If life were a game, would you be winning at it? Have you gained victory over the goals you’ve set, or are you feeling defeated? As with every game, how you show up and play directly results in whether you achieve victory or find yourself defeated. If you are lacking a good strategy, here are three tips to help you be victorious.

Identify the Victory

Before you can achieve the victory you are after, you have to define what it is. What does victory mean to you? What does it look like, and what does it consist of? Write it down and keep it in front of you while you’re in pursuit. Put the deadline for when you want to accomplish it in the calendar. The more tangible you make the long-term goal, the more realistic and attainable it’ll become. After all, if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it.

Set the Pace

Now that you’ve detailed what victory looks like to you, it’s time to set short-term goals to hit along the way. Depending on how long (or short) the journey is to attain that victory, your short-term goals could be daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly—this will help you set a healthy pace. Long-term goals require endurance and focus. When a goal is far out, it’s easy to let daily distractions get in the way. We justify that there is enough time tomorrow. More often than not, time flies—and before we know it, we didn’t achieve the victory we were after. Set milestones that will keep you focused and in the game—so you don’t lose sight of the prize.

Celebrate Along the Way

Short-term goals will help you set the pace from a strategy standpoint, but don’t forget about keeping your spirits high. In all likelihood, you won’t hit every short-term goal you set for yourself. After all, progress isn’t typically linear. In the game of life, sometimes we’re behind, and sometimes we’re ahead. Staying mentally strong and in high spirits is what will make the small losses insignificant as you pursue the big championship. When you hit those small milestones you set for yourself, make it a point to celebrate. How you celebrate is up to you. Whether that’s buying yourself something, sleeping in, going on a trip, or having a dance party alone in the kitchen, do something to celebrate yourself. You deserve it! 

“Every successful person loves the game. The chance to prove his worth, to excel, to win.” –Dale Carnegie