They work hard on getting better. They practice making it look easy. They read, think, and plan. They re-evaluate their goals, plans, and experiences.

Doesn’t it bother you when you work so hard on something, and when you excel, people say, “oh, you’re so lucky” or “you’re just so smart”… as if you were born with it, discounting any time and hard work you’ve put into improving.

Of course, genetics predispose individuals to certain qualities, but generally speaking people are not born awesome leaders, great public speakers, skilled artists, etc… they work at it when no one is watching, until they become the best.

Champions don’t become champions in the ring – they are merely recognized there.
- Unknown

What are you doing when no one is watching?

If your agenda for today is not consistent with your future goals, then it’s time to re-evaluate how you use your time. Because remember, tomorrow’s success starts today!

Dealing with change often differentiates between successful and unsuccessful individuals. This concept was characterized by Spencer Johnson in his short book Who Moved My Cheese.

In his book, Dr. Johnson narrates the outcomes of a mouse who successfully recognized the need to change his habits versus the mouse who chose to dwell on the unfairness of the change in how he acquired his cheese.

Learning from Johnson’s mice, resisting change can be harmful. Benjamin Franklin recognized the importance of change when he stated,

When you are finished changing, you’re finished.
– Benjamin Franklin

In today’s world, change is inevitable. If you cannot adapt to the changes you face, you’re finished as Franklin would have put it.

Therefore, in your journey to success, when faced with the challenge to change, be prepared to accept and handle it. When it gets tough, remind yourself that change is one of the few ways to ensure continued success.

It starts with an idea, purpose, or passion. Developed by hard work. Nurtured by dedication and persistence. Refined by failures. And sustained by focus and continued passion.

But what happens next? How long do you become “successful”? Does the novelty wear off?

Well… it could. Even if you were incredibly successful, but remained stagnant, eventually, your success and passion may die down. In my opinion, this is precisely why the phrase “success is a continuous journey” was coined.

What does this mean, exactly? To me, it means that I need to build upon my success. It means that I need to take advantage of my success today to generate a new idea, purpose, or passion… which marks the beginning of my journey for tomorrow’s success.

Here is to continued success!

But how do you stand out? How do you excel? How do you become remarkable?

The video below illustrates Seth Godin’s answers to these questions and more…

1. most people do not really spend time to think, and they should do so for a change, and
2. if an individual desires change in his/her life, then it must start by making a conscious effort and thinking up a plan.

Surely, you’ve heard someone contemplate,

How did I get here? This was definitely not part of the plan.

Unfortunately, most of us have said or thought this at some point in our lives, because life tends to throw surprises our way, and often times, we get distracted with them. Thus, it is crucial to examine and evaluate the direction we’re heading on a regular basis.

Personally, I try to “think” for an hour each couple of weeks. Here is what I do:

1. Find a quiet spot, relax, and clear my mind
2. Start thinking about my experiences, my dreams, my plans, etc
3. Identify obstacles that get in the way, things I struggle with, etc.
4. Generate solutions, ways around obstacles, and come up with specific action steps.
5. I make sure I have a notepad to jot down some notes.

With a hundred other things on the to-do list, it may be difficult to regularly dedicate time to “think”. However, this rapid pace of life is exactly why it is crucial to slow down and make sure you’re still heading in the path you desire for yourself.

Try it… you will be amazed by how enjoyable and rewarding thinking can be. As it becomes a habit, you will start craving and looking forward to your thinking time.

Most people have vague ideas of what success means to them; a few perks they would like to achieve, such as more money or a bigger house, but they do not list specific goals or dreams.  If an individual has a vague definition to success, he/she may lose interest when “success” is not quickly accomplished.

Specific goals keep people focused and determined to continue to pursue their dream of success. Do you have a clear vision and plan for success? If not, here are 5 simple steps to help you get started.

1. Determine exactly what you want to accomplish.
Rather than listing general benefits, focus on conceiving a PURPOSE.  What and Why is important to you and What do you want to accomplish? Think about the qualities and skills you need to develop. List milestones that could help you along the way. Be very honest and specific… and make sure to write them down.

2. Plan an approximate time-line for completion.
Realistically, how long should it take to succeed?  You should have a general idea of when you should reach your goals.  This is crucial, because it can help you keep your eyes focused on the next step/goal. Of course, most times things do not happen at the time frame we anticipate, so be prepared to be flexible.

3. List clear action steps.
Besides knowing exactly what you want to achieve, knowing how to get there is also critical. Think about the desired end result, then consider exactly what you would need to do in order to get there. Write each step in order, and make notes of possible obstacles you may face. Also include action steps you could take to overcome these obstacles.

4. Develop a solid plan for implementing your steps into action.
Will all start on all of your action steps at the same time? Or is there a staggering progression that needs to be carefully planned out and implemented? If an obstacle comes up, would that change the order of your action steps? Prepare and plan ahead. However, do not stall and over analyze.

5. Re-evaluate and re-adjust as necessary.
Once you are moving forward, since circumstances always change, you might want to set aside some regular time to re-evaluate and re-adjust your plans. You can do this as frequently as needed in order to ensure you are on a track that will help you accomplish your goals.

With a clear vision of purpose, a strong desire to achieve it, specific plans to get there, and continuous productive action you will soon find yourself are on the fast track to success.

Paradoxically, failure has a lot to do with being successful. Failure is inevitable and almost required to achieve success. Ask any successful person about his/her failures, and prepare for a long conversation.

In your quest to success, you will undoubtedly experience failure. One of the keys to success is how you choose to respond to failure. How you manage failures will directly determine your ability to succeed.

When faced with failure, most people quit. Obviously, quitting does not lead to success. If, however, after you experience failure, you decide to re-group, dust the dirt off your shoulder, learn from your mistakes, and charge ahead, then you’ve capitalized on your failure as a learning experience.

It’s a simple and inherent truth about failure, but so many neglect it: Failures give us the opportunity to start with a fresh and a smarter approach.

Just remember what Colonel George Armstrong Custer said,

It’s not how many times you get knocked down; It’s how many times you get back up.

In the “Failure” section of Success-Starts-Today.com, we will feature articles that can help you gracefully accept, learn from, and capitalize on your failures and allow them to propel you onto your journey to success.

• Success requires conscious effort.  i.e. it is not automatic and does not happen by accident.
• Success is a dynamic journey that requires time and consistency.

Therefore, if you want to succeed, you must start a journey to success, and it must start today!

Why today? Because today is the foundation for tomorrow’s success. Benjamin Franklin captured the importance of today when he said:

One today is worth two tomorrows; what I am to be, I am now becoming.

Tomorrow’s success depends on what you’re doing today.  In Today Matters, John Maxwell (one of my favorite leadership authors) firmly demonstrates that an individual’s daily agenda and activities almost always determine his or her success.

Does your daily agenda and activities today reflect a small step or task that would help you accomplish your future goals? If not, then it is time to pause, reflect, analyze your daily schedule, and make changes accordingly.

More great articles and blog entries in this category are coming soon!