Steps to Success in Three Simple Steps

I believe before you start taking steps to success, you have to answer these very important questions.

What do you really want from life? Do you have goals? Are you very certain what are the dreams you want to come true?

What is your definition of success? How do you picture a success life to be?

If you haven't really thought about what you wanted for your life, then maybe now is the best time to start. Find a quiet relaxing spot, bring a pen and a paper or a laptop, or a tape recorder. Start discovering. Start imagining. Don't stop yourself short. Just write it down. Don't think how you are going to achieve. Just let your thoughts soar. Be free to express all the things that you really want.

Here are the areas that you might want to ponder upon:

Family, Work or Career, Spiritual, Financial, Emotional, Physical, Intellectual

Yes, the first step to success is to know what is it that you really want. Why do you think many of us never reach our dreams? Possibly because we are not really clear about what we want. Or if we already know what we want, there is a part of us that do not really believe that we have the capacity to fulfill our dreams.

So we grope in the dark and we wander aimlessly in one path and in the middle suddenly switch paths, thinking that the other path is a better one. We do try to achieve our dreams and at the first sign of difficulty, we hesitate and drop the goal and then look for another one.

On Getting Clear:

1. Write down your goals and read them everyday.

2. Make visual aids. Create a "Dream Book." Cut pictures of the things that you want - your dream house, your ideal weight, etc...

3. Be clear about your reasons for wanting those dreams. What's your burning desire? What are the rewards, benefits, advantages if you achieve a certain goal?

With a clear goal in mind, the next step to success is to write a plan. What are the steps and measures you need to do to achieve your goal? The Action Plan is your guide to your way to success.

Want to lose weight? Be specific about your plan. For instance, how many times should you exercise in a week. What's your diet like? How much sleep do you need?

Want peace of mind? How many minutes a day would you devote to meditating or prayer?

Want to have your own business? Should you study further? Do research on various business opportunities? Should you save or get a loan? What about talking to those who are successful businessmen and learn from them?

Having an action plan with specific goals and even target deadlines will certainly make the path ahead clearer.

After the goals have been set and the plans made, the next important step to success is to take action. Sometimes we get lost in the planning or we have made such beautiful plans, but we never really get around to doing it.

Oftentimes the best way is to just do it! Most who have led successful lives are doers. They have decided that the way to success is to take action. And so can you!