Tony Robbins says that “A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.

Far too many of us mistakenly hope and try to pave our path to success with our sincerely believed positive thoughts, powerfully encouraging words, deeply felt  inspirational affirmations and a bucket load of best intentions.

But when it comes down to where the rubber meets the road, the only thing that will really make a difference in our efforts to reach the pinnacle peak of success is well planned and consistently adhered to actions.

We have somehow, over time, allowed ourselves to become a society that now desperately seeks effortless and instant gratification, Sadly these days, there are far too many popular “Gurus” our there who are making a lot of money by merely repackaging and selling the same empty promises and “snake oil” messages.

However, if you take the time to ask anyone who has ever actually succeeded at something of true value and importance, they will quickly tell you that all of the positive thinking and good intentions can only carry you so far, Without a truly well designed plan and the dedicated commitment to following that plan through to completion, step by step, with a list of pertinent, predetermined actions, the odds of achieving any REAL amount of success are minimal to nil.

It’s never been more true than it is today, “Actions speak louder than words” and just as the famously popular old saying reveals, “you can learn a heck of a lot more about who a person truly is, based on what they actually DO … as apposed to what it is that they merely say.

Everyone instinctively knows that the person to avoid like the plague in the world of business is the person who is notorious for being “All Talk and No Action.” The funny thing is, coming with something clever to say to fool people actually takes a lot of effort and is far more labor intensive than simply following an action plan through to completion.

Not to mention the fact of how much more profitable and productive it is to quietly stick to your path and continue to make progress toward achieving yet another impressive goal and objective, while others lazily sit back and merely talk about all of their lavish plans for a future that we all know they will never actually ever get up and go build for themselves!

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Dale Carnegie reminds us all of the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, when he tells us that, “Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain – and most fools do.”

It’s a sad fact … and one that we ALL are far too aware of, suffering the slings & arrows of those angry, frustrated, disheartened “judges” who continuously find fault in the actions of those brave souls who are still out there actively pursuing their goals, instead of giving up after a few crush blow and loses, and slinking off to the safety of “The Audience” to hurl mean-spirited criticism at those still busily and gallantly trying to make their dreams come true!

There is a famous old saying that basically expressed the idea that, “Those who truly CAN – DO, while Those who truly CAN’T – Become Critics!”

While this mildly humorous comment is sure to put a knowing smile on the face of those who have unfairly suffered the wrath of “unkind criticisms,” slung hurtfully by those who have already surrendered and slithered off to jealously watch from the sidelines … it’s still tough to endure those barbed insults while trying to focus on doing our very best out on the field of our chosen endeavor, so often feeling like a field of battle.

Therefore, like so many other business truths that inevitably come back to the central, guiding principal and central theme of the “GOLDEN RULE,” we ALL need to continuously remember to only “Do unto others, what we would want them to do unto us!” In other words … “As Ye Sow, So She Ye Reap!”

Basically, you don’t ever want to be known as the annoying, self righteous jerk; who is always out there maliciously and cruelly criticizing, condemning and complaining about others. Nothing can destroy your hard-earned reputation and sense of respect quicker, than being perceived by your peers as a mean-spirited, cold hearted, hot-tempered critic.

It’s actually so much easier to choose to lend a powerful and positive string of support, help, encouragement and friendship to those whom you work with and around … and get to be known as a source of valuable insight and inspiration to all who encounter you as you go around achieving victory after victory, with the support, loyalty, help and cooperation of all of your new-found friends and allies!

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Zig Ziglar was kind enough to consul us with the fact that “A goal properly set is halfway reached.”

Why is it that even the most successful and satisfied of us, continuously suffer through the universal human struggles encountered with those impending doubts when setting out on a new, strategic adventure, no matter how many times we have previously returned victorious and richer in wealth, insights, expertise and “supposed confidence” gained from the experience?

Ziglar, much more than merely an expert in business success, is what one might refer to as a “Student of LIFE” and “Knower of People!” Zig understands that the very first thought that so often goes through the mind of a person who has just experienced 99 consecutive WINS in a row, is …“oh boy, I hope this isn’t where the gravy train finally stops and I take a serious beating!”

So we are reminded that 50% of a successful outcome … is a well thought out and intelligently designed plan, simply followed in a predetermined “step by step” process and continuously adhered to with dedication and confidence. Period!

Why do you think that Motivational Books written by people who have already successfully achieved their goals and manifested their dreams are such HUGE SELLERS? Because the basic, fundamental, generic, well designed plans have already been designed for us, by those who went before us, and all we need to do is to understand the underlying principals within, and effectively modify the strategy to our particularly unique situation.

It’s the exact same reason that all of those Cookbooks written by Master Chefs are so popular and sell so many copies, because the “PLAN” to the Perfect Meal has already been designed, and all you need to do is follow the instructions and season to taste.

Same with success! Study those who have previously achieved it consistently and then modify their methods to the unique character of your circumstances, and you will already be halfway home with the spoils of your victory held proudly and confidently over your head!

It’s all in the proper planning. “Victory is in The Details!”

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John Maxwell wisely reminds us that “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision – comes from passion, not position.” Now while that is a truly great quote from a truly great teacher, we need to realize that the truth held within the comment is not just talking about one’s position on a journey’s map, but also one’s position within an organization.

You see, those of us who are truly dedicated to our truest goals and sincerest objectives, are driven continuously forward, without fail, no matter how far our desired destiny may appear to be on a map, or how many treacherous obstacles appear to be standing between us and achieving our victory.

Likewise, a person of true vision and deep passion for accomplishing a set goal, will clearly see the path that needs to be pursued in order to accomplish that objective, and KNOW that they are the one destined to “make it happen,” even if they aren’t viewed by those around them, as a natural leader and powerful “go-getter!”

So what truly matters is your commitment to diligently follow through, no matter what obstacles, personalities and perceptions of your position may be.  Never give up, never give in, never give yourself a reason to loose hope and quit before victoriously tasting the delicious fruits of your labors.

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Brian Tracy reminds us all to “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”

How many times have we, over an extended period of time, come to realize that something that we once say as a terrible defeat or loss, actually taught us a very important lesson that lead to our winning and succeeding more consistently than ever.

On what many leaders and teachers in the world of positive motivation have come to refer to as a “Universal or Cosmic Level,” there actually is no such thing as a bad mistake or loss!

In fact, the so called “bad experience” that we initially perceive as a loss, quite often proves to be exactly the lesson learning motivator that finally drives the truth home in our minds, hearts and souls, to the point where we start utilizing this new information more regularly, becoming happier, more self fulfilled and a LOT more successful in both our life and our business.

So, does that mean that we will never again feel the sting of being disappointed, frustrated or on the short end of the stick when it comes to our career plans?

No, not at all, but it does mean that each and every time that we remember to “try” to continually maintain our sense of gratitude for all that we have learned from the events of our day, our negative thoughts and feelings will continue to become less and less intense and pass away quicker and quicker each day.

Is it any surprise to anyone out there, that a universal / spiritual truth regarding the importance and value of always being gracious and grateful and openly expressing our sincerest thanks and appreciation, would also serve to help us to make a lot more money and enjoy our career all that much more?

Develop and consistently express your attitude of gratitude and always give thanks for all that have and experience … and not only will YOUR attitude ad consciousness about what you are doing change -  but so will other people’s attitudes and consciousnesses change, regarding how they feel about and around you.

Suddenly you find that more and more people will feel strongly drawn to be around you, to associate with you, do business with you and to be your true friend and ally. People will pick up on that positive energy, and reflect it back to you with their own positive attitudes and actions. Try it … you’ll like it!

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Napoleon Hill said  ”A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Don’t allow the shortness or simplicity of this comment to cause you to underestimate the significance of this truth, because this truly is one of the primary, premium lessons to be learned and then effectively and consistently applied, in order for any business venture, or for that matter … LIFE … to be truly successful.

If I had just a single, thin a dime for every time I met with a well intending, bright and optimistic business associate who was excitedly sharing all their goals with me, and then suddenly stopped and dropped their jaw, dumbfounded, when I asked them what their “deadline” is for each of these awesome goals, I would have the money to buy myself a small, luxury island out in the South Pacific.

You see, if there is no specific deadline attached to goal, it isn’t really a goal at all. It’s a nice, pleasant wish, hope, dream, desire, but it certainly doesn’t qualify as a goal.

If you were to mistakenly go pitch your exciting new GOAL to a CEO or Board of Directors, without a deadline included within the presentation, or at least, a very specific plan to effectively determine the most logical deadline, you would walk out of that meeting with a significant amount of your enthusiasm, confidence and quite probably a fairly large portion of your hind-quarters painfully missing.

Face it, the human race is naturally a bunch of postponing procrastinators, who will instinctively seek out any way possible to avoid the sense of pressure and expectation that a deadline automatically puts into any situation.

But, it is, in fact, the very thing that we instinctively seek so desperately to avoid, a set and unalterable deadline as to when a project needs to be completed, that actually drives mass mediocrity onward toward the heights of glorious success and the continuous confidence and comfort that a string of meaningful successes brings to one’s attitude and reputation.

Yes, the truth is … deadlines are not only inevitable and unavoidable, but are in fact, our greatest friends and reliable allies in both business and life. Without our deadlines, we wouldn’t ever have achieved even 1/10^th of our greatest and most significant successes and accomplishments.

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Darren Hardy reminds us that “Some of our best intentions fail because we don’t have a system of execution.” We’ve all heard the famous old saying about the road to “somewhere rather unpleasant” … is paved with good intention. Well, this powerfully visual axiom plays out to be just as true in the world of business.

In an environment where things often simply come down to the “Bottom Line” and final outcome when crunching the numbers, good intentions simply won’t cut it unless they are backed up and effectively implemented and supported by a well designed plan of action.

This has always proven to be a very troublesome and problematic truth for those very creative visionaries out there, to efficiently deal with. Yes, we most definitely need the brainstorming insights and ideas of those creative geniuses who have the innate ability to see things that the rest of us simply can’t envision.

However, without the carefully designed strategies of someone naturally gifted and practically competent at the science of turning lofty and artistic dreams into manifest reality where the rubber meets the road, dreams remain nothing more than a puff of smoke lazily sifting through the breeze.

While it’s nice to know that your very best friends and family members will always be willing to take your “best intentions” into account when assessing the outcome of an important project, the truth of the matter is, sadly your co-workers, partners, clients, associates and board of directors will be far more focused on the actual, bottom-line results and final outcome of the project.

Genius, original ideas and deeply heartfelt “good intentions” are always valuable premiums that are continuously in desperate shortage in the world of business.

However, without an equally well planed and effectively executed strategy for taking those positive ideas and productively implementing them successfully, nothing tangible will ever accomplished within an environment where “RESULTS” is the name of the game.

Think Big, Think Lofty, but then be sure to Think It Though …to well designed, achievable completion … or you will sadly not only be wasting your own time, but also the time, money and valuable reputation of your associates, partners and company!

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Zig Ziglar says that “Every choice you make has an end result.” Most people tend to agree with this comment whole heartedly, pretty much immediately upon first hearing it. Others might need to take a little bit of time to reflect more deeply on the matter, but in the end, would say that they believe the quote to be true!

However, most people don’t seem to recognize that this fact applies equally as consistently when working in reverse. In other words, we have learned to expect certain consequences that arise form our actions. But how often do we consider the outcome that takes place due to our hesitancy or failure to take action?

When it comes to life decisions or business actions, the cause and effect impact of making “No Decision” can influence the outcome of a project, just as much as any affirmative decision to move forward and actively pursue a particular chosen strategy.

What were saying here is, “No decision” is still a decision!

Every single decision that we fail to make, choose not to make, or simply hesitate to make, has just as drastic and dramatic an impact on the over-all outcome of our intended goals, determined plans, deepest desires and our most coveted individual or mutually agreed upon objectives.

Doing nothing at all; still sets significant forces into motion, or in other cases, fails to alter or eliminate certain factors and forces, which end up greatly influencing the final outcome of our determined efforts one way or the other.

“Cause and effect” is an indisputable law of nature. But often it’s the things that we “don’t do” or are unable to decide about doing quickly enough, that send a plan into a desperate and irrecoverable tailspin.

True leaders make decisions … and then they effectively see them through to completion. Truly great leaders are able to take in a wide range and vast amount of information, quickly organizing it into easily absorbable bits of data to then be quickly sorted through and prioritized into a sequence of thought patterns leading to a timely and final decision.

Make a decision and then see it through to the end. Failing to decide is really nothing more than simply deciding to fail. The effect is just as powerful and final as any affirmative decision to take a certain path, so never allow your hesitation to decide to bring your journey toward ultimate success to a sudden dead end.

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W. Clement Stone said that “Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.”

While it is 100% totally true that we are far more likely to continue moving onward and forward in the right direction, without giving up, no matter what obstacles we encounter, if we are truly “definite” about our purpose and plan, the fact is, there actually is a key component to this vital truth that most people tend to miss.

The significant gem at the very center of this powerful principle is what the entire statement so effectively pivots on. That golden nugget of truth is the foundational, root word at work within the larger term; “Definiteness.”

We are talking about the word “define.” Before you can truly be “definite” about your plans, purpose and decisions, you must first take the time to clearly “Define” the precise and exacting nature of your objectives, circumstances and possible options.

This is where many brilliantly insightful, creative and intelligent leaders tend to drop the ball and fall short of the goal. The lack of laser-like “definition,” brought into the initial planning stages of solution finding process, is what often foils even the most well conceived and implemented success strategies.

Before you allow your internal, creative muse to go to work conjuring up a game-plan intended to lead you or your team to ultimate success, be sure that you and the planning committee have clearly defined and are 100% totally in sync and on the same page when it comes to all pertinent terms, goals, intentions, objectives, and expectations, as well as all potential concerns, fears, risks and obstacles.

If you start off with a very clearly defined, specifically designated set of primary target objectives and all vital, foundational priority “intel” has already been fully fleshed out and completely understood before any of the initial problem solving / decision making process begins, you’ll have a much higher chance of achieving immediate success and satisfaction, because all of the variables will have been clearly defined and thoroughly comprehended … long before the operation ever began.

Those who fail to “define” their plans – “definitely” plan to fail.

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Les Brown said “Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on. If we don’t seriously make the time to stop and really think about the full impact of what these seemingly simple words are truly telling us, we could very easily let one of the most significant truths pass us by without even realizing it.

The fact of the matter is, when all things are said and done, the ONLY person who can possibly hold you back and prevent you from achieving all the success that you dream of and strive for … is YOU!

Our ability to forgive others of their trespasses has always been a pretty big and serious struggle, but learning to truly forgive and accept our own short-comings, faults, mistakes and failures along the way, is truly the dark, cold cavern of self doubt and judgment that can hold us back from reaching our goals and achieving our life-long dreams!

Why is that we hold ourselves to a much stricter and less forgiving accountability, when it comes to falling short of our intended objectives. Why are we so often, so very mercilessly strict and stringent with ourselves, when we fall short of our own expectations, compared to the grace and forgiveness that we all usually come to extend to others?

The truth of the matter is, TRUE FORGIVENESS actually begins with ourselves, and till we truly learn how to authentically show grace and acceptance of our own personal and professional flaws and faults, we will, in fact, never truly fully learn to forgive others.

Holding yourself accountable and being fully responsible for your actions is a truly unique, rare and wonderful quality!  However, to cruelly pass permanent judgment upon yourself for your failures is a certain path to absolute and total disaster.

Refusing to cut yourself some slack and give yourself a much needed and well deserved break, showing yourself some sincere grace, forgiveness and renewed sense of authentic faith, confidence, trust and belief in yourself, is honestly the only way that you will ever be able to regain and maintain the highest possible levels of energy, inspiration and encouragement to effectively see your goals all the way through to a certain, successful and self satisfying conclusion.

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