There’s more of 2018 behind us than ahead of us. We’re past the point of no return. Did your year began with exuberant promise and great goals?

“I want to lose weight.” “I want to reduce procrastination.” “I want to find a new career or job.”

Yet for all of our ambition, some of these goals may have fallen short.

We’ve focused on the long-term outcome without getting intimate with the day-to-day obstacles or we’ve set the wrong goals.

Let’s say your goal is to lose weight.

Well, you’re not alone as 49 percent of American adults surveyed between 2013 and 2016 reported that they tried to lose weight at some point during the prior 12 months, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Success in reaching goals requires you to set a realistic goal that is meaningful.

Here are some tips on how to pre-pave the path to your goals:

>> Practice acceptance. No matter what your goals, you will have obstacles.

If you expect and accept obstacles will be part of your journey, your path will be much easier. No one wants obstacles, but reaching goals takes work and you are destined to have challenges in getting there.

>> Embrace patience. Even if you think you’re patient, our culture has conditioned us to crave immediate gratification. It’s wise to remind yourself that manifesting your vision takes time.

If you only think about all you have to do to get to your goal, you’ll overwhelm yourself before you even start.

The key is to focus on one step that will get you closer to your goal.

Everything is a process, and joy can be found in the journey by focusing on your successes.

>> Find meaning. When the going gets tough, it’s in these times you can ask yourself if this is a goal worth pursuing.

Does what you are going though add to your life positively? Are you learning something? Do you need to reevaluate?

Sometimes what you once thought is right for you turns out to be not something you really want — and if so, it’s OK to let it go.

The universe is always trying to help us be authentic to who we are, and brings us obstacles to help us see where we are not in touch with ourselves.

When a goal is truly meaningful, you will not need motivation to achieve it, you’ll naturally go through whatever it takes to get there.

When you’ve set a goal that you consistently are not able to reach, it might be time to rethink your goals.

Alice Inoue is the founder of Happiness U. Visit yourhappinessu.com.