Surefire strategy to achieve anything

To ensure you reach a goal, like finishing a scrapbook for your grandkids, try tracking your progress frequently—say, by setting up calendar alerts—and letting others know about it by posting updates on Facebook. When scientists in the journal analyzed data from studies of nearly 20,000 people, they found that successful goal setters constantly kept an eye on their progress and publicized their results at each checkpoint. The authors say these strategies increase your sense of accountability and make it more likely you’ll feel motivated to hit your target.