promagazine.com |

As a business consultant, I have had an opportunity to meet and help hundreds of successful people. I find that the successful people I encounter have one consistent behavior: They accomplish what is important.

As trite as this may sound, it is not all that easy to achieve. It requires us to determine what is important, and then stay focused on that objective.

If you think this article is going to be all about motivation, it won't be. I am not a big fan of blind emotional motivation. Rather, I would like to suggest what behaviors and actions you should take to help you reach your desired goals. Activity, rather than whimsical emotions, drives success.

Secret 1:
Set aside time for success. Change never comes easily, and most of us are so busy with our day-to-day lives that we have little time to dedicate for change or new direction. Set aside a specific time to think about and work on the big picture. Schedule this time just like you would a hobby or weekly social activity. Use it to work on the big plan and change. As simple as it might seem, many people fail just because they do not make time for success.

Secret 2:
Stop using excuses and hold yourself accountable. You are the only person responsible for your success. It is not the economy, your spouse, your competitors or your employees standing in the way of your success—it's you. Focus on the future and where you are going, and set milestones to measure progress. This is not motivation—it's realism. Complaining about why you have not succeeded takes up precious time and does nothing to ensure success.

Secret 3:
Set reasonable goals. Unrealistic goals will only frustrate you and slow the process. Remember that growing a business takes time and discipline. You must simultaneously grow the three basic business disciplines of financial, sales and marketing, and production.

Moving too fast in one discipline direction will throw the business out of whack, and you will have to regroup before moving forward. Talent will only take you so far. You could be the best tradesperson, but you can only do so much. You can be a great salesperson, but sales will only take you so far. Great athletes have the discipline to be patient and work at their success with professional coaching and sound practice. Great businesspeople must exercise this same discipline.