Keep your mouth shut about your goals and plans.

When you have some great aspirations in your life, shouldn't you announce them to your family and friends?
Isn't it good networking to tell people about your upcoming projects?
Doesn't the “law of attraction” mean you should state your intention, and visualize the goal as already yours?
Nope.

Tests done since 1933 show that people who talk about their intentions are less likely to make them happen.

Announcing your plans to others satisfies your self-identity just enough that you're less motivated to do the hard work needed.

In 1933, W. Mahler found that if a person announced the solution to a problem, and was acknowledged by others, it was now in the brain as a “social reality”, even if the solution hadn't actually been achieved.

NYU psychology professor Peter Gollwitzer has been studying this since his 1982 book “Symbolic Self-Completion” (pdf article here) - and recently published results of new tests in a research article, “When Intentions Go Public: Does Social Reality Widen the Intention-Behavior Gap?”
Four different tests of 63 people found that those who kept their intentions private were more likely to achieve them than those who made them public and were acknowledged by others.

Once you've told people of your intentions, it gives you a “premature sense of completeness.”
You have “identity symbols” in your brain that make your self-image.Since both actions and talk create symbols in your brain, talking satisfies the brain enough that it “neglects the pursuit of further symbols.”

At first you might feel unable to hold all your goals and aspirations only to yourself, but you should try and do it gradually to see the most benefit from it. If you can't hold off telling someone your goal then try rephrasing it into a way that will not give you any social satisfaction or gratification. For example, instead of saying: "I've joined a gym and bought running shoes. I'm going to do it!" say something like: "I want to get into shape and become more fit, and if I slack off you should kick my ass or not talk to me for a while". That way you will be dissatisfied with your statement to a friend and will still be compelled to do your hard work to reach that goal later on.