Optimindzation
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SUCCESS
TIPS
Most people want to be successful in life. There are goals set
and then the hard work begins to reach those goals. The
question is what is success? Actually, success can mean
different things to different people.
For example, a person that owns their own oil changing service
for vehicles might set their level of success at servicing 50
cars a day while someone who loves music might consider success
as cutting their own CD. In addition, success does not always
have to involve money. Success could be getting a good grade in
a difficult class or learning how to bake the perfect chocolate
cake.
Success comes in all different shapes and sizes with one common
denominator. Success is important and it takes work to reach.
Regardless of what your specific success is, there are ways to
surpass your goal. We have put together 101 tips that can be
used for any success. These are ways to better yourself as a
person, proven methods you can apply to reach success.
1. Realize your Potential
In order to succeed at anything, you need to see that you have
the potential to reach your goals. For example, if you want to
be a recording artist but have no singing ability, having
success in this field is not likely. However, if you love
working on cars and have a real talent for fixing engines and
transmissions, and to you, success would mean working for
NASCAR, you have potential to learn and achieve that success.
2. Don’t Look Back
Everyone has failures or mistakes from the past. To have
success, you need to learn from your past and value those
difficult lessons but do not every dwell on the past. Simply
move forward and make better, more educated decisions from the
lessons learned.
3. Dare to Dream
To succeed, you need to have dreams and aspirations. Be honest
with yourself as to what you want out of life and what you want
to give of your life. Allow your mind to dream and think big.
4. Business Plan
Create a Business Plan as your very first step if you are
planning to build a business. Whether you will be searching for
investors or not, this plan will be the blueprint to your
success. The Business Plan will consist of market trends,
financial planning, competitive analysis, exit strategies,
marketing and promotional options, everything about your goal.
When going before an investor, you will be required to have a
Business Plan. This is by far the most important document of
all. If your success were something personal, you would not
need to create a Business Plan although a project plan would be
a good option to allow you to keep track of everything involving
your goal.
5. Don’t Give Up
To reach success, you have to persevere. Even Thomas Edison had
to learn this. When he was creating the incandescent light bulb,
it took him more than 10,000 times to get it right. Keep
striving even when it becomes challenging.
6. Have an Unstoppable Attitude
You need to have determination. With good intentions, there may
be a close friend or family member that feels it would be better
if you focused your attention in another direction. Uphold your
unstoppable attitude, determined to succeed.
7. Stop the Complaining
You might think there is no correlation between complaining and
success when in fact there is a connection. When you are
spending time complaining about the obstacles you are facing,
you are wasting so much time being negative that you are
actually loosing chances to move forward. Instead of thinking
of challenges as problems, think of them as opportunities.
8. Focus on Something you Like
To increase your chance of succeeding, you should concentrate
your efforts on something you enjoy. When you start out, make a
list of everything you find interesting. Then in a second
column, write down the skills you have in relation to each of
those items. This will help you narrow choices down based on
interest and skill, which gets you started in the right
direction for success.
9. Change your Circumstances
You have a choice in life to accept your position or change it.
If you choose to plug along in life hoping that something will
change for the better, you will not get very far. Always
remember that when it comes to changing your circumstances, you
can – you have that power. As an example, women who are in
abusive situations often feel controlled and powerless to get
out of the situation. They have the same choice of changing
their circumstances as you do. If your circumstances lower the
chances of success, you need to change them.
10. Have a Plan
Even if it is flimsy to begin with, you should construct a plan
to include goal, milestones, deliverables such as contracts,
business plans, etc., and accomplishments. This will provide
you with a visual as to what you are working for, what
milestones you have successfully met, and where you need to do
better.
11. Accept Responsibility
You need to accept responsibility if you make a bad decision or
fall behind in your plan. Let us say that you have set some
firm milestones that need to be accomplished in order for you to
move to the next step. However, you got tired of working hard
and took some time to play, which is fine as long as it does not
affect your goals. Now months have passed and you are way behind
schedule. This delay has closed several doors of opportunities.
Who is to blame?
12. Be Happy
A positive mind and happy, upbeat attitude will help you
succeed. It has been proven in many studies that a person
living in a happy state generally gets much further in just
about everything they do. This relates to attitude. Just as
bad attitude can pull you down, good attitude and a happy,
healthy mind will help you meet your objectives.
13. No Shortcuts
An old cliché states, “Anything worth doing is worth doing
well.” This should be your motto. When you want to succeed,
you cannot afford to take shortcuts. Taking shortcuts leads to
imperfection and inadequacies. Always strive for the best, even
if it requires a little more time and effort.
14. Have Courage
Depending on what your specific success is, it may take courage
to arrive at your desired destination. For example, if you have
a dream of being a writer and to you, that is success, but
according to your long line of family members who have all gone
on to be doctors, the only success in their minds is if you
follow down the medical path. This means you will have to have
courage to stand up for what you believe and desire to do, even
if it means disappointing family.
15. Be Excited to Learn
Referring back to the analogy of Edison, when asked about his
failures by a young boy, Edison commented, “Young man, I
didn’t fail 9,999 times, I discovered 9,999 ways not to invent
the light bulb.” As you work toward your specific success,
always enjoy opportunities to learn, even if it takes longer
than you think it should.
16. Share your Success
Although this may be more at the end of the process, it is
important. When you finally do reach your success, use your
experience to teach, guide, and mentor others so that they too
might succeed.
17. Seek Input
Whatever your idea of success, conduct a “sanity check”
throughout the process of reaching your goal. This should be
done with someone you trust and who is themselves successful.
Ask them to provide honest feedback about your success and as
you move through different milestones, bounce concerns or new
ideas off them to help keep you on the right track.
18. Toxic Poisoning
No, we are not talking about actual poison but toxic people that
can poison. Unfortunately, it would be great if close friends or
co-workers could share in your success but all too often, there
will be someone who is either dealing with the “green
monster” of jealousy or has a case of the “I knew that”
syndrome. If you are serious about reaching your goal and being
successful, you will need to rid your life of these people.
While you may not be able to get them out of your life
completely, you should avoid them as best as possible. If this
is a person, you see every day, keep your goals to yourself, and
avoid that specific subject.
19. Be a Good Listener
To succeed, you need to learn how to listen first. Pay
attention to other people who have enjoyed successes in their
life, attend seminars given by people that can motivate and
encourage, or be open to hearing that a particular idea is not a
good one. Good listening takes time to learn but in the end, it
will be your greatest tool.
20. Birds of a Feather
If you have a goal of being a best-selling author, find friends
and mentors who either have achieved that same goal or are also
pursuing a successful writing career. It is important to
surround yourself with people that can associate with your goal
and passion, people who understand the burning desire to succeed
and can encourage when you meet with disappointments.
21. Little Red Engine
Do you remember the story of the caboose that was desperately
trying to make it over a very large hill? He kept telling
himself repeatedly, “I think I can, I think I can.” When
you start feeling overwhelmed or defeated, tell yourself aloud
these same words. While it may seem a little awkward at first,
stand in front of a mirror and tell yourself, “I think I can,
I think I can.” You might even change the words to, “I know
I can!”
22. Be Proactive
While it may take time to learn how to identify ways to avoid
obstacles or failures, get into the habit of tackling problems
before they arise. This will help you avoid wasting precious
time on your road to success.
23. Stay Motivated
When striving for the big goal of success, it is critical to
stay motivated. Find inspiring and motivational tapes,
seminars, books, movies; whatever you are able to get your hands
on. When you start to feel a little down and out and doubt
starts to creep in, turn to these motivational tools to help you
keep on track. A few excellent motivators include Tony Robbins,
Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Les Brown.
24. Give Yourself a Break
While being determined is important, do not be so hard on
yourself that you become critical of every move you make. Give
yourself some room to make mistakes and be flexible with you.
That does not mean you can miss goals but it does mean that if
you do, you find out how to avoid that from happening again and
then get back to business.
25. Be Passionate
Fall in love with what your success. Okay, although that sounds
funny, you need to have an intimate passion with your interest.
You can do this regardless of what your success is. By having
passion for what you are doing and driving toward, you will
automatically put more effort into it. Passion is a good thing
as long as it does not become an obsession.
26. Don’t Settle
If you have a goal of becoming a world-famous chef and you know
you have both desire and skill, do not just settle to become a
short order cook at your local family-style restaurant. While
that may be good training ground, do not allow yourself to lose
sight of your ultimate goal.
27. No Excuses
Many famous actors, music artists, inventors, etc., had special
challenges ranging from learning disabilities to physical
disabilities. Take Beethoven for example. He was born deaf
yet
he went on to be one of the world’s greatest composers or Joni
Erickson who was paralyzed from the neck down yet she learned to
paint with her mouth. Today, her paintings are famous around the
world and worth millions. If you are faced with a special
challenge of your own, while you may have to adjust things from
time to time, do not use excuses. If you want something bad
enough, there is a way!
28. Getting Past Fear of Failure
Being afraid of failure is a normal emotion for every person on
the planet. How you get past that fear is the determining
factor between failing and succeeding. You can do that by
setting realistic goals and then examining those goals on
occasion to do any necessary realignment. Above all, believe in
yourself and the desire burning within.
29. Patience and Dues
Succeeding takes time. A goal worth setting will take time to
achieve. Be patient with yourself, the people around you, and
the process it takes to become successful, also referred to as
“paying your dues.” Just like the chef scenario, it takes
time to be a master chef. Pay your dues by learning and working
your way up the ladder to success.
30. Good Time / Resource Management
Being successful also means keeping to a schedule. In addition,
you need to learn how much is too much. Good time and resource
management will help you ensure that you use your time wisely
and that you are not adding third portions onto a plate still
overflowing with seconds.
31. Make Opportunities
Rather than wait for opportunity to find you, you need to find
opportunities. This might be watching for business opportunities
in the paper regarding small businesses being sold, great real
estate opportunities, and investments with stocks, bonds, or
mutual funds, taking a talent and turning it into an
entrepreneurial adventure. People that have reached financial
status will tell you that they look for ways to seize
opportunities, not wait for opportunities to come knocking on
their door because it will not happen that way.
32. Attitude
Putting yourself in the right attitude for success should be at
the top of your list. Staying positive and surrounding yourself
with friends, that share a positive attitude will help you
succeed. Do not allow negative thoughts to slip into your mind.
Attend motivational seminars and find ways to enjoy life. A
good attitude will allow you to turn any bad situation into a
learning experience. You have heard the saying, “The glass is
either half-full or half-empty.” You need to adopt the
attitude that life is half-full. The result is that you will
feel better, have more energy, and have a much higher
opportunity for success.
33. Be Thankful
You need to be thankful for not only your accomplishments but
also your failures. Having a grateful attitude is important.
It will help you stay humble, which in turn, will help you
continue striving for the ultimate in success.
34. Keep a Journal
As you work hard to reach success, regardless of what you
consider that success to be, you need to be able to see your
accomplishments. Start a journal and track every thing you have
conquered. When you feel discouraged or frustrated, reflect on
what you have achieved, and rejuvenate yourself.
35. Rewards
When children do something great, parents will reward them with
something nice, whether a kind word of encouragement or a new
toy. When people do well in their job, they get raises. As
you
surpass your milestones, reward yourself. Treat yourself to
something nice – a new dress, a new fishing pole, whatever you
like, be sure to award yourself for a job well done.
36. Watch for Scams
Whether you are just starting out or expanding an existing
business, unfortunately, there are thousands of people waiting
to defraud you out of money. If something appears too good to
be true – IT IS! Always conduct thorough research and never
jump into opportunities that look perfect. If someone becomes
pushy, wanting you to make a quick decision on any type of
investment, do not walk away – RUN away!
37. Focus on the Big Picture
As you make your way toward success, you will be challenged with
big obstacles as well as small obstacles. Pick your battles
wisely. While you need to resolve the small issues, do not
dwell on them and lose precious time and energy when you should
be focusing on the bigger picture. In other words, do not allow
the menial things to clutter your mind and monopolize your time.
38. Make the Best of Each Day
Try to live every day as though it were your last. Make the
most of every day and accomplish something. Even if it is
something small, every baby step adds up to a huge success in
the end.
39. Make the Process and Adventure
You should look at every angle of your journey as an exciting
adventure. When you think of your childhood years, you loved
investigating the unknown. Carry this with you as you strive
toward success. Anticipate the excitement of each
accomplishment – make it a real adventure.
40. Don’t Neglect Things
Especially when things are small and do not appear to have a
major impact on the big picture, you need to ensure you follow
through and complete your tasks. Those little things can
quickly add up to a big mess if not taken care of in a timely
and efficient manner.
41. Offer Praise
If you have people helping you out, whether on a volunteer basis
or a full-time employee, always offer praise. These people are
an important part of your success and by providing praise and
support; in return, they will show dedication and work hard to
help you reach your goal.
42. Set Daily Goals
In order to visualize your accomplishments and stay encouraged,
you need to set daily goals. These goals can be as simply as a
follow up phone call or a written letter to an investor.
Whatever the task is, get it done. In addition to keeping the
process for your success on track, it will help you to feel like
you are making accomplishments, pushing you closer and closer to
the success.
43. Collaborate with Others
More than likely, you will reach various times when you do not
have the appropriate expertise to accomplish something. This is
the time collaboration and/or networking is valuable. These
relationships can help you answer questions, provide guidance,
and provide the ongoing support and encouragement you will
need.
44. Customer Relations
Keep your line of communication open with your customers. If
they have a problem, show them the deserved respect and resolve
the issue quickly. Make occasional phone calls to see if they
have any needs. This will let your customers know that you are
there for them and care about their business. This relationship
is what is going to keep you on the road to success. After all,
the customer is your link between failure and success.
45. Repositioning and Reflection
On occasion, reflect on what you have accomplished as well as
your open milestones and ensure you are still heading in the
right direction. Repositioning along the way to success is
perfectly normal and to be expected. You may have been
struggling with something specific. Rather than continue
battling this issue, reflect on what has not been working, and
reposition yourself so you do not have to keep battling the same
things repeatedly.
46. Accept Responsibility
You and you alone are responsible for your success. While you
will have help in many instances, the bottom line is that you
are responsible. You need to be surrounded by the right people,
working with the right investors, going about meeting your
success in the right way. It is you that will make the choices
and therefore, your responsibility to make the right choices.
In other words, your desire for success must always be greater
that any obstacle that stands in your way.
47. Community
Regardless of what your goal for success is, get involved with
your community. First, get involved with town meetings, the
local Chamber of Commerce, and attend community functions. You
will be amazed at the opportunities for support, business ideas,
and financing available right there in your own neighborhood.
48. Record Keeping
Always keep your records up to date. This would include contact
information, investor information, Business Plans, attorney
information, accounting, everything you touch regarding your
goal. In addition, keep your files on your computer backed up
and current. First, you never know when you are going to be
asked for a specific document and need to provide quick
turn-around. Second, computers do crash and it would be a
disaster if all of your information were suddenly gone.
49. Get out of Debt
Take time to get any debts paid off, especially credit card
debts that will cost you a fortune in interest. This is
especially important if you will be seeking funding as a part of
your particular success. You want to ensure that your records
and credit are clean if you need to make a presentation before
an investor, asking for money.
50. Read
Stay current on the industry news that your goal falls in.
Learn about current trends, company failures or successes, new
ideas; whatever information you can find. For example, if you
have decided to open a retail store and have a great idea and a
real passion for your goal, read about that specific type of
store, location, potential revenue, downfalls, everything. This
information will be a part of your business plan and is crucial.
51. Location, Location, Location
If you are planning to open a business, you have probably
already heard how important the right location is in order to be
successful. Do not settle for any location as a means of getting
the doors of your business open. Instead, take the appropriate
amount of time and find the “right” location. This will be
one of the best decisions you can make. It would be far better
to delay your opening a month in order to secure the right
location than to open early in the wrong location!
52. Good Habits
Being successful, whether personal or business requires good
habits. It is just like trying to do well in school. You
have
to have good study habits in order to do well on tests. It is
the same for the business world. You need to do your
“homework.” Read the newspaper, scout out opportunities,
and take time each day to dedicate specifically to your
endeavor.
53. Be Open to Improvement
Sometimes, people get into the habit of thinking they have the
answers needed. You need to accept that you do not have all the
answers and more importantly, be open to recommendations from
other people. That does not mean you have to agree or even
follow those suggestions, but it does mean to listen. You never
know when someone will have an idea that will make things easier
and more functional, ultimately helping you arrive at your goal
more efficiently.
54. Take Notes
How many times have you had an idea either through a dream,
while doing the dishes, or sitting at your desk, and have
thought that as soon as you have time, you will make a note of
it. When that free time rolls around, you have forgotten some
or all of that great idea. Keep a journal or notepad handy at
all times. When you have an idea, write it down immediately.
55. Take care of Yourself
Being successful means taking care of you, both physically and
emotionally. You will need to have energy, focus, and rest.
In
turn, this will help you concentrate and put in the hours
required to be successful. Without taking proper care of
yourself, you will end up struggling and your business could
feel the effects.
56. Take Good Notes
Whether you are at a seminar, a casual meeting, or notice
something special in the news, take good, comprehensive notes.
This is not always a natural skill but something that has to be
acquired. You want to pay attention to the emphasis being made
capture it. Even if there are materials being handed out, if
there is something that you feel you should capture separately,
do it. Good notes will help you learn better and provide
additional reference points.
57. Participate
If attending seminars or lectures that will help you get ahead,
if there is the opportunity, participate by asking questions or
making valid points. Participation is a great way to remember
what is being taught.
58. Be Serious
Take your efforts to success seriously. Success is a serious
thing and it takes serious dedication. You have to have the
mindset that this is not going to be all play, at least not in
the beginning.
59. Study Time
No matter what your goal for success, you should set aside some
time to study. If you want to be a successful hair stylist,
study different styles, colors, and trends. If you want to be a
veterinarian, study animals. Whatever your success, take time to
read, research, and ask many questions. You should also consider
volunteering at the local beauty school or hair salon or your
veterinarian’s office. Ask if you can follow them around for
a day or two and without getting in the way, observe, and ask
questions.
60. Apply What You Learn
Since you will be setting milestones as you reach for your
success, apply what you have learned through each phase of the
process. Doing is a much more powerful tool than simply reading
or watching.
61. Provide Yourself Time
You need to be sure to allow yourself some time just for
pleasure. Being successful is hard work so to avoid burnout;
you need to treat yourself to a night out or just time to sit
back, watch TV, and do absolutely nothing once in awhile.
62. Set Realistic Goals
People wanting to be successful often want overnight results.
Unfortunately, that is not going to happen. You need to do an
analysis to determine a realistic amount of time it will take to
reach your specific success. As you go through your Business
Plan you may find times that dates have to adjusted but even if
there are changes, keep it realistic. Otherwise, you will
become frustrated and quit!
63. Talk About It
Talking about your goals for success not only keeps it in the
front of your mind but also keeps up your excitement level. In
addition, it adds in an element of accountability. Think about
it, you go around telling everyone that you are going to be a
masseuse, those people are going to be expecting, and anxious to
see you succeed. By talking about your goals, you are creating a
motivational system – a system of accountability.
64. Don’t Make Quick Decisions
When things in your plan need to change, unless necessary, do
not make quick decisions. Just as it took time to plan in the
beginning, it will take time to change. You want to make sure
you are making the right decisions when changes come up. Do
your research just as you did in the beginning and then make
educated choices.
65. Avoid Stress
When you strive to be successful, stress is a natural part of
the process. Do everything you can to avoid stress. Adding
in
unnecessary stress into the equation will take focus away from
accomplishing your goals. You can listen to relaxing tapes, get
a professional massage, take a walk, or whatever helps you to
relax. When you start feeling overwhelmed, stop, change
direction, and avoid stress. The only thing stress accomplishes
is draining your think power and creativity.
66. Learn How to Delegate
As you start getting closer to your goal of success, you will
find that there are many more things to do than hours in the
day. If going into business, consider hiring someone; even
part-time or on a freelance basis to help take some of your
load. If your success is more on a personal basis, have family
or friends pitch in to help you get things done. You will be
amazed at how much this will help ease the situation and allow
you the proper amount of time to focus on the things that need
your full attention.
67. Be a Problem Solver
Rather than stew over things or let stress overtake you, find
ways to become a problem solver. Look at ways that you might
find new customers, increase productivity, or resolve issues.
68. Conduct Research
It is important to know what you are getting into. First, you
will want to conduct research as far as the business, industry,
or interest associated with your particular success. Second,
the research will help you stay up to date on trends, which may
or may not require you to make adjustments in your own goal.
For example, if you were interested in opening a particular
business focusing on a specific technology and that technology
took a turn to another direction, new advancements, you may need
to change the direction you were going for your own business.
Unless you kept up on research, you would not know when a change
was needed and therefore, would end up building a business
already headed for failure.
69. Offer a Guarantee
If you have created a business that offers either products or
services, in order to get and keep customers coming back, they
have to know that you stand behind what you offer. Providing a
guarantee will help your business grow and reach the highest
level of success.
70. Get Excited
Do you remember your first trip to see a professional baseball
game and how exciting it was to see the thousands of people
cheering, enjoying the mouthwatering smell of popcorn and hot
dogs, and hoping that you might get a chance to catch a foul
ball? Perhaps you can remember your first prom, being excited
that the right boy asked you to the dance, shopping for the
perfect glamour dress, and buying your date a corsage. You need
to be excited about your venture for success. Remember some of
the things that brought true excitement to your heart when you
were growing up and add that same excitement to your grownup
life.
71. Expand your Mind
Whatever your idea of success, take it one-step further.
Stretch your mind and reach just one-step higher than you
thought you could reach. If you were going to open an ice cream
store, offering 30 flavors, go one more step and make it 31.
Okay, you get the idea.
72. Be a Strong Leader
Learn to be a good leader and a good mentor. Enjoy making a
difference and in guiding others to achieve their potential as
well. Help people reach to new horizons.
73. Be Logical
Okay, you may be thinking that logic itself is logical.
However, being logic in many cases means having some level of
analytical ability. Regardless of the way you think, find the
logic in it. This will help you think and plan clearly and
honestly.
74. Give 100% Effort
If you are going to succeed, you have to be able to get through
tough times. You will have to rise to challenges and not quit.
You have to plan to go the extra mile and make personal
sacrifices. Succeeding means giving 100% effort. Stay
focused
while keeping your performance on a consistent basis.
75. Take Classes
Take some classes at college where you can get a certification.
Enhancing yourself on a personal level will boost everything
about you, making you feel better, about the person you are.
When you feel better, you achieve more. This is a great time to
obtain your certification in CPR, First Aid, a computer class, or
some other outside interest you have.
76. Understand your Goal
A great challenge is to prove to yourself that you can do it.
One of the ways to prove this to you is to take on
responsibility. If your goal for success involves opening a
restaurant, work in a restaurant as a server to get a
perspective of all the jobs involved to make the restaurant a
success. Understand the entire business from the ground up.
77. Raise your Standards
You may think you are working your tail off and you probably
are. Try raising the bar just a little bit. Always expect
the
best from yourself. Do not beat yourself up if you do not
always hit 100% but increase your standards and strive for
more.
78. Unconscious Power
The unconscious mind is a very powerful tool. Take advantage of
this and each night before heading off to bed, take some time to
pose questions to yourself and then allow your mind to hash them
out while you sleep. In addition, mediate in whatever way you
find relaxing before going to bed to clear your mind from
clutter and allow the subconscious mind to go to work.
79. Paint a Picture
A great way to keep working toward your goal is to see it. If
you want to open a computer store, find a picture or article
about Bill Gates when he first got started. If your success is
to lose weight, go to Diets.com or Slimfast.com and print off a
before and after picture of someone that has a similar body type
to yourself. Perhaps your goal is to redecorate your bedroom.
Again, locate before and after pictures on the Internet of
decorated rooms. Seeing is believing!
80. Develop Uniformity
At first, this may be a little challenging but strive to keep
things on an even keel. This will keep your efforts and focus
from going up and down. The more you can stay the course the
quicker you will reach your goal to success.
81. Just Do It
Okay, so Nike coined that phrase but it is so accurate. Quit
putting things off and just do it. If you want it bad enough,
go for it!
82. Identify Procrastinations
If you have a problem with procrastination, make a list of the
things you constantly put on hold. This will help you identify
your poor patterns and make the appropriate adjustments. Local
colleges often have improvement courses regarding making better
decisions and procrastination. Locate a class that would help
you with this kind of challenge.
83. Want Versus Need
When you strive for success, do it because you want it, not
because you need it. When you want something, it brings about
intention, desire, and action. However, when you need
something, it will lead to pain, stress, and frustration.
84. Be Independent
Do not be afraid to go for what you know is the right thing for
you. Being independent allows you to take control over your
destiny and emotional state. Stand firm in what you believe and
do not allow other people to determine how you feel or what you
believe in.
85. Economic Value
Considering your talent, also look at things that can help
create economic value. These types of goals have better chance
of being successful and lasting. Is there something in your
community that could bring about more revenue? As an example,
do you live in a smaller town where there are no fast food
restaurants, causing people to drive miles outside of your town
for a cheeseburger and shake? If so, perhaps opening a small
fast food restaurant would be a great option. You could have
the success of running your own business while bringing
something to your community.
86. Learn a New Skill
Learn new skills that will enhance your success. If you want to
become a hairstylist and someday open a line of salons, in
addition to cutting hair, learn how to braid, color, do weaves,
etc.
87. Appreciate Life
Do not burn any bridges in life. Appreciate life, people,
everything around you. Learn as much as you can from every
person you meet. Do not turn people away just because you do
not agree with them. You never know, the very people you turn
away may be the very people that come to your rescue during a
time of difficulty.
88. The Right Marketing
When you get ready to start marketing your business or idea,
never rely on one method of marketing. It is important to look
at several options since nothing will last forever.
89. Believe
Not only do you need to believe in the product or service you
are building to success, you also need to believe in you. Your
confidence is what will get you through the difficult challenges
and build credibility with your customers.
90. Know your Customers
You should know, really know, your customers, especially your
top ten. Find out what they like and dislike. What other
products or services would be of value to them? These very
relationships are what will keep your business going. It is
crucial to consider your customer’s desires all of the time.
91. Plan your Costs
Unbelievably, there are thousands of entrepreneurs that start a
business without the foggiest idea of what their costs are going
to be. Either there is an estimation that is way overstated or
understated. From the very beginning, you need to have a strong
handle on knowing what you will need to get your business started
and keep it running. Additionally, you need to have projections
for your future success. Know your numbers and make sure they
are accurate.
92. Timing is Everything
You have probably heard it before – timing is everything.
Especially when it comes to opening a business, there is a right
and a wrong time to start a business. This would be extremely
important if your business has cycles or is seasonal. For
example, if you are starting a business to do landscaping, the
winter months when snow is on the ground is not the right time.
You can be working toward your Business Plan, marketing ideas,
finding investors, if required, etc., during those cold months,
but you certainly would not want to open your doors for the
first time in the heart of winter.
93. Keep it Lean
Start-up businesses do not have room for “dead” weight. As
an example, when first starting out, if you need some
assistance, rather then hiring a permanent employee that will
involve salary, insurance, other benefits, etc., consider a
temporary employee until the business grows. Keep improving the
bottom line before you start adding on more expenses to your
business.
94. Get the Word Out
If your success is focused on a business, when you get ready to
open your doors, make sure you get the message out. This will
include marketing promotions, advertising, sending out a press
release, etc. The more people know about your business, the
better chance of you have of reaching success.
95. Guard your Emotions
Keeping emotions in check is not always an easy task. You will
have times of disappointment that will require you to react with
integrity. You may feel like crying and feel as though your
world has just ended. Keep telling yourself that it has not
ended and you will just have to make some adjustments in your
plan. Never allow anger to be a response. You never know the
trickle down effect of that anger and how it could permanently
damage your reputation.
96. Be Nice
Study after study has shown that people with pleasing
personalities have an easier time reaching success. Now only
are they more levelheaded in handling the business but they also
draw people around them that are eager and willing to help. In
fact, in addition to being pleasing, be polite, show true
interest, and have a great sense of humor.
97. Break Bad Habits
Habits, regardless of size or nature, can be exceptionally
difficult to break. This will take a lot of effort but you can
do it. Unfortunately, poor habits can be the one aspect of your
behavior that could be the obstacle to your success. If you have
a habit of sniffling or chewing your nails when you get nervous
or saying demeaning or offensive things as a way of trying to
control, to be successful, whether on a personal or business
level, you have to stop.
98. Improve Efficiency
You will want to develop your potential to its fullest. The
more efficient you can become the better job you will do. Be
efficient with your time by not procrastinating and efficient
with your effort by staying focused.
99. Have Balance in your Life
Imagine yourself on a canoe with another person. The day is
beautiful, sunny, and warm. The two of you are floating along
without a care in the world. Suddenly, ripples of water start
rocking the canoe and without proper balance, both of you, along
with all your belongings, are thrown into the cold water. It is
the same when you strive for success. You have to find balance
not only for yourself but also for others around you. Balance
means providing time away from work for pleasure, working extra
hours when required, knowing when a new direction is required,
etc.
100. Have Fun
When people start into the process of being successful, whether
for personal growth or starting a business, they may start by
incorporating fun, but within a very short time, they realize it
is hard work and the fun simply falls by the wayside. If you
look at some of the most successful people in the world such as
Sam Walton, Oprah Winphrey, or Ross Perot, you will find common
threads that run between all of them. First, they started with
nothing; second, they are all multi-millionaires many times
over, and third, they have fun. They enjoy life, the people
around them, and even find enjoyment in the challenges. This
one element is often forgotten. This is a crucial element for
success and should be a part of your plan.
101. Face your Weaknesses
The best way to get better at anything and to be successful is
to face the weaknesses we all possess. Everyone has weaknesses
and in order to be better, think clear, act appropriately, and
succeed, you have to identify the areas you need to improve on
and then take action to turn your weaknesses into strengths.
There is no better gratification than being successful. Accept
that you are in for some hard work but the results will be
incredible. Use these tips as guidelines and step outside the
box. Take action and succeed!
