STEPS TO SUCCESS by BRIAN TRACY

Discipline yourself to do
what you know you
need to do to be the
very best in your field.
Perhaps the best
definition of self
discipline is this: "Self
discipline is the ability to
make yourself do what
you should do when you
should do it, whether
you feel like it or not." It
is easy to do something
when you feel like it.
It's when you don't feel
like it and you force
yourself to do it
anyway that you move
your life and career onto
the fast track.
What decisions do you
need to make today in
order to start moving
toward the top of your
field? Whatever it is,
either to get in or get
out, make a decision
today and then get
started. This single act
alone can change the
whole direction of your
life.
SEVEN STEPS TO SUCCESS
There is a powerful
seven step formula
that you can use to set
and achieve your goals
for the rest of your life.
Every single successful
person uses this
formula or some
variation of this formula
to achieve vastly more
than the average
person. And so can you.
Here it is:
Decide What You
Want
STEP NUMBER ONE:
decide exactly what it is
you want in each part
of your life. Become a
"meaningful specific"
rather than a
"wandering generality."
Write it Down
SECOND: write it down,
clearly and in detail.
Always think on paper.
A goal that is not in
writing is not a goal at
all. It is merely a wish
and it has no energy
behind it.
THIRD: set a deadline for
your goal. A deadline
acts as a "forcing
system" in your
subconscious mind. It
motivates you to do
the things necessary to
make your goal come
true. If it is a big enough
goal, set sub-deadlines
as well. Don't leave this
to chance.
Make a List
FOUR: make a list of
everything that you can
think of that you are
going to have to do to
achieve your goal. When
you think of new tasks
and activities, write
them on your list until
your list is complete.
Organize Your List
FIFTH: organize your list
into a plan. Decide what
you will have to do first
and what you will have
to do second. Decide
what is more important
and what is less
important. And then
write out your plan on
paper, the same way
you would develop a
blueprint to build your
dream house.
Take Action
The SIXTH step is for
you to take action on
your plan. Do something.
Do anything. But get
busy. Get going.
Do Something Every
Day
Do something every
single day that moves
you in the direction of
your most important
goal at the moment.
Develop the discipline of
doing something 365
days each year that is
moving you forward.
You will be absolutely
astonished at how
much you accomplish
when you utilize this
formula in your life
every single day.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you
can do to put these
ideas into action
immediately.
First, decide exactly
what you want, write it
down with a deadline,
make a plan and take
action – on at least one
goal – today!
Second, determine the
price you will have to
pay to achieve this goal
and then get busy
paying that price –
whatever it is.

HOW TO TAKE ADVICE

Is advice really
that hard to take
from others? Does
it make you any
less of a person
because you are
taking the advice
of others? Now
this may seem like
a trivial topic, and I
suppose in a sense
it is. However,
there are people
who don't like to
take advice from
others when they
do need it, or
where the advice
could of been of
much needed help.
Some of you
reading this will
not like taking
advice from
others, but
sometimes we
need advice.
Sometimes we are
faced with a
situation that we
don't know how to
handle effectively
and where the
advice of others
will be much
needed.
This post will go
through some
points to consider
that will, hopefully,
make it easier for
you to accept the
advice of others.
1. What are they
saying
Take the time to
think about what
they are saying.
Don't dismiss it
straight away
because you are
not in the mood for
someone to be
giving you advice,
what are they
actually saying?
Does the advice
they are giving
make sense? or is
it a load of
rubbish?
Sometimes this
can be decided
very quickly but
often having some
time to think
about what they
have said can
prove best.
Sometimes we
think that when
another person is
not as involved in
a situation, like we
might be for
example, we feel
their advice is
inadequate as
they don't know
enough about the
situation and so
can't make a valid
contribution. In
certain situations,
yes this is true. In
a lot of situations
however, this is
not true. This is
just an excuse for
not taking on
board another
persons advice.
Yes you may need
to bring them up to
speed with what's
going on, but they
may have some
legitimate advice
that you (and
team possibly)
have missed.
2. Let go of your
Pride
Some people will
not like to accept
advice no matter
what the
circumstance
because of one
thing...pride. I
discussed this in
one of my other
posts ( How to
Handle Criticism)
and it seems like
pride really can be
a hindrance. What
is wrong with
accepting advice?
Does it make us
any less of a
person, and the
other person more
superior? Does it
make you seem
weak?...no it
doesn't. The only
thing that will get
hurt is our ego if
we have one, so
put it to one side
and take the
advice on board.
Sometimes this is
more true for
people who are in
senior positions in
the workplace, not
always but you do
see it. They will
hear the advice
from those in
positions below
theirs but will not
take them simply
down to pride,
even if they don't
like to admit it.
Sometimes they
won't take the
advice full stop,
which is a shame.
Of course like I
mentioned, this
isn't true for
everyone in a
senior position.
It can also be true
the other way
around, for people
in lower positions,
when taking
advice from those
in senior positions.
They feel like they
are being talked
down to in a way
or patronised or
belittled, but this is
normally pride that
is in place. I'll
mention it again
though, this is not
true for everyone.
3. Don't Dismiss
because of
Dislike
Unfortunately
there are some
people in this
world who we
don't really get
along with, and
maybe some of
you reading this
have a dislike for a
person?, which I
hope not but it's
not uncommon.
This dislike for a
person can cloud
our vision when it
come to matters of
advice, because
we don't like the
person we don't
like the advice.
Don't, however,
knock the advice
they may give due
to emotional
interferences.
Think with a cool
head and bring in
point #1, think
about what they
are saying. When
you think about it
the advice they
are giving might
actually make very
good sense and
may be the best
option in the
current
circumstance.
This is common to
do, when we're not
fond of someone
we automatically
dismiss their ideas
as being the
'wrong choice' just
on the basis that
we hold something
against them. A
person who takes
all advice on board
(even from those
he/she dislike) and
considers all of
them is often
going to be able to
come out the other
side of the task in
hand in the best
predicament.
4. They want to
Help
A very obvious
reason why people
may give you
advice is simply
down to the fact
that they want to
help you. They see
that you're in a bit
of a predicament
and they would
like to give you
their view in trying
to get the best
from the situation.
Don't put up your
walls and convince
yourself that they
only want to see
you fail, and that
the advice that
they are giving
you is only
something to try
and hold you back.
Don't get me
wrong, sadly there
are people who will
try and do this, but
on the whole
people who give
you advice is
because they
want to help -
keep this in mind.
5. It can't Hurt
Advice from
someone else will
give you another
person's
perspective on the
situation, and
whether their view
is similar or
different to yours,
it can only be a
good thing to get
another person's
perspective, and
who knows, maybe
they've thought of
something that
you have missed?
You may think "no,
I haven't missed
anything", but,
some people have
a very unique and
offbeat view of
the world that
helps them to
come up with
things that
nobody else will
have thought -
and sometimes
you need people
like this.
Conclusion
Remember that
advice is just
advice and isn't
the law set in
stone, it's fully up
to you whether
you decide to take
it or not. Don't let
your current
feelings for a
person affect your
decision making by
not taking their
advice, of course if
their advice isn't
the best option
then don't go for it
but if it is don't
ignore it. Nobody
will think less of
you as a person
for taking advice,
in fact some
people will have a
greater amount of
respect for you for
asking their
advice. I'm not
saying that every
situation you are
in requires you to
ask for advice, but
when a situation
does occur and you
could be doing
things more
efficiently and you
are in a position to
ask for advice - do
it.
"The only thing to
do with good
advice is to pass it
on"
Oscar Wilde