In his book An Iron Will Orison Swett Marden Writes,

It is irresolution that is worse than rashness. “He that shoots,” says Feltham, “may sometimes hit the mark; but he that shoots not at all can never hit it.
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The man who is forever twisting and turning, backing and filling, hesitating and dawdling, shuffling and parleying, weighing and balancing, splitting hairs over non-essentials, listening to every new motive which presents itself, will never accomplish anything.
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“The best men,” remarked Chapin, “are not those who have waited for chances, but who have taken them; besieged the chance; conquered the chance; and made chance the servitor.”

Is it not possible to classify successes and failures by their various degrees of will-power? A man who can resolve vigorously upon a course of action, and turns neither to the right nor to the left, though a paradise tempt him, who keeps his eyes upon the goal, whatever distracts him, is sure of success.

“Not every vessel that sails from Tarshish will bring back the gold of Ophir. But shall it therefore rot in the harbor? No! Give its sails to the wind!”

There is a way we can always reach our goals. It is very simple, makes perfect sense, and virtually never fails. Here it is: Make a definite goal and continue trying to get it until you do. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. So if that’s all there is to it, why are so many people stuck? Why do so many never obtain their goals? Indecision. Indecision is a weakness that cripples the ability to reach our goals. It stops us from making goals and it stops us from reaching them.

If we want to be in charge of our life, we need to set definite goals. We need to pick what we really want. If we cannot decide what we really want, or we make it in terms that are too general, we have no control. If a ship’s captain just said, “I’d like to end up in a nice port.” and never picked one, never set a course, and just set the boat adrift, would he end up in a nice port? Of course not. If we are to make progress, we need to stop being blown by the winds of fad. We need to decide what are goals really are.

Once we’ve decided on the goal, we need to keep working toward it until we’ve reached it. Indecision again rears it’s ugly head. Along the way we see new things, different stuff that catches our fancy. We set new goals and start working towards them instead, completely forgetting our old destination. Then we see even newer things, and again change our destination. This type of indecision leaves us stranded, going in circles and never reaching any goal.

If you never choose your goals, or if you allow distractions as you chase them, you will not get anywhere. Success is just one definite decision away. I know that it sounds easy. It’s not, but it does get easier with practice. Just make your goal and continue trying to get it until you do.