There is something about the physical act of writing these down and posting them in a prominent place in which you view them daily that helps these goals come to fruition. Perhaps it's because when they are viewed consistently, they become ingrained in the subconscious. You are only as successful as you believe yourself to be. If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, well, you've answered your own question.
Every journey starts with a single step.
Knowing where you want to go through goal setting is step number one. However, goals alone are not enough. The Humor Source Webmasters' Ezine Gothic.