Blueprint for Success

We are on the downhill slide of 2016, so let's revamp our goals to make this our best year yet. To do so we must take action step. How? Set goals that motivate and inspire. Be specific. Generalized statements leads to self-deception. The person whose intention is to become more successful and does not lay concrete steps for accomplishment, sets himself up to be deceived. Saying it but not making plans for attainment causes one to falsely think “I am accomplishing my goal” as there is no guidelines by which to measure results.

1. Plan to Change and to Keep on Changing. In our instant society, we want things to happen immediately. Get real. Learning and living new attitudes, actions, and skills take time to develop. But it does not have to take forever. If you do not start, you will never change. You do it by doing it. You stop by stopping. It is that simple. And that complex.

2. Draw a Mental Picture of Who You Want To Become. See yourself as being thinner and healthier. Visualize yourself being assertive and developing healthy relationships. Picture yourself disciplined and successful. Feel how good it is to live within your income, and to become more open, honest and genuine. See yourself as drug free and high on life, not substances.

3. Determine where you are now. What are your values? What are your dreams? What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Do you have an accurate knowledge of your capabilities? What are your expectations of yourself? Of others? Can you receive feedback and open communication?

4. Determine your course of action. Determination without plans is fantasy. What do you need from outside yourself? Whose advice do you need to seek? Who has done this before you that can lend support? What change in thinking needs to be addressed? What needs may arise in the future? What are my short, mid, and long-term goals? How can I determine ways to assess staying on target? To whom will I be accountable? What are your plans for handling the down times?

5. Take an attitude check. A goal must include personality change. You do not attract what you want, but what you are. Change is the most imperative price for success and yet the main reason for failure. You must know that you can change. If you are not willing to change, you can’t expect things to get better. Only man shackles himself. Change comes not with words, but with attitude.

6. BEGIN. You start by starting; the greatest determination will never work without action.

7. Expect problems. Motion causes friction. Learn to adjust and refocus. Know the difference between a set back and a defeat. Two steps forward and one step back will still get you to your goal. If a thought or attitude tries to overtake you, you do not have to wait until “tomorrow” to correct it. Get up immediately as soon as you falter. Know that one slip is just that, a slip, not a total failure. Get up, brush yourself off and start over.

8. Focus on successes. Catch yourself doing something right and give yourself an “Atta girl” or an “Atta boy”. Stop for a moment and revel in the feeling of the success. See yourself doing the right things over and over until they become second nature.

Give yourself room to grow. Allow acceptance time and become comfortable with your changes and the resolves will become permanent.