Greatest Fears to Achieving Transformation Success

Greatest Fears to Achieving Transformation Success

Obstacle #1: I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.
Believe or not, individuals who achieve extraordinary levels of success have days just as hectic as ours. They've got obligations: commitments to work, friends, and family. And let's face it, we're all confined to an equal amount of time—the same 24 hours. Yet some people find the time to continually make exercise a part of their daily routine.

So how do they do it? Simple—they create it. You can instantly create time if you begin to plan, plan, and plan some more. That means planning your days ahead, at least a day in advance, sometimes even a week in advance. One of the best time-creating techniques is to make a list of your daily "to-dos" and schedule when you're going to exercise. (This is a common challenge—we forget how important it is to schedule an appointment with ourselves to exercise.)

Then divide your "to-dos" into things you must do and things you would like to do, so you're less likely to confuse urgency with importance. You see, getting to the gym is important, whereas getting your haircut may seem urgent when you're running late but can certainly be rescheduled. And before you do anything, always ask yourself what you could be doing that would be more productive.

Success Strategy #1: PLAN AHEAD. Creating the time you need to exercise is easy! Plan your days in advance by creating action lists of the most important things to accomplish each day.

Obstacle #2: I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
Don't know what exercises to do to help you get the most out of your workouts? Not sure what to eat, when, to help you put on muscle and shed that unwanted bodyfat? And supplements, well, these can be downright confusing!

That's all understandable: there are just so many techniques, recommended by so many "fitness experts." So, whose advice can you trust? It can become paralyzing. So instead of trying to sort through all the (mis)information, stop right now: keep yourself from chasing every exercise theory or latest diet craze. But this doesn't sound like it will do us any good, does it?

So how do you find the answers? It's simple—model the success of others. For example, try our free programs like Maximum Growth, the Lean System Success Plan, or the 21-Day Energy Plan.

The greatest thing about success is that it leaves clues, and if we pay close attention, we can pick up those clues and model the actions and behaviors to produce similar results. Find people, whether in person or in a magazine, who have achieved the type of extraordinary success you wish to achieve, and find out what they did. It's really as easy as that.

"If you follow a proven approach to exercise, nutrition, and supplementation, you will achieve similar success."Success Strategy #2: STUDY A SUCCESSFUL FORMULA—AND FOLLOW IT. Seek someone who has achieved the "extraordinary" results you desire and learn from his or her "winning" actions. If you follow a proven approach to exercise, nutrition, and supplementation, you will achieve similar success.

Obstacle #3: I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY.
Do you wake up every morning feeling energized, powerful, and ready to take on the day? Or do you rise feeling as tired as the night before, resenting that a new day has presented itself so soon? Do you fear your current energy levels would never allow you to participate in a fitness program?

This is a great example of the perceived problem—your lack of energy to exercise—being the ultimate solution. We might believe we're too exhausted to exercise, but in reality, we lack energy simply because we don't exercise!

It's been scientifically proven that incorporating exercise into our lives actually gives us more energy. Moderate levels of exercise can even help us sleep better at night, so we wake up renewed.

How else can you bolster energy levels?

As long as we feed ourselves with properly balanced protein- and carbohydrate-rich meals, we feel an immediate impact on our energy levels. The more closely we keep to our preferred eating strategy, the better we feel, period. Feeding our bodies every two to three hours throughout the day provides us with a stable, constant supply of nutrients required to be more energetic.

Success Strategy #3: GIVE YOUR ENERGY A BOOST. Exercise and proper nutrition play a vital role in our energy levels and allow us to perform at peak levels daily.

Obstacle #4: I HATE SETTING GOALS.
Goals come from having a clear vision of what you want. Knowing you want to build your very best body is great start, but you need something more than that—a statement so compelling it literally pulls you, like a magnet, in the direction of its achievement.

So, maybe you're not certain how to set effective goals? If that's you, then don't worry, everyone starts off this way... To really set effective fitness goals and ensure you'll reach them, you're going to have to learn what I call the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting technique. Not only will this technique enable you to set the most effective goals, it will help focus your efforts on exactly what you want to achieve.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for:

Specific—you must be specific about what you want to achieve, creating your goal in the present tense. That means using "I am in the process of..." to start your goal statement.
Measurable—how do you measure "better shape" or "slimmer waist"? You can't. So scale your goal to a specific number (e.g., 10% bodyfat, a 33-inch waist, or a size six).
Action-oriented—you must be able to create an action list of things you must do to achieve success.
Realistic—make certain your goal is realistic yet stretches you, given your expectations and timeframe.
Time-conscience—a date forces us to give it priority and puts positive pressure on you to achieve it.
Success Strategy #4: TRANSFORM YOUR FITNESS GOALS. Using the S.M.A.R.T. technique will ensure you've set an effective and commanding goal and will not only clarify your path to success but will compel you to achieve it.
Obstacle #5: THERE'S TOO MUCH RISK.
The physical transformation that takes place on your outside (your body) is really a metaphor for the mental (inner) transformation that takes place on the inside. You see, not only should your chosen program change the way you look, it is just as important that it change the way you feel about yourself.

"...not only should your chosen program change the way you look, it is just as important that it change the way you feel about yourself."Every time we purchase the latest miracle pill, workout gadget, or eight-minute solution, we're just avoiding the process of a true transformation and trying to find a quick fix. This is nothing more than treating the symptoms and not the causes. It does nothing to improve our self-esteem, confidence, or personal power.

Let me share a little secret with you and save you time, money, and frustration: this approach never works. And you'll never feel a true sense of fulfillment when you try this type of "magic bullet" approach. Unless you start from the inside, you're sure to find yourself right back where you started, only more disappointed.

We must challenge ourselves to find a solution that involves total balance—a complete solution that integrates some very essential elements, such as proper nutrition and supplementation, cardiovascular and weight-training exercise, and most importantly, strengthening our inner self, our minds.

Your chosen program should help you set commanding goals, transform your old, self-defeating beliefs into new, empowering beliefs, and transform your patterns so you're continually producing results that take you closer to your goals.

Remember, you can't transform a lifetime of poor habits in matter of days. It takes time—a couple of months at best. Rest assured, following a solution that allows you to first transform your inside and then your outside is sure plan for long-term success.

Success Strategy #5: FOLLOW AN INSIDE-OUT APPROACH. To successfully transform your physique and achieve your fitness goals, follow an approach that focuses first on increasing your self-esteem and building confidence, before you concentrate on your physique, and you'll more likely be able to create extraordinary results that will last a lifetime.

Obstacle #6: I CAN'T STAY COMMITTED.
There's a huge difference between intentions and action. And the difference is commitment.

Our commitment to our goals leads us to achievement, even during the toughest times. There is a direct relationship between motivation and commitment. And if you're really committed to making a change now, the only way to make it happen is to create a sense of immediate importance.

You can do this by attaching reasons that are so compelling and so intense you must follow through. So right now, ask yourself the following questions and come up with at least three intensely compelling reasons you must commit to your transformation goals.

What will this cost me if I don't change right now?
What has this cost me so far, concerning my health, physical condition, self-confidence, and energy levels?
If I do change now, how will I feel about myself?
How will this impact my life?
What will I gain as a result?"
Your answers to these questions will help you gain an immediate understanding of what you're committed to and why!

Success Strategy #6: IDENTIFY YOUR REASONS. Clearly state your reasons for wanting to change and make them so compelling you become truly committed to achieving your fitness goals.

Obstacle #7: I LACK THE CONFIDENCE TO SUCCEED.
Sometimes the accomplishment of our goals might seem so overwhelming, the immediate temptation is to give up before we even start—which diminishes our self-confidence even further. It's true. We can't gain confidence until we take action. Yet, we don't want to take action until our confidence levels are raised sufficiently. See the "catch"?

Take, for example, the intimidating obstacle of your entire fitness goal needing to be achieved in a giant, single step. Now that's paralyzing, isn't it?

"... to gain confidence, you must break your fitness goal down into measurable steps."That's why, to gain confidence, you must break your fitness goal down into measurable steps. For example, if you wanted to lose 12% bodyfat within 12 weeks, then you could realistically set your increments for one percent of bodyfat reduction per week. This way, you don't have to focus on the whole goal at any given time, nor do you notice all that you have not yet accomplished; instead you can focus entirely on the smaller, manageable steps ahead. This gives you a tremendous sense of control and achievement. Building your confidence, each step of the way.

By the time you are nearing the end of your first couple of weeks of your fitness program, despite the ups and downs in progress, you will begin to feel more confident. You will be determined to advance one more step and make the effort to complete your fitness program and build your very best body.

Suddenly, as the fear dissipates, you will discover newfound confidence. And best of all, you will have achieved what you once thought was impossible—one increment at a time.

Success Strategy #7: MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS. Success is accomplished only through measuring your progress, always from where you're coming from (backwards). This way, you will never lack a sense of accomplishment, and you'll build your confidence with each and every step.

Obstacle #8: I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MOTIVATION.
So you need a source of motivation in your life—something to get you out of bed in the morning and carry you through the day?

One way is to continually "see" what you want to become by finding a picture of someone's physique you would most like to emulate (probably in your favorite fitness magazine), cut it out, and hang it someplace you're likely to see it over and over again throughout the day. You might even write down your reasons for wanting to achieve this goal with the photo.

By seeing the body you want to achieve in front of you all the time, you'll be pointing your subconscious toward the realization of these results. This constant source of inspiration is a reminder of where you are going. It's called bringing focus to the center of your awareness.

Success Strategy #8: FIND AN INSPIRATION. Discover your inspiration, someone who has turned his or her body and life from ordinary to extraordinary, and use that as your source of daily fuel. Look for inspiration in our Success Stories, such as David Silbaugh, Marina Popelka, and Mark Harden, who have each reached their goals and are now helping others do the same. Greatest Fears to Achieving Transformation Success

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Secrets To Success

Secrets To Success. What's the "secret" behind successful business owners? It's simple - they have a coach. We all have blind spots, particularly when it comes to our business. Have you noticed how easy it is to give advice, but when it comes to your life you can't see the whole picture? Emotions can get in the way of making clear decisions.

Who do you turn to when you need answers?

Do you operate your business from the highest level of thinking and action?
Do you feel you are doing all you can, and yet, it just isn't enough?
The old model of learning from your mistakes is not effective. It's too expensive and time consuming. A single mistake can ruin you in today's fast paced business environment. A coach is an inexpensive insurance policy. Coaching is a profession that has synthesized the best from psychology, business, communication, mentoring, consulting, sports, philosophy, spirituality, sports and finance. A coach challenges you, and provides the tools, structure and support you need. A coach draws the answers out of you and bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to go.

Why do entrepreneurs turn to coaches?

To get an objective viewpoint from someone who has no hidden agenda.
To have consistent structure, support and accountability.
To maximize and leverage every action, investment and opportunity in your life, while minimizing your effort and risks.
When a business owner hires a coach it demonstrates strength and a willingness to take responsibility to grow themselves and their business. Just talking about your thoughts, emotions, and ideas can generate solutions. Many business owners who continually churn their businesses in their mind, drain themselves of the very energy required to run their business with clarity. Bouncing your concerns and ideas with a coach who sees things outside the box that you operate from, can provide obvious solutions.

What is a coach?

Coaching is a profession that has synthesized the best from psychology, business, communication, mentoring, consulting, sports, philosophy, spirituality, sports and finance. A coach challenges you, and provides the tools, structure and support you need. A coach draws the answers out of you and bridges the gap between where you are and where you want to go. A coach is like having a personal trainer for your life and business.

The Seven Secrets To Effortless Success!

1. Identity Your Recipe For Success.

What's the real difference between success and failure? Some people may argue that it's having a great attitude, money, luck or perseverance. The real difference is only one thing - It's the ability to be consistent. You can have a great attitude or perseverance, but if you only have it one or two days a week your life will look like a roller coaster. True success is something you create consistently. What's your recipe for success? Identify the specifics of your successful days: What are you thinking? How do you walk? How are you breathing? What kind of people are around you? Are you taking care of your body? Did you work out today? What types of food are you putting into your body to fuel you? All of these components begin the process of
identifying your special recipe for success. Once you have identified it, duplicate it consistently to maintain an upward movement of quantifiable results.

2. Eliminate The Hassles Of Life.

Suffering is optional! Stop suffering, tolerating and hoping. There's a huge addiction in our culture among entrepreneurs that's rarely recognized. It's the addiction to adrenaline. Adrenaline is a source of energy. It's not the healthiest source of energy, and yet people will do anything to get it. Adrenaline is a habit that creates an unhealthy lifestyle. Here are some symptoms of adrenaline:

Rushing around and juggling as many projects as possible all at once.
Speeding in your car.
Always looking at the clock.
Filing up your gas tank on empty.
Coffee
Sugar
Messy desk with piles everywhere.
Never saying "no" to projects.
Over promising your results.
Adrenaline addiction runs rampant among entrepreneurs because the common belief holds that adrenaline equals success. Gordon Bahary, president of Electric Kingdom Records used to run his life on adrenaline. "I used to create situations that developed adrenaline. I would drink coffee, eat sugar, get hyped, angry and excited more than was necessary. I planned my execution of tasks in an erratic fashion just to get the adrenaline rush. I was dependent upon something external pushing me and used adrenaline to get through my day. Now I'm clear about my real talents and draw genuine energy from within. I have time to stop and think and gained a love for my discipline of not running on adrenaline."

The paradox of attraction is - if you want to achieve more, do less. It's called irresistible attraction. By eliminating adrenaline you naturally attract success, reduce stress, integrate all aspects of your life, simplify, and reorient around what makes you the happiest. What good is increased productivity and profitability if you're not happy?

3. Get Your Needs Met And Communicate More Effectively.

It's important to be clear about what you need and to communicate it elegantly. Needs are not optional. It's what you don't know about you that really runs you. Unmet needs can run your life, until you identify them and take complete responsibility for fulfilling them in healthy ways. Have the language you need to handle confrontations. When people avoid confrontations their lives get messy. When you have the skills to communicate effectively, you have quality relationships and restore your integrity. Learn how to come across better, listen, influence, coach, motivate, inspire and support others.

4. Create Reserves.

Business owners tend to run their business on the edge. They get so caught up with their ideas that they invest everything into their ventures and want to make it happen all now! Business owners tend to exhaust their reserves quicker and faster than any other group of people, because they are creative and come up with so many ideas that require attention. The solution is to create reserves in every area. You want to have more than enough so that you are always operating from reserves. When you operate on close to empty you react to every situation in life. With reserves you respond to life. When you respond you're always at choice.

How do you build reserves? Begin by creating new standards of doubling everything, i.e time, money, opportunities, clients, friends, energy, etc. Fill your gas tank when it's on half a tank instead of waiting until it's on empty. Buy two boxes of fax paper versus one. Hold money in separate reserve accounts for new projects. Say "no" more. Stop over promising and begin to under promise. Operating with reserves make you more attractive. People will gravitate to you and seek you out to do business. With reserves comes fewer errors, space to create the future, time to do complete work and the ability to maintain integrity.

5. Work "On" Your Business Instead Of "In" It.

Insightful business owner's are wise not to work "IN" their business, but know that real money and success come from working "ON" their business. When you work "IN" your business you think like an employee, do tasks that you can do that others should be doing, and work really hard. When you work "ON" your business, you orchestrate the work of others, you step back daily to get a helicopter view of where you're heading and plan your business for long term growth.

It's very easy for new business owners to get engrossed and consumed with their business. While it's important to understand how to run and operate your business it is equally important to stop and set up structures and systems so that anyone can do the job the same way. You're probably worth more than your making. Why charge what you think you are worth. Charge what others are charging. What other products and services can you market to your existing client's? Stop chasing, selling and promoting your business and begin to effortlessly attract . The key here is to have an extremely profitable business. Question all your expenses. Leverage your ability to improve the financial bottom line, make money, add more value to your customers, and increase productivity. The key is to have money instead of money having you. Remember the mission and forget the commission.

6. Get Rid Of All The Stuff In The Way

Eliminate the distractions of problems, incompletions and tolerations and increase productivity. Everything you tolerate claims a piece of your creative and physical energy. Tolerations drain you of the resources required for a successful business. " Getting rid of my tolerations was the most freeing thing I've ever done. I never realized how much energy was being drained from tolerations. Everyday I walked in and got annoyed at my messy desk. Now my desk is organized, I have more energy to use on more important things, like growing my business." Says Mike Schneider, president of Ki Sales.

What are incompletes and tolerations? The piles you have in your office, projects you plan to start, unfilled tax receipts or forms, unread magazines, legal matters, the dent on your car, conversations you need to have, etc. Set up a plan to resolve tolerations and structure a way to eliminate them permanently. How? Identify and eliminate the cause of your tolerations, so they don't come up again. "I constantly look for ways to make my life easier. When issues comes up I don't just look to resolve them, I look for solutions so the problems never resurface." Says Pete Fioretti, president of Mountain Funding.

7. Discover Your Strengths and Orient Your Business Around Them.

What are your strengths? Unfortunately we learn as children to get good at the things we are not good at. For instance, if you had a natural talent in art and failed in math, your parents would hire you a math tutor instead of an art teacher to embellish your innate strengths. When you spend your life trying to get good at things that don't come naturally to you, mediocrity is at best what you can expect. The secret key to effortless success is to identify your strengths and talents and do only those things.

Jan Guarino, president of Guarino Graphics was struggling with her growing business. She spent her time wearing every hat in her company. By the end of the month profits were not growing. She finally stopped doing what she didn't enjoy. She delegated the administration, and took control of graphic design and sales, and her company profits more than doubled.

If you are not certain what your gifts are, it may be difficult to discover it yourself. How do you discover your strengths? Ask five people that know you well what they believe your gifts are. In that dialogue with them you'll discover it.

Are You A Coaching Candidate?

1. Do you spend your day putting out fires?
2. Do you have any concerns about your business running at maximum profitability?
3. Do you run your business on the edge?
4. Do the same problems continually resurface?
5. Do you have difficulty finding someone you trust who can give you an objective viewpoint and bounce ideas off of?
6. Is your business running you ?
7. Do you find that you are unable to make the most of all the opportunities in your life?
8. Do you experience roller coaster highs and lows in your business?
9. Do you have a lone ranger lifestyle?
10. Do you allow your goals and purpose to get sidetracked?
11. Do you lack having a clear, measurable action plan to fulfill your goals?
12. Do you lack structure?
13. Do you lack inner fulfillment?
14. Do you spend most of your day working "in" your business instead of "on" it?
15. Are you a workaholic?
16. Are you experiencing a lack of balance in your life and business?
17. Are you committed to growing yourself and your company?
18. Are you coachable? (Are you willing to hear and act on another's person's viewpoint?)
19. Do you lack a clear financial plan for your future?
20. Are you willing to be truthful and restore your integrity?

If you answered yes to more than three of these questions you can benefit from a coach. Secrets To Success

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Keys to Success

Keys to Success. Treating people with respect wins trust and develops lasting relationships. Here’s what to do.

1) Be on time. In fact, arrive early for appointments and meetings. Plan time milestones in your daily schedule that tell you when to begin transferring to an appointment. That is, note when you will stop working on a task, begin collecting resource materials, and start traveling. Allow time for delays in travel, especially if driving. Consider: The fastest way to destroy people’s trust in you is to waste their time.

2) Communicate with others. Answer your phone and return phone calls. Listen carefully and completely when people talk to you. Show an interest in others before telling about yourself. When making phone calls devote all of your attention to what the other person is saying (instead of time sharing with other tasks, such as checking e-mail or playing computer games). Phone others only when you can devote full attention to what the other person is saying. Consider: ignoring people is rude and unprofessional.

3) Plan projects. For example, always prepare an agenda for meetings. Contact key participants before the meeting to hear their views, solicit suggestions for agenda items, and coach them on how to prepare for the meeting. Send agendas far enough before the meeting so that people have time to prepare. Consider: Bad meetings demonstrate an inability to provide leadership.

4) Be courteous. Find the good in everyone. Compliment others. Avoid starting or listening to gossip. Never ridicule, insult, or make fun of other people. Use positive words, always speaking about what you want and how you want things to be. Avoid suggesting motives or assigning judgments for other people’s actions and views. Consider: Discourtesy damages all relationships.

5) Help others. Be a mentor for newcomers. Share ideas. Teach people skills that will help them excel. Work with a spirit of abundance. Seek win/win results. Let others speak first, even on issues where you are an expert. Give first without attaching a receipt for return favors. Consider: Selfish people end up working harder. Keys to Success

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Reasons why Smiling makes us More Successful

Reasons why Smiling makes us More Successful. When you realise the true benefits that everyone gains from a smile it is surprising that more people don’t spend more of their time sharing them!

First: Our smile shows others people that we are friendly.
If a stranger approached you and gained eye contact with you and then treated you to a broad smile you will have a fairly good idea that they are being friendly and certainly mean you no harm.

By contrast we would find it far more difficult to offer trust to the stranger that wears a scowl or unfriendly face features.

Second: A smile can make people happy.
When someone treats you to a smile, even a stranger, you usually smile back. For that moment you enjoy a flash of positive communication without saying a word. As you walk through a crowed area such as a main street you can do this hundreds times in a very short period of time.

When you smile at someone who is not already smiling and they smile back you have brought a moment of happiness into their lives which, who knows, could last all day.

Third: Smiling is infectious.
When you spend a lot in the company of someone who smiles a lot you will soon discover that their smile starts to wear off on you. It is hard not to return a smile; most of us do it at a subliminal level without thinking.

Fourth: Smiling can make you popular.
Which type of people do you prefer? A person that has a tired and listless face. An expression that may reflect their inner thoughts of boredom and worry? Or, would you prefer someone who is always smiling and shows that they have an enthusiastic passion for life.

I think for the majority of us the choice would be obvious!

Fifth: Smiling can help you to make new friends
In the same way few of us would choice a miserable person for a friend. Lets face it we all want someone who is going to be bubbly and a happy and positive.

Sixth: A smile is usually returned
When someone smiles back at you it make you feel good inside. You have just made a short but very positive communication and possibly the first step in the process of getting to know or making friends with someone new.

Seventh: Smiling makes you positive and happy inside.
When you smile it is hard to feel unhappy, negative or sad in anyway. Smiling gives you enthusiasm and drive, it is also habit forming.

Eight: A smile makes you look far more attractive.
You don’t see many celebrities or media personalities that are not smiling because if you did it is fairly certain that their popularity would quickly start to drop!

Ninth: Smiling also helps make you memorable to others!
Have you noticed that smiling people are usually far more memorable than those that are not? It is fact that you are 3 time more likely to remember the person that is smiling over the one that is wearing a negative or neutral features.

Tenth: Most importantly, smiling is good for your health!!!
When you are smiling you find whatever you are doing far easier. It releases stress, worry and tension that you may have built up throughout the day. Long term, developing the smiling habit will be one of the smartest things that you can do to improve most aspects of your life.

Eleventh: The effects of smiling can last for hours
Whatever problems and challenges you have in your life, smiling temporary puts them and hold. For a while you forget the problems and become positive, and while you are in a positive state you have far more potential and power to advance and improve your life.

Lastly: Smiling is FREE!
You are never going to run short of smiles and will always have enough to go around. When you weigh up the positive points of smiling it is a no brainer decision to do far more smiling and share them with as many people as possible. Reasons why Smiling makes us More Successful. Keep smiling.

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Success Steps by steps For Your Personal Bussiness

Success Steps by steps For Your Personal Busisness . Fact: Success is something of which we all want more.

Fact: Most people believe that success is difficult.

Fact: They’re wrong - it’s not!

Success isn’t really that difficult. There is a significant portion of the population here in North America, that actually want and need success to be hard! Why? So they then have a built-in excuse when things don’t go their way! Pretty sad situation, to say the least.

For those of you who are serious about having more, doing more, giving more and being more, success is achievable with some understanding of what to do, some discipline around planning and execution of those plans and belief that you can achieve your desires.

The Truth About Success

The first thing to remember about success is that it is a process – nothing more, nothing less. There is really no magic to it and it’s not reserved only for a select few people. As such, success really has nothing to do with luck, coincidence or fate. It really comes down to understanding the steps in the process and then executing on those steps.

There are basically six key areas to higher achievement. Some people will tell you there are four while others may tell you there are eight. One thing for certain though, is that irrespective of the number of steps the experts talk about, they all originate from the same roots.

From my perspective then, here are the six key steps:

1. Making the decision

2. Clarity - developing the Vision

3. Focus – having a plan

4. Commitment – understanding the price and having the willingness to pay that price

5. Belief – believing in yourself and those around you

6. Taking action – practice Ready, Fire, Aim…

Making the Decision

If success is a process with a number of defined steps, then it is just like any other process. So, what is the first step in any process?

Making a decision to do something – this is the first step. We all know that nothing moves until someone makes a decision. The first action is always in making the decision to proceed. This is a fundamental step, which most people overlook.

So, make the decision to move forward. Commit your decision to paper, just to bring it into focus. Then, go for it!

Clarity

Having clarity of purpose and a clear picture of what you desire, is probably the single most important factor in achievement. Why is Clarity so important?

Without clarity, you send a very garbled message out to the Universe. We know that the Law of Attraction says that we will attract what we focus on, so if we don’t have clarity, we will attract confusion.

Consider the following analogy:

You are going on a cruise, but when the ship sets sail, you discover it has no rudder. What happens? One of 3 things will occur:

1. You will sail along until you collide with an immovable object, after which you will sink to the bottom

2. You will run aground and become hopelessly stuck in the mud

3. You will drift aimlessly until you arrive back at the original dock

Trying to go through life without clarity is similar to sailing a rudder-less ship – no good thing can or will happen!

The sad thing is the majority of people have no clue about what they truly want. They have no clarity. When asked the question, responses will be superficial at best, and at worst, will be what someone else wants for them.

So how do we get clarity? Simply by asking ourselves lots of questions: What do I really want? What does success look like to me? Why do I want a particular thing? How will this achievement change my life? How can I use this success to make a difference for others?

Introspection is the trick. Understand what you want, why you want it and what it will do for you. This is a critical factor, and as such, is probably the most difficult step. For this reason, most people never complete this aspect – then wonder why life is so difficult!

Once you have a clear understanding of what you want, it is critical that you engage in goal setting – specifically setting SMART goals.

SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Sensitive - S-M-A-R-T. Knowing what you want and setting SMART goals as mileposts on your quest cannot help but give you clarity!

Focus

Focus is having the unwavering attention to complete what you set out to do. There are a million distractions in every facet of our lives. Telephones and e-mail, clients and managers, spouses and kids, TV, newspapers and radio – the distractions are everywhere and endless. Everyone wants a piece of us and the result can be totally overwhelming.

So, how can we stay on course with all the distractions in our lives? Willpower is a good start, but it’s very difficult to stay on track simply through willpower.

The best way is to develop and follow a plan. Start with your goals in mind and then work backwards to develop the plan. What steps are required to get you to the goals? Make the plan as detailed as possible. Try to visualize and then plan for, every possible setback. Commit the plan to paper and then keep it with you at all times. Review it regularly and ensure that every step takes you closer to your Vision and Goals. If the plan doesn’t support the vision then change it!

Along with your plans, you should consider developing an action orientation that will keep you motivated to move forward at all times. This requires a little self-discipline, but is a crucial component to achievement of any kind. Before starting any new activity, ask yourself if that activity will move you closer to your goals. If the answer is no, you may want to reconsider doing it at that time.

I coach my clients to practice the 3 D’s – Defer, Delegate or Delete. Can the particular activity be done later? Defer it! Can it be done by someone else? Delegate it! Does it need to be done at all? If not, consider deleting it! Posing these questions will help to keep you focused on what is truly important!

Commitment

Commitment is something that comes from understanding that everything has its price and then having the willingness to pay that price. This is important because nobody wants to put significant effort into something, only to find out after the fact that the price was too high.

The price is something not necessarily defined as financial. It could be time, effort, sacrifice, money or perhaps, something else. The point is that we must be fully aware of the price and be willing to pay it, if we want to have success.

Belief

This is perhaps the single biggest obstacle that all of us must overcome in order to be successful.

We all carry a lot of baggage, thanks to our upbringing. The majority of people carry with them, an entire series of self-limiting beliefs that will absolutely stop, and hold them back from, success. Things like “I’m not good enough”, “I’m not smart enough”, “I’m not lucky enough”, and the worst, “I’m not worthy” are but a few of the self-limiting beliefs I have encountered. We carry them with us like rocks in a knapsack, and then use them to sabotage our success. So, how twisted is that?!?!

The old expression is absolutely true – whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right!

One of the main areas that I work on with my clients is shedding these non-supportive beliefs and replacing them with beliefs that will help them to accomplish their desires.

It is truly amazing the damage that we, as parents, can inflict on our children. So why do we do it? For the most part, we don’t do it intentionally or with malice. In the majority of cases, the cause is a well-meaning but unskilled or un-thinking parent, who says the wrong thing at the wrong time, and the message sticks – as simple as that!

And it's not just parents that are the cause - teachers, friends, clergy members or anyone else that has influence in a child's life can be a contributor to these self-limiting beliefs!

The bottom line is that we must shed the bad and replace with good beliefs.

Taking Action

“Nothing changes until something moves” – this is the battle cry of author and journalist Robert Ringer. And he is absolutely correct. Not all of the decision-making, clarity, planning, focus and belief in the world, will get you to where you want to be, without taking action!

Action – putting your plans into play – that is what will get you to the destination. Don’t get caught in the paralysis of analysis, or in the conundrum of Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim…

Get the oars in the water and start rowing. Execution is the single biggest factor in achievement, so the faster and better your execution, the quicker you will get to the goals!

Conclusion

So, there you have it; the six steps that will help you to the fabled land of achievement and success! You now have the opportunity to push ahead and reach your potential. No more excuses - make the commitment to take action TODAY!

Figure out what you want, put a plan together to achieve it, understand the cost, believe in yourself then go and get it! Success Steps by steps For Your Personal Business

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Get Whatever You Want

"If only I had more money." A thought people have all too often is what it comes down to. I should know. So many times we get caught up in what we don't have; the money, the time, the skills, the education, the support, the tools, etc. If you jammed all of those "I don't haves" into one group, you would have what you call, excuses. That's all they are. Think about it for a moment. Think about what has ever in your life stopped you from doing something that you wanted to do? It will always be an excuse not to get what you want. We often get stopped right in our tracks too easily due to excuses. These are the excuses that either we've adapted from our surroundings growing up, or from ourselves and lack of knowledge. That is just how society has conformed us to program. When we reach a roadblock or a difficulty, we immediately point the blame towards someone or something. Most times, amazingly, we put the blame on ourselves. One negative thought will even lead to another!

For example, let's say you wanted to start a business, or dreamed of having your own. Even many business owners will admit that they had struggles getting to where they are. Typically, if you don't have the tools, the skills, the support, the money, or the time, then the thought of you starting and owning your own business will fleet just as fast as it came. Why? Simply because all of the things you knew you needed in order to even plan for it to be a reality, you did not have. Therefore, you immediately were convinced that you weren't capable. You might go from thinking you don't have the time. Then you think about making the time, and possibly cutting your hours at work. Fearfully, then you realize you don't have enough money to do such a thing.

Just as easy as the invigorating thought of owning your own business came into your mind, within five minutes you've thought of a million and one ways (excuses) for why you couldn't do it. You even convince yourself further, as if the excuses weren't enough, and rationalize why a business isn't for you by looking at how others have failed. How ridiculous is it for anyone to look at someone else's failure and determine it to be their own? Very. However, this is the type of thinking that goes on in our own minds, not to mention the minds of others around us. These are often the type of responses that people give themselves too quickly. Even when they are dreamy enough to support themselves and their dreams in the beginning, they quickly allow themselves to fall to the norm because of what others may think or tell them. How will you ever know the fruits of your own potential if you never take the action to plant the seeds?

"If only...." All to often we get to a place where we repeat this in our lives over and over until, "If only..." becomes the story of our lives and our lives are full of excuses. That is not the way you will live a fulfilled life. On the other hand, it's how you will look up one day and find your life to be full of regrets and stubborn desires that you never let loose. Why is it that others succeed at something that you "would like" to do, but you can't? My assumption is that it's not because they didn't have to say "If only..." due to having everything to begin with, but rather they chose not to say it. Instead, they created their own story...you know...the one that makes them happy. They are the people who decide what they want and make that the end of the story (that they get what they want). So instead of saying, "If only I had more money" or "If only I had more support", they might say, "how can I get more money" or "where can I get more support" and proceed to find it. Then as they climb the ladder of their plans, they simply get what they planned for! Lucky? I think not.

Not to say that every venture will only take you a day to complete it or that it's that easy. Depending on what you want and where you are starting from, it could take you a day or years to find accomplishment. The point is that you find what you want out of life and know that your chances of getting it are only possible without excuses. I'm sure you've heard the saying, "No one ever said life would be easy." No one ever said life had to be all dissatisfaction either. Fix your mind to bend from what society has conditioned you to believe and start believing what makes you feel treasured and satisfied. You might find that there are things you want out of life that would give you great satisfaction if you just got rid of some common-folk excuses and made plans to own them. Letting go and avoiding excuses is part of the formula for getting whatever you want.

Next time you start to say, "If only...", instead think of a "What if..." What if you went for what you wanted regardless of how much time it would take? What if it came out to be easier than you thought? What if you could end up changing the world? What if you could just end up changing your family and generations to come? What if you felt, looked, and acted better because of it?.....Better yet..... What IF there was no one going after their dreams? What kind of world would this be? What if there were no Oprahs, Donald Trumps, Joel Osteens, FloJos, Mark Zuckerbergs, or Barack Obamas? What if there were no charitable organizations? What if there were no gas station, coffee shop, fashion store, or grocery store owners? What if there were no writers or radio show hosts. What if there were no good cooks? Think about the people that inspire you and the things you love to do. Chances are, there's a person behind it all who didn't make excuses for what they wanted to do. I'd rather fail a hundred times and win once than to wonder, "What if..."
Go for getting whatever you want regardless of what your past negative thoughts have told you. Go for what you want regardless of what others think or say. Go for what you want because you only live one life (for all we know!). Go for what you want for the extraordinarily simple fact that if you don't, then you will never get it.

Portia has been writing for many years with a passion to help others, particularly in the areas of self-help, finances, and the home-business network. You can view more at http://amindofwealth.blogspot.com/

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Sure Things in Life - Beyond Death and Taxes

Stuff I'm Sure About
Benjamin Franklin once famously remarked "In this life nothing can be said to be certain but death and taxes."
Most of us, I suspect, will agree with old Ben. The times we live in are awash in uncertainties. We find ourselves in the eye of a technology revolution that is changing the world around us at dizzying speed. How do we stay grounded when everything around us is in flux?

The very institutions that used to provide stability to our lives, family, and church are in the throes of change. Added to our woes is an economy in crisis, high unemployment, yada,yada,yada. Man! I can't stand it.
Ben Franklin's way of coping with change in his day was a wry sense of humor and a quote that has endeared him to us even to today. Yea, Ben, your are right. There are few things certain in life but, with due respect, there are more than two items on the short list, items that we can hold on to and provide a sense of equanimity to our frazzled hearts and minds.
Here's my top six, my sure things in life. And first on the list is

LOVE
I am sure that there is no force more powerful in the world than the power of love. The love of a mom for her baby, a soldier for his country, the love of a saint for her God, the committed love of a spouse for her mate. Yes, I am sure that this kind of love, not only exists, but rules the world.

CONNECTIDNES
I am sure that every living thing is connected. What one person does affects every thing else. The butterfly effect, so called because the smallest of actions can cause major effects, is for me one of the certainties on which I base my life.

THE PRESENT MOMENT
What we have is today. Nobody can take that from us. The past is a memory; the future a guess. But, by gosh, we do have today.

THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
I am sure that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than a baby's smile or the innocent laughter of children.

COMPASSION
I am sure that no person is so far gone that he can't be redeemed by our compassion and forgiveness.

A REASON TO LIVE
Finally, I am certain that each one of us has a purpose, a role to play in life that we alone can play.
Those are my top six. May I suggest that you take it upon yourself to expand on old Ben's tongue in cheek list. Make your own list of stuff you can be certain about, things and values that make life worth celebrating. I guarantee that your list will beat the hell our of death and taxes.

The author, Hank Mattimore, is the author of "Grandpa To a Children's Village." He is a surrogate grandpa to twenty-four abused or neglected foster children living at The Children's Village in California.

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