal. No excuses, only action.

At the end of the month, review your progress. You will be amazed at how far you traveled!