Maybe you decided, whether on New Years Day, 5 years ago, or yesterday, that you’d like to achieve a big personal goal.

By this I mean it is something that is out of your comfort zone, requires consistent efforts for an extended period, and some kind of measurable achievement (i.e. losing X pounds, earning X dollars from doing Y, writing X articles over Y time, etc.).

You wrote down what you wanted to do, or maybe you told someone about it. A friend, a family member.

At first, you were making great progress towards your goal, and it felt like you really could achieve it. You were on a visualization high.

But eventually — it could’ve been days, weeks, or even hours — you just forgot about your goal.

You weren’t making a consistent effort anymore, and even though you still wanted this particular thing, you just gave up. Why?

You stopped writing down your goals regularly.

Heck, you stopped looking at your goals.

You stopped thinking about them.

And they essentially disappeared.

Goal-setting is always an euphoric experience for me, especially when taking the time to visualize what my life will be like once those goals are achieved. But if I’m not regularly tapping into that experience as a reminder, I won’t be as motivated to continue building the habits that will get me there.

When you write down or read your goals every day or at least once a week, you’re unlikely to forget them. Steve Harvey credits his success in part to the fact that he read over his list of goals every morning and every night.

Visualization is a proven technique for achieving your goals faster, and it’s no wonder so many gurus and celebrities swear by it. It’s a powerful tool that allows you to see yourself where you want to be and motivates you to take the necessary actions to get there.

Don’t let your dreams burn out because you’ve neglected to fuel them. Keep the fire burning until you have what you want.

This article was originally published by Isabella lahoue on medium.