Three Steps To Success

Success, the golden ring, is something most people strive for in all areas of their lives, yet, for many people, success remains eternally elusive. Well, you don’t have to be one of those people. I’ve learned that to be successful, you must have a certain mindset and you must take certain actions. And if you weren’t blessed to be raised in an environment where having that mindset and taking certain types of action were explicitly taught, then chances are your success will be more of an accident than anything else.

Yes, that sounds harsh, but just imagine that you are about to embark upon a very important journey. What will you need in order to complete your journey successfully? Well, the first thing you’ll need to know is your exact destination. Think about it, is there a difference between knowing that your destination is “the East Coast” and knowing that it’s “2245 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn”? Of course, the more information you have about your destination (the more clearly and more precisely you define it), the easier it will be to find.

Once you have a clearly defined destination, your next move is to get organized and create a travel plan. To assist you in this endeavor, you will need to acquire a map and a compass. Imagine needing to get from San Francisco, California to Brooklyn, New York without a map or a compass. Perhaps you might eventually find your way, but your trip would be full of wrong turns, dead end roads, and other unnecessary obstacles. With a map you can chart the most efficient and effective path to your destination, and a compass will help keep you headed in the right direction.

Now, with destination clearly defined, and with map, compass, and travel plan in hand, your next course of action is to… Take Action! You will absolutely never reach your destination if you don’t put one foot in front of the other, take your first step, and continue traveling until you get there. Of course, as with any journey, you may encounter obstacles and distractions (weather, transportation problems, beautiful scenery, etc.) along the way. But to reach your destination, you must remain focused and motivated. And any number of tools can help you stay focused–perhaps carrying with you a photo of your destination or simply keeping in mind the feeling you will have once you arrive. Whatever tool you use, it must help you keep moving towards your destination.

Now imagine that this journey is your life, and Success is your destination. What three steps to success will it take for you to arrive at your destination?

Step One: Get Really Clear

I’ve said this many, many times before, but the first and most important step to achieving success is Clarity. Specifically, Clarity is the process of understanding everything pertaining to your goals. This includes determining exactly where and who you are now, what exactly you want, and, ultimately, why achieving your goals is important to you. Also, as part of this process, it is important to identify all of your skills, abilities, and talents, as well as your core values and beliefs. Once you are totally clear, you can Create a Plan.

Step Two: Create a Plan

Just like the example above, being organized and having a plan will get you to your goal quicker and more efficiently. A plan consists of identifying and prioritizing the projects, tasks, activities, deadlines, and milestones that will lead you to successful completion of your goal. Having a plan makes it much easier for you to think through your options, arrive at better decisions, and choose the best course of action. Having a plan also helps you know whether or not your activities are in alignment with your goals, keeping you on the track to success.

Step Three: Take Action

Again, as in the example above, you may have the best plan in the world, but you will get nowhere if you don’t take action. What keeps many people from taking action, though, are the three demons: procrastination, distraction, and lack of motivation . People tend to procrastinate when they feel overwhelmed or when there’s a part of them that doesn’t really want to achieve the goal. Distractions can come in many forms including activities that are easier to accomplish or more fun to do but unrelated to your goals. Distractions can also be the minor or major “emergencies” that life can throw at us from time to time. Lack of motivation usually occurs when there is fear, laziness, disinterest, or lack of enthusiasm for achieving the goal present. Actually, lack of motivation really means that you are motivated to do something other than pursue your goal. This is can an issue of sense of urgency, significance, or priority. No matter what it is that keeps you from taking action, though, you must have something in place to keep you moving towards your goal.

Well, that’s it. To arrive at successfully at your destination quickly and efficiently, you need to 1) clarify your goals, 2) create a plan, and 3) take action. So, what’s keeping you from achieving your goals? Go to http://www.donaldgerard.com/poll.shtml to take the poll or visit http://www.donaldgerard.com/wordpress/?p=14 to comment on this post. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Until then, be well.

In prosperity ,

Donald Gerard, MA, CHT
Life Coaching
www.donaldgerard.com