How to be Successful

The Most Important Key to Success

  • Do What You Love – You aren’t going to be successful at something you spend all day hating or find absolutely boring! Right? When I’m excited about writing on a topic I’m interested in, I am good – perhaps even above average. When I get stuck on a writing project that doesn’t interest me, I am honestly the worst writer.

Preparation and Planning

  • Make a List of Short, Medium, and Long Term Goals – Each night before you sleep, you should try to write down 5-10 things that you want to accomplish the next day. You should also make sure that at least 3-4 are things that can be completed that day and purge from your to-do list. Also make sure to add a couple of small parts of medium or long-term projects. Here’s an example. My long term goal is to write an eBook one day. My medium term goal is to work out the possible topics or areas of research I need to do to write the eBook. My short term goal is to try and research, read and write on many different topics to help me decide what I’m most interested to write about one day in the form of an eBook.
  • Record Your Progress – Write down your progress everyday so that you’re self-accountable. Each day, think about how you’re going to grow and develop the steps towards achieving your goals.

Learn These Skills to Succeed in Fast Paced World

  • Sales / Marketing – Even if you don’t think you have a product to sell, you do and it’s yourself. I’ve learned that sales and marketing are not easy skills to learn. You can’t shout “look at me!” or people will think you are obnoxious. You have to find people who might be genuinely interested in what you have to offer. I always find it best to be open and honest with what I have to sell. If the product is of value, you price it accordingly, and have the right buyer, it should sell itself. I’ve found that if you have to “sell” too hard, it’s probably going to be a sale you regret making.
  • Public Speaking – This is really a case where preparation and practice means everything.  Even shy people who dread speaking to just one person can manage to speak successfully in front of a crowd. The more time you prepare your speech, the more successful your speech will be. You can always practice in front of a mirror! I suggest joining an organization such as Toastmasters, Rotaract Club or drama group to help you gain confidence in speaking.
  • Writing – Even if you are writing a short e-mail, try to use proper grammar. Make sure you do a spell check as well. You’d be surprised how many e-mails I receive where people make 6 mistakes in 6 sentences. First impression is everything. If you think you write poorly, then get other skilled writers to proof read or edit your writing. Poor writing skills can affect the way your intelligence and/or professionalism are portrayed to the other person. Perhaps it shouldn’t be that way, but it is. A person who writes well generally receives great respect and trust.
  • Networking – Get out there and meet new people in your areas of interest. When you know a lot of people, opportunities multiply. To go back to my eBook example above, I really need to start networking with people who have already published successful eBooks. People who have already achieved the things I dream to do are great resources for me to learn from.
  • Read More and Faster – Information is being updated rapidly in an ever-changing world. To keep up to date, you need to be able to read a lot and to read fast. The more you keep up, the more you’ll stay ahead of others and especially your competitors.

Take Action

  • Help Someone with Something Everyday – If you mentor someone, you’ll be seen as a natural leader. I’ve always seen a strong correlation between leadership and success. Never hesitate to share your knowledge or assist those you need your help. Life will reward you in return ten-fold.
  • Make Mistakes -. Just remember that mistakes can often be a blessing in disguise. We can develop, grow and learn from our mistakes. Never fear making mistakes. When you make a mistake, try your best to fix it, otherwise try not to make it again and move on. Dwelling on mistakes will only harm you.
  • Surround Yourself with Like-Minded Individuals – There are studies that show an individual’s income will be somewhere around the average of your closest five friends. There are also studies that show your weight will reflect those who you hang around with. It makes sense if you think about it. Be selective about who you choose to include in your circle of friends.
  • Exercise – Whenever I work out, I am all pumped up with endorphins for hours. It feels like nothing can stop me – as if I could tackle anything. Exercise is a popular stress-buster and provides you with lots of energy and mental clarity. Try to focus your energy on your list of goals and churn through it like never before. Go Mad!
  • Start a Website or Blog – It’s easy to talk the talk, but what matters is if you can walk the walk. A website or blog not only makes you accountable for the goals that you set, but can also help you network and gather useful information.

Be More Productive

  • Don’t Get Wrapped Up in Television – While watching TV serves its own purpose, try not to do it too much. Rather, try to watch programs that will serve to educate and motivate you. Monitor the amount of time you spend watching programs that tend to make you feel lazy and unmotivated.
  • Commute with Books on Tape (or Podcasts) – Most of the people I know have a 30-60 minute commute to work or university each day. You can listen to some morning inspiration, motivational music/speeches or you can learn some of the skills that I mention above. I’m not saying that you should throw away all entertainment, but if you are looking to increase your productivity, utilizing this downtime is a great start.
  • Declutter and Organize Your Home and Work Area – I used to waste a lot of time looking for stuff. The problem? I had stuff everywhere. I couldn’t find the stuff that I needed from the old stuff that was piled around it. It’s amazed me the number of things that I had around the home that I didn’t use. Finally I simply said “Stuff It!” and got rid of most of the stuff that I didn’t use and put other special stuff in a closet that I’ll probably ignore for another years. Everyday, try to declutter and clean a specific area. You’ll be surprised at how relieved you feel and how good you feel.

Think Your Way To Success

  • Think Positively – Making a conscious decision to focus on being successful in your area of interest and passion is extremely helpful. Simply focus, focus, focus!
  • Don’t Hate Money – Lose the thinking that money is the root of all evil. Start thinking about it as a key to freedom to do whatever interests you. Think of it as a way to help friends, family, and charities important to you. Think about how you could use money to make the world a better place.
  • Appreciate What You Have – Schedule a day to just appreciate yourself. Appreciate the things that you do have. The fact that you are reading this likely means that you are much better off than others in the world.
  • Be In A Good Mood – Try your best to stay in a positive mood. It’s amazing how life rewards us most when we choose to be in a good and positive mood. Always have faith and belief that life challenges that are thrown your way can be overcome. There are solutions to every problem in life.

(Source: http://www.lazymanandmoney.com)

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