One of things most critical to home business success is defining one's goals. We are continually reminded to write them on paper, giving ourselves a deadline to meet them, so that we can remain focused on our ultimate dreams.

We need to keep them in front of us at all times in order to maintain motivation often needed to get us over rough spots in our businesses.

Wallace Wattles, in his 1910 classic, "The Science of Getting Rich," states:

"You must form a clear and definite mental picture of what you want. You cannot transmit an idea unless you have it yourself....That clear mental picture you must have continually in mind....The more clear and definite you make your picture then, and more you dwell upon it, bringing out all its delightful details, stronger your desire will be."

Does this mean that you must spend hours contemplating your ultimate goal? Of course not. It simply means that you need to know just exactly what it is that you want and want it so badly that it will stay in your thoughts.

I've personally taken this advice very much to heart. Regardless of what your goals are, it's possible for you to use this same method to maintain your own focus.

Let me explain.

My ultimate goal is for my husband and I to be able to retire to area in which I grew up, Mississippi Gulf Coast. I have a very definite image of what life will be like for us there, and each day I set aside a few minutes to simply close my eyes and dwell on mental picture of some of things we'll be able to enjoy -

Yep, that's where I wrote this article - sitting on back porch.

Well, that's probably inaccurate; actually, idea for this article came to me while I was sitting on back porch. I was enjoying my after-lunch coffee along with an unseasonably warm (but delightful) October afternoon, when it occurred to me that I was indulging myself in one of true luxuries of work-from-home lifestyle.

I began to flash back as to what it was like working more traditional 9-to-5 job, and once again I realized how blessed I was to be able to work from home on MY schedule, not someone else's!

There's no denying it - I'm toughest boss I've ever had - but even most compassionate employers have no way of knowing, let alone accommodating, those times when you just simply have to say "STOP!"