Sara Hand

You have taken inventory of yourself and of your business. You have fearlessly examined the facts and know what you have to work with, what you need to eliminate and the tools you will need to truly move toward your goals and objectives. You know where you are and where you want to go. You are on the road to success…however this road is just that, simply a road and being on it guarantees nothing. Your goal still lies somewhere ahead and it is going to take something to get there. The next stetch of this journey requires discipline…Self-discipline!

Failing to plan is planning to fail.
There is a big difference between said and done.
Lots of people have great ideas in the shower.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions…You get my drift?

Failure is not just the result of failing to plan. Brilliant plans are useless if they are never implemented. Making it happen comes down to getting up day after day and following…putting action to the plan you have created. It means periodically reviewing that plan against current conditions and destination and making some adjustments if necessary.

If your plan includes others, this process of establishing order and moving with purpose always works better when you practice it first in your own life. Does you word mean something to you? Do you follow through on your commitments? Leading others comes first from leading yourself.

So if it’s not the necessarily the best products or the best ideas that make it in the marketplace, and a good plan and plenty of funding don’t guarantee that success is inevitable; what does “it” take to succeed? The million dollar question, the magic pill, the miracle cure is…I’m sorry there isn’t one. AND anyone who tells you there is is lying!

Although the answer is simple, it certainly isn’t easy or everyone would do it. Here are some characteristics that individuals share that go on to accomplish the uncommon. Don’t take my word for it. Pick up a biography of someone you admire and see if they are there.

• Faith…to believe that there is something “more”.

• Hope…a picture of that “more” in your future.

• Courage…is the strength to take action.

• Discipline…the ability to take action on a consistent basis.

• Perseverance…the ability to continue to pursue action daily and believe in the possibility of your “more” regardless of how you feel at any given moment or what outward circumstances might indicate.

 The success or lack of success that exists in my life is determined by me. What exists or doesn’t in your life is determined by you. If you don’t like it, change it! And to change it, starts with changing ourselves. Look at the characteristics above. Are those operating in your life? If not, why not?

The secret to success is to start with a personal inventory.