There is only one true success in the world - and that is
living your life in your own way. And there is only one
failure - when you quit trying to realize your dreams.
Where you are right now is the result of all the choices you
have made in your past. Living a life on purpose begins
with your understanding how to use your powers of personal
choice to make the decisions that will turn your dreams into
reality. So how do you begin to create your own plan for
success?
1.DEFINE YOUR GOALS AND AFFIRM THEM OFTEN!
- To transform your dream into a reachable goal YOU MUST BE
CLEAR ON WHAT YOU WANT!! A dream may be the guiding light of
your life, but without a clear definition you'll never
actualize it. An ancient Japanese proverb says this very
well: "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without
vision is a nightmare."
- Make your goals so clear you can see and feel them. Follow
the images that come to you. Ask yourself if they fit with
what you want and work with them until the picture in your
mind is totally clear. Write them down and keep a copy of
this in front of you every day.
- After you have defined your goals specifically, use
affirmations to keep the images clear and focused in your
mind. Affirmations are extremely powerful. They can help you
shift your focus from "I can't" or "I'm afraid" to "I can"
and "I will".
- Use words or phrases that help you picture what it is you
want to achieve. Be specific; keep your words in the first
person, and STAY POSITIVE. Example: "I am surrounded by
people who value, and respect me for who I am and what I
do."
- By affirming your goals clearly in your mind, you are
sending your subconscious a message that will support and
encourage you. You become attuned to whatever is relevant
to your goal, and you begin to notice new opportunities.
2.FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS
Studies show that people tend to stay focused on a
particular activity if that activity has the following
components:
- A way to measure results or keep score
- Control over the situation
- A specific goal
- Rewards for achieving the goal
Successful people are people who are motivated to keep
focused on their goals. They are constantly in front of
them and they take specific, measurable steps to attain them
every day.
What you focus on you attract. Thomas Leonard, the father
of personal coaching has called this principle "irresistible
attraction." When your purpose is clear, you become attuned
to what is relevant to your life or business and
opportunities begin to show up. This is known as the
principle of synchronicity.
3. MOTIVATION & ACTION
Make a decision to accomplish at least one activity each day
that moves you toward your goals.
Thomas Jefferson said, "I'm a great believer in luck, and I
find that the harder I work the more I have of it." Plan to
commit at least 30 minutes per day to plan for the following
day. Make a list of the items you want to accomplish and
work straight through the list. Plan to finish each item
before you move on to the next. This time management tip
alone saved Charles Schwab millions of dollars when he was
president of Bethlehem Steel.
Remember, success doesn't come from the hours you put into
your work but from the work you put into your hours.
4. POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE
A positive mental attitude, according to Napoleon Hill
(bestselling author of Think and Grow Rich) is the most
important key to choosing actions that will lead you to what
you want in life. This is one area where you can exercise
absolute control over the outcome at all times. It is the
single most influential aspect of your "success"
consciousness. Your mental attitude will determine whether
you view your life as a success or a disaster.
The way we see and feel about ourselves at any given time
determines exactly how we experience life. A positive
mental attitude enhances our personal power and makes it
possible to keep moving ahead even when circumstances and
trials beset us.
A good sense of humor is an important component of PMA. It
can put you on top of any situation. You are never without
power if you can find the humor or absurdity in a situation.
When problems threaten to completely overwhelm you - stop!
Take an MV (Mental Vacation) break. Even 30 minutes spent
doing something enjoyable and relaxing can liberate your
mind and emotions and help you return to your tasks with
renewed concentration and energy.
Keeping a positive mental attitude, especially when faced
with rejection or setbacks, will boost your self confidence.
Whenever you find yourself thinking negative thoughts - stop
and refocus. Replace those thoughts immediately with
positive affirmations. Say them aloud. With gusto!
Developing the PMA habit takes a lot of time and patience.
The long range impact of your success in life will not be
determined by what happens to you but what you THINK about
what happens to you and what you CHOOSE to do about it.
5. PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE, PERSEVERANCE
If it seems like you're working and working and your goal is
still a long way off - don't get discouraged. You are never
wasting your time! You're always learning and building
momentum toward your future in the form of experience,
self-knowledge, and confidence.
After a while you notice that you're accomplishing more with
less effort. Things are getting a little easier. Situations
don't frustrate you like they used to. That's the success
result - it comes from having the courage to keep plugging
away and refusing to give up.
The task in front of you right now is to plan your work and
then work your plan. Define your goals clearly (write them
down, keep them in front of you!), stay focused on them, and
keep a positive mental attitude.
You will get there - whatever that means for you. You will
have your share of divine intervention. Your talent and
knowledge will support you. But there is no substitute for
a great attitude - patience, persistence and perseverance.
Winston Churchill once said, "If there is no wind, row."
Sometimes all it takes is the willingness to just hang on.
Refuse to allow unhelpful criticism or negative
circumstances to deter you from your goals. Remember that
the real fun in life isn't arriving at your destination -
it's the journey. The work you do, the people you meet and
the experiences you have along the way are what will make it
all worthwhile.
You are all you need to succeed. Your life is like a great
novel waiting to be written - some of it is written by fate,
some is written by God, but the part by which you are
ultimately judged is the part you write yourself.
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