Being specific is a superpower.

Most of our goals start out as nothing more than whim. Their touch is so light it's almost hard to tell that it's there at all.

But if you take some time to shape it into something concrete, it becomes much more tangible.

For example, take something as common as "I want to see the world." If you wanted to make it more specific, it could look something like this:

• I want to visit 3 countries per year

• I want to spend a minimum of 7 days in each country

• The average cost per trip will be $2,000

• Therefore, I want to dedicate 21 days a year to travel with a budget of $6,000

Seeing the world is tough to turn into a plan, but visiting 3 countries a year is much easier.

And if your plan feels too ambitious—or not ambitious enough—you can always tweak it. Visit 2 countries a year instead of three and it may be more within budget. Or make the trips shorter if it sounds like too much of a time commitment.

It's easy to adjust something that has shape. If you can't adjust a goal, it's not specific enough.