Are you geared for success?

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to achieve success while others never seem to make it? Success leaves clues.

I've been studying successful people pretty much all of my life and that's a long time. It's been very interesting to notice that the skills needed to succeed remain the same across all business and pleasure pursuits.

• Know what you want
• Have a plan to achieve it
  
• Start your first step
  
• Learn from others
  
• Be patient
  
• Review, analyze and replan
  
• Celebrate each goal achieved
  

It may seem very obvious to follow these tips but it is a lot harder than you think, that is why so few achieve their dreams. Quitting always seems easier but that's a dead end.

Know what you want

This is not self-evident. What you want and what you need right now changes over time.

When you were a child, you lived in the moment and your needs were food, shelter, parents and fun. You looked to your parents to provide all this with little effort from you. School was something you had to do for your future but mostly you didn't see the connection only the effort.

Fast forward to becoming an adult and your needs and wants changed again. There was still food and shelter but now was added cars, houses and children. You had to start making your own plans to achieve this and sometimes it was just easier to go with the flow and stay in a job.

If you are reading this then you have decided on a new want. You want to earn a living from an online business, something you can build and grow yourself for financial freedom.

Now, you need a plan.

Have a plan to achieve it

What is your plan? Go it alone and create a product to sell? Sell other peoples products? Sell a service? All roads lead to Rome. You just need to decide which path you wish to take and focus on that one path. This is the beginning of lots of decisions. Some big and some small ones but each one will move you a little closer to success.

The trick is to make it specific and then break it down into bite size pieces.

• What type of business
• Where will I run it
  
• How will I finance my business/ How much?
  
• Know why you want to do this (it will keep you going forward)
  

Start your first step

'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Lao Tzu.

The chance is that like everyone else you have at one time failed to start. Maybe that guitar is

still sitting in your wardrobe. The books you were going to read, remain unread. That course you started is unfinished. This is the human condition and only those people who recognize the signs and refuse to buckle to procrastination win.

There is no secret to beating procrastination but knowing your very first step on the road to success in your business will make you start. Having a lesson to do, or write that next piece of content, set up your email list will keep you focused and moving forward daily.

Make each step simple and they will get done.

Baby steps to success!

Learn from others

If we are honest with ourselves, no one is a success by themselves. A baby knows nothing when born and we learn everything to be us. It's a journey and the trick is to stay open and learn from everything. Your parents, friends, school, work colleagues, other business owners and life experience. This all becomes distilled down into you and your success.

There is no shame in asking for help, in fact it is the smart thing to do. You can learn from other peoples mistakes, gain a tip to speed your progress and share your expertise back to the world community. After all, we all want the same thing, to succeed.

Only you can decide how much learning you need to be successful. How determined are you to be the best business person? No one can do it for you and no one is going to spoon-feed you as an adult. This is something that you need to make one decision on (I will learn) and get on with it. Being part of Wealthy Affiliate just gives you the tools to access the lessons, successful people and community, you have to decide to use it.

Find yourself a mentor or friend to help you on your journey.

Frustration is part of learning so make it your friend, don't fight the feeling, acknowledge that you are making progress.

Be a sponge and read, learn, do!

Be patient

Personally, I think this is the hardest part! I want it now or at least tomorrow. But this isn't the way

of the world. I remember reading about it taking 10,000 hours to become a genius at anything and I think that is true. Whether it is learning to build a business or how to play guitar you will need to put in the effort and allow yourself to become good at it. Later you will become proficient and maybe years later you will excel.

Time passes for all of us, 24 hours, 7 days a week, a month, a year. What will you fill your time with that will enrich your life in years to come?

When you decide that quitting is not an option, how quickly will you grow some new skills to be successful?

Review, Analyze, Replan

When you sail a boat you are constantly trimming the sails, gently readjusting the direction to catch the most wind. This is what we need to do in our grand plan. Make regular checks on your progress. How far are you through that success book? How many lessons have you done? How many posts have you achieved? How many sales? What do the statistics tell me?

Adjust your plan! Polish and refine the path to your success. Deal with the obstacles in your life, work around the time constraints, perfect small details to achieve bigger goals.

Plan and polish your next steps. Do something from your plan every day! No matter how small the step, little things grow with daily care.

Celebrate all your achievements

If you don't celebrate and appreciate your little achievements, you will quit. I know that's hard to hear but it is a fact. Everyone is the same. If we don't see progress most days we begin to wonder if it is all worth the effort and procrastination creeps in.

Suddenly, you don't visit your website often, you don't write content or do any lessons and

begin to wonder why you are not getting the sales or referrals. We all do it. Successful people in every field know that you have to do today, what you may not want to do, to enjoy the success tomorrow.

That is why the community in any profession or hobby is so important, we need to share our little wins. Not only do you feel great in sharing but you inspire others to reach again past procrastination.

We want to cheer you on as you journey to success because we are all in the same boat.

Wishing you great success.

Read/Learn/Do!

Lily