To some people it means driving a flash car and flashing wads of cash around to show they are doing well. To others it is spending time with their family, having achieved happiness in their life.

Your personal idea of success, and being successful will differ from someone else's, but is very important to you. Without spending some time thinking about your success, how will you know if you are achieving it? Take some time now and think about it.

Now start working towards it, and set goals to make you successful.

Goal setting is important to your success, so you better do it right too. Here are some important things to remember about goal setting

1. break your main goal (success) into smaller ones

These small steps towards an ultimate goal are in some circles known as "eating the elephant" because you couldn't eat the whole elephant in one go, but cutting it into bite sized chunks makes it possible to achieve a seemingly impossible task.

2. Don't set unachievable goals- when you don't hit them they will be a major setback.

You wouldn't decide to climb mount Everest on your first hill walk or expect to build your own house because you have a new toolkit, so be realistic about your goals here too.

3. Write them down, and make them real, also imagine life as it will be when you have achieved each goal.

The human mind works on visualization, athletes across the world use this technique, seeing themselves in their own minds eye crossing the finish line first. They imagine how it feels, the sound of the crowds cheering etc. Then the mind can focus on making it real.

4. If you miss a goal, or deadline, take it as a minor setback not total failure, and try again.

The best analogy I've heard for this is of an ocean liner crossing thousands of miles of sea. On its way it may drift off course many times, but the captain will make a slight adjustment to get it on track each time. He knows its not a total failure to be slightly amiss along the way as long as you correct it and end up where you are going.

These steps will take you towards your individual success ideal, whatever it may be. You will meet adversity, and failure along the way, but take it in your stride. Always keep just your next small goal in mind and eventually you will find you have reached and even surpassed the main goal you had set, without even noticing it.

Douglas Titchmarsh runs several websites, and blogs including http://www.cashinonline.info and http://www.titchmarsh.com