“No matter how much faculty of seeing a [person] has, the step from knowing to doing is rarely taken.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’re starting a new business, creating an important project, building an organization. You’re not certain where to begin or how to hold it all together once you do get started. Here are 10 simple though not necessarily easy ways to make sure you’re on the right track:

1.     First, get a clear vision. You must know where you want your endeavor to go. If you have others involved, get their input. It seems basic but you’d be surprised by how few actually do this first step.

2.     Develop a sense of your project’s purpose. What is your mission? Does it capture the imagination—of others as well as yourself? Write it down.

3.     Hold a big-picture view for the long term. What might be the future needs—and opportunities—of your project? Here’s where some of your best thinking can happen.

4.     Be willing to shift direction if necessary. Remember, your project will evolve over time. Be adaptable. Embrace change. That way, you will remain in the game.

5.     Anticipate problems, snags, and other possible roadblocks before anyone else does. That way, they won’t come back to haunt you. If you miss one or two, so what?

6.     There will be those who say it can’t be—or has never been—done. Challenge that kind of thinking. No need to settle for the status quo. Small minds have always been the major stumbling blocks to great accomplishments.

7.     Keep thinking of ways to be innovative and fresh. Continually create new value, whether in the marketplace, the relationship with those you serve, or in any other area that needs new perspective. Don’t let your imagination and creativity go stale.

8.     Actively seek advice. You won’t take all of it, of course, but there will be some gems you may not think of on your own. Experts—and you are one—always seek new information from any direction possible.

9.     Always be forward-thinking. You step into the future in every moment. As the old philosophers have said, you never step into the same river twice.

10. Finally, see yourself as a visionary. Don’t let unnecessary fears keep you from achieving what you set out to achieve. Commit, contribute, complete. Then, start again. Don’t retire. Keep playing. It’s not over ‘til it’s over.

You’ll grow only to the level of your greatest fear. Find out what that is—fast. Do your damned-est to eliminate it. When you tame that fear, you can tame anything else. As Ralph Waldo Emerson points out in the opening quote, many know but few actually do what they know must be done. You’re not one of them so get to it.

You do not decide your destiny. You choose your habits. Your habits always decide your destiny.

“The difference between a success and failure is the difference between a strong will and a strong won’t.” Ron Rubin, Dragon Spirit