Life is too short!

     To start with, it has been some time since my last entry.  As you will find while seeking success, time is a precious commodity.  Time management is very important when it comes to becoming successful.  If you squander your time away on frivolous things, then your life becomes a waste of time and energy.  We are only on this Earth for a short time and it is best to use that time wisely.  Concentrate on what's important in life.  There are many things to enjoy in life such as our family or friends.  I remember someone telling me that I will regret what I haven't done more than what I have done.  At some point in life you may look back and ask "Where did the time go?"  "Why haven't I accomplished anything?"  If you have never seen the movie "The Bucket List" then I suggest you do.  It shows how living our lives to the fullest even when we know there may not be much time left can make our lives more fulfilling.

     So let's grab a pen and paper to start our own "Bucket List".  Why?  Simply put we want to have a list of things would like to accomplish before our time on Earth is up.  Remember, life throws a bunch of curves at us and no one can say for sure if tomorrow will ever come.  You need to take a good long look at the life you have lived so far.  What have I accomplished?  Where do I want to be in the coming months or years?  The list can start out with anything.  Any ideas can be put on the list because we will prioritize it and sort it out later.  This list will bring you on step closer to bringing out your success from within.

     Your list doesn't have to be elaborate.  Keep it simple, specific and genuine.  Things you want, not your spouse, children, boss or even friends.  Again as I had mentioned earlier that the only way to achieve your goals and dreams is to be totally selfish.  When you get what you want good things will come to your loved ones as well.

     Now that we have a list, it is time to prioritize it.  Your list will forever be changing according to your needs, wants and desires.  Look at your list and ask yourself "What do I want first?"  It is possible that on your way to getting that first item you may achieve other things on your list.  You want to clear your mind and envision how you plan to get there.  What is your first step to getting you closer to your goal?  Along with figuring out what you want first is to place a date on it.  When do you want to reach your goal?  Remember to be realistic.  If you know you can get it done in a few weeks don't set the date as tomorrow.  You will only put stress on yourself and be disappointed by unnecessary failure.  You want to get your mind working towards a solution.

     I've mentioned the need for time management.  Well here is what I use to get my thoughts organised and prioritize my goals.  Mark Joyner has developed the most useful tool called Simpleology.  Go to http://www.simpleology.com/ to sign up for free access to Simpleology 101.  I highly recommend this to organise and focus on your goals.  This program gets you thinking on how to achieve your goals and helps you keep on track.  I use this tool everyday and Marks program sets you up with the Web Cockpit which will organise your thoughts and prioritize your daily schedule.  Mark does offer other Simpleology programs that link to and enhance the usefullness of Simpleology 101.  Try it out and please let me know how it has been helping you achieve your success from within.

Starting down the road to success...

The road to success is a long and hard one but by creating small successes we can build up to a larger or huge success. Success is very much like a rollercoaster with many ups, downs, twists and turns.

The one thing that any successful person will tell you is that you need a “DREAM” or strong desire for something to become a true success. Now I’ve been to seminars, meetings and such that talk about the “DREAM”. I remember the first time I attended a function and sat there wondering “Why are we wasting time with this?” I wanted the meat and bones of how to achieve success but didn’t realize that the “DREAM” was the most important part. Success builds on success and all starts with the burning desire to achieve a dream. Having a dream is 90% of the formula to achieve success; the other 10% is the actual work it requires to get there.

We can take the dream and break it down into 3 main ingredients. I practice this very formula and label it P-F-M.

· P – Personal Goal

o You need your very own personal goal. You can not become successful by working towards someone else’s desires.

o Waking up happy and ready to face the day with a smile every morning is a personal goal.

· F – Financial

o You need to visualize a financial figure. An exact amount.

o An extra $1000 a month is a good example. Just saying “I want to make or have more money” won’t work.

· M – Material

o A physical possession.

o A new home or car would be a good example.

Next you need to write them down. It needs to be in writing or they will become vague, forgotten or less meaningful. Post-it notes, pictures or signs of what you want help reinforce the dream and desire to achieve your goals. Once you have them written down you’ll need to set a realistic date to achieve your goals. Placing a date on your goals gives them a sense of priority. If you never set a date then there is now sense of urgency to get what you desire. This defeats the purpose of having a dream. So many people give up on their dreams and settle for the everyday rut that society has set for our culture. I will later give sources for you to explore that will help you better understand the principle of setting goals and achieving your dreams.

As I mentioned before, I have been to many meetings and seminars that show how to become successful. I was in a particular program that made me search deep within myself to unleash my true desires in life. I had set a goal and a date to achieve it. It was not easy but since I wanted it so badly that the pieces just fell into place to bring about a successful conclusion to my goal. What was it you may ask? I wanted to take my family to Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Money has always been an issue at times but because of my desire to fulfill this dream was so strong; I was able to overcome that obstacle. I managed to set aside the funding needed to have on of the most enjoyable vacations we had ever gone on. I didn’t know how I was going to do it but it happened because I focused on the end result. If you have the why, the how will surely follow. This principle also worked for my family to get a new home in a better area of the country. I didn’t know how I was going to make the move work and get the house I wanted but by setting a deadline and going with my dream I made it happen. I made a decision and stuck with it.

A very important thing to remember about the P-F-M formula is that once you achieve one goal you will need to create another goal to replace it. If you don’t then your life will slowly return to its present state and become stagnant. This has also occurred to me. It is easy to let life distract you from your goals and dreams. It is just as easy to get back on track as well by starting to implement your dreams. Success comes from the dreams we have from within.

Next I will discuss more of my personal experiences and share some of the sources that I have used to discover my “Success from Within”.