“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” ~ Zig Ziglar

I could not wait to watch The Biggest Loser. It is one of my all-time favorite reality shows. I learned valuable lessons from each trainer about commitment and perseverance — in addition to the myriad of healthy living insights.

But hands down, my major take-away is a statement from Dolvett Quince: “Hard work. Determination.”

Simply put, you must do the work to get the results. It takes intentionality. It takes commitment. It takes effort.

Many people dream of being successful. They wonder how they can achieve their goals. Days come and go with only fleeting thoughts of dreams coming true. Before long, their dream dissipates.

Is this you?

Yet others take action bit by bit to be successful. They develop a plan. They work the plan. Not a day goes by without some task completed that is related to their goal.

And soon the anticipated moment arrives. The vision is achieved. Success.

Is this you?

Maybe you are just beginning to pursue your dreams. Perhaps you have been working on a goal for a while and are not satisfied with the results. Either way, by learning and applying the following success principles you will know how to succeed in all things.

1. Take ownership of your goal. The first step towards success is ownership. Being personally responsible and intrinsically motivated for what you want is nonnegotiable.

The goals you pursue with purpose and passion are likely the ones you will achieve. Do it because you want to and it is meaningful to you.

2. Define a clear vision. Describe your success in realistic, understandable terms.  Or use visualization tools to depict your success.

Clarity is fundamental to developing your success plan. Clarity defines what you want and minimizes confusion. A clear vision allows you to see exactly what you are pursuing.

3. Believe in yourself and your success. There is a saying by Suzy Kassem that “doubt will kill more dreams than failure ever will.” Doubt is only fatal when you allow it to be.

Doubt can be overcome by faith. Faith is the fuel for action. Action is the anecdote to doubt. Faith in your abilities and faith in the possibility of success is crucial when you are pursuing lofty goals.

4. Take action. It is a good starting point to have ambitions. Even better to have a plan. Yet you must also have progress which is possible when you act on your intentions.

Every day you should do five things towards achieving your goal. Yes, five. The “Rule of 5” as defined by John Maxwell requires you to list the five activities that you must do in order to be successful.

If you are not taking action daily and making progress, you should to revisit the subjects of ownership and clarity.

5. Be tenacious. Expect to face difficulties when pursuing your goals. You will be tested. At times you may even be disappointed. Keep going. It takes hard work and determination to make dreams come true.

Persist during your trials. Do not give up on yourself on your dreams. Hold the image and stay the course. Be inspired by the words of Vince Lombardi, “winners never quit and quitters never win.”

6. Have an accountability partner or group. It is a great source of encouragement having family and friends cheering for your success. It is more rewarding having someone vested in your success. Accountability ensures that you are checking in and reporting on your progress with someone who will support and challenge you.

What can you do to become more successful starting today?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section, I’d love to hear from you.

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References:

Maxwell, John C. (2014, August 18). Take 5. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from http://blog.johnmaxwell.com/blog/take-5