Seven Steps for Success


"The secret of success is to make what you are doing interesting to other people." - Florence Scovel Shinn

When you set a goal, no matter how difficult it seems to accomplish, don't be afraid to take the risk. In life, some sacrifices are worth the challenge. So, stop making excuses. Life is too short to miss out on reaching for your goals and realizing dreams do come true. With a little effort and a little time on your part make a commitment to go for it!

If your goals and your dreams are good ones a plan is required to make them real. Develop a time plan or a target. For instance, when you know the end result you wish to accomplish, you might list several mini targets to work on first.

Your initial target plan might look like this:

If you wish to lose 20 pounds, set up a weekly schedule. The first week you might start a daily exercise program. Second week- start cutting back on sugar and sweets. Third week - try and lowering your daily intake of calories, and so on until your goal weight is achieved.

If you wish to take a trip to the south of France (or wherever), or if you desire to expand your business, the strategy would be similar. You may need to set up a weekly or monthly schedule to put a sum away toward the cost of the trip or the cost needed to purchase more space and more equipment for the business. You could cut back on your spending and put the savings aside, or take on an extra paying project until you reach your required goal. When you've accumulated sufficient funds for the trip or the down payment on the larger business space and more equipment, you can plan your next target.

So that you may have a richer, fuller, more rewarding life, putting a system together to target your success and make your dreams a reality may include the following seven steps:

¨ Set reasonable goals and target dates. Day to day living makes a lot of demands on you - your time, your physical and emotional energy, and your responsibilities. Do not set yourself up for defeat. Master one goal at a time and do not expect instant gratification. With the onset of the microwave, and then along comes the computer and the internet both giving ways to shortcut everything you do, trying to stay focused isn't always easy.

¨ Be the master of your thoughts. Dream big. A small goal takes just as much time and effort as a giant one. Think your goal through and keep a record of your ideas and a time schedule of what needs to be done and when. Seek help where needed.

¨ Choose goals that you are passionate about. Motivation and inspiration are powerful forces that keep you moving toward your goals. Positive attitudes are also helpful. And of course, never forget your faith and the knowledge that a higher power is available to help you reach your goal. Remember: Nothing is easy, and everything takes time - lots of it. So, be patient -it eliminates the stress.

¨ Stay healthy and practice taking care of yourself - first. When you aren't feeling well, everyone around you is affected -your family, your friends and associates, and your business clients. Try to stay flexible and allow enough time to work on any project so you won't have to rush. The old saying: "Haste makes waste," is often true and may even cause a serious accident. And if you are a sole proprietor, when illness or accidents happen, this could mean a devastating loss of business income.

¨ Don't be afraid to take risks. Fear is an internal blockage that you impose on your thoughts. It is a way of making excuses for not dealing directly with your anxiety. Or, you may not wish to face the outcome. What if it doesn't work out? Instead, replace your thoughts of fear with your own source of strength and let your inner support system guide you.

¨ Keep a list of your qualities and values. What do you consider to be your most valuable asset? Do you know which of your qualities you need to make stronger? Make a list of those qualities and values that you think are the best you, those that make you feel most secure, and give you your highest self-esteem. Some of these may include: self-confidence, a forgiving nature, courage, being a good listener, trustworthy and honest, and a willingness to inspire others.

¨ Keep your emotions under control. A peaceful attitude and an awareness of your surroundings go hand in hand with prosperity and success. When you are peaceful, your thoughts and actions come from a wide-awake place that is free of fear and confusion. You will see more clearly and act quickly. When you are at peace within yourself, you attract all that is good. You are more likely to bring success, happiness and prosperity to you. When you feel rich, you attract riches. And when you feel successful, you become successful.

Make it your goal to attract success and prosperity!

Copyright April, 2005

Gerri D Smith is publisher and host of multiple Gateways to inspiration, motivation, and support for individuals, women business owners, and entrepreneurs. Gerri's internet resource offers ways to unlock the doors to your personal and business empowerment. Now is a perfect time to own your own business and discover some of the best ways to market a product. One is by letting your customers see it before they buy it. This concept is a sharing of information and is made available by the Internet. Best of all it's delivered right to your email doorstep. Why not invest in your future, now. To help you reach more of your personal and business goals, subscribe to Gerri's Free bi-monthly inspirational newsletter.

Visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com Or, send a blank email and your correct email address and mailto: gerri@distinctivebusinesswomen.com?Subject=EZ-Scribe


MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
Lessons from My Garden
What does "Lessons from My Garden" have to do with "getting organized? One of the things I've learned after 20+ years as an organizing consultant is that organizing has something to do with everything!Here's how organizing principles apply to the art of gardening:"Half of any job is using the right tool!" (Note I said "using" - not "having!") It took a blister to convince me to buy a new pair of loppers to finish trimming the butterfly bushes. With the new tool, pruning was easy and painless.
Just Dont Do It
Sometimes success is found through the things that you don't do. Here are some ideas for what we shouldn't do.
Success Lessons From Three UK Soccer Managers - People Are Always Quick To Put You In A Coffin
Arsenal Football Club were the Champions of the Premier league in English soccer in 2004. This year they have not done as well and are only in third place.
Success ...Whats the Key Ingredient?
Don't expect results over night - what??If you were to look back one hundred years ago, most people never expected results overnight. We now live in a fast paced world where everyone is in a hurry to do anything and everything.
Identity Theft - Defining Who We Are
Identity theft!We've all seen them. The commercials use the voices of people clearly not the ones speaking to relay what can happen when someone else becomes you.
What is Optimum Performance?
What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from different people. It causes people to ponder issues like:Have you ever thought about how much better you could be doing in your business?How about your career?What about your relationship with someone you love?How about the state of your health right now?One or more of these areas most often needs a little more attention in day-to-day life.
You are the President of Your Own Nation
Congratulations! You are the president of your own nation, and it is called "Imagination". This particular nation is the driving force behind your life and is the underlying factor for your future.
Balance Of Life
Mary and Susan were friends for years. They grew up together and attended the same schools.
Life Lesson--Be, Do, Have
This revelation hit me the other day while I was listening to a cassette on having financial balance in your life. On the tape, the author talked about a goal setting seminar he went to.
Do You Need to Have a High IQ to Be Successful? Does an Average IQ Mean Youll Be Average?
You have probably heard the term "IQ" many times, and you probably know it has something to do with measuring intelligence.The letters "IQ" stand for "intelligence quotient", and an IQ test is widely used as a way to measure intelligence.
To Succeed Greatly, You Must...
(1) Climb up from under the limitations of circum­stances and conditions(2) Do some­thing in such a way that you become a leader in rendering service and securing just com­pensation for your service.Read that again!It suggests the personal factors which will make your effort successful.
High Energy Performance
One of the hallmarks of all successful and high achieving men and women is that they are always determined to get the very most out of life. They are fully engaged.
One Step at a Time the Bowling Ball up the Ladder of Success!
I have often been asked the question, "What is true success?"Unlike many, I do not grade success by how much money one has or how many claims to fame they possess. Success is not based on facts and figures.
Success Means Never Ever Giving Up
Persistence is the foundation of success. Although there are many ways to describe success, there is only one definition of failure - giving up.
Success Lessons From TV - What Key Life Skill Did Sugar Ray Teach?
Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone have recently hosted a fascinating reality show called "Contenders" in which 16 top middleweight boxers gradually eliminate each other from contention until the final two get a great opportunity to show their skills in Las Vegas and the winner gets 1 million dollars.Every week two boxers fight it out.
Why Balancing Your Polarity Can Make Life Better
Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves into a frenzy of action day after day.The urgency of what needs to be done and the limited time we have to do it excites us to become excessive in our activity.
It is a Challenge to Succeed
(excerpted from The Challenge to Succeed audio series)It is a challenge to succeed. If it were not, I'm sure more people would be successful, but for every person who is enjoying the fruit from the tree of success, many more are examining the roots.
Dont Listen To Successful People
Do you know what the problem is with asking successful people for advice? They don't always know why they are successful - but they'll give you all the reasons you want. I once watched an 100-year-old man explain that smoking every day was the secret to his longevity.
Maximizing Your Potential: Using Your Brain to Think
The Chicago Times once printed that Henry Ford was an ignoramus. Mr.
Plan On Opposition to Your New Ideas. It's Normal!
Lets face it, no one enjoys rejection. But the reality is, a new idea starts getting negative assaults within three seconds and thirty percent of people will readily oppose a new idea without even taking sufficient time to find out if the new idea is good or not.