Before you can jump feet first into changing your life with a set of long-term goals, you have a job to do: Figure out what's really important to you.

Most people you meet don't like their jobs, are unhappy with their family life, and want more money. Winning the lottery would make it all okay. At least that's what they think. But the truth is... unless you live your life according to your core values, no amount of money will be enough to bring you joy.

What do I mean by core values? I mean the feelings you have about good and evil that are buried deep within your heart.

What does goal setting have to do with core values? It's all about insuring your long-term happi­ness. If you set goals that contravene your core values, you will wake up one day and say, "I did everything I said I wanted to do. But so what?"

You don't want to end up being yet another highly successful but fundamentally miserable person -- a fate so common it's become a cliche. Here's how to make sure that doesn't happen...