Step by Step

There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “The longest journey begins with one step.” That’s not entirely true. A successful journey begins with some planning and a map that tells you how to reach your destination. But all the planning and preparation won’t get you to your destination unless you start walking.

Don’t be overwhelmed focusing on long range goals that seem too giant to achieve. Use long range goals as a vision to inspire you to keep moving, but you don’t need to focus any farther than the next step.

Have you laid out your plan to success? What are you milestones? What is the next step on your plan of action?

Follow your blueprint. Take the next step.

Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net

Choice

Your choices will determine your future. It is not only your power, but your responsibility.

Once you make your choice, no one can stop you but you.
The only way to fail is to quit.

Know where you are going, and keep moving in that direction. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Things outside of your control may slow you down, but stopping would be your choice alone.
Choose to keep moving ahead and success is a certainty.

Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants

Unstoppable

I remember hearing this story as a child. An aging father had seven sons who were arguing. They came to their father and wanted their inheritances so they could go their separate ways. The father took seven sticks and bound them together and asked each son to break the bundle of sticks. Each tried as hard as he could but couldn’t break them. The father then said, “I will show you how to break them.” He then untied the bundle and broke each stick separately. He instructed his sons that if they stayed together and worked as a team, they would be unbreakable. But if they separated and each pursued his interests separately, they would be easily broken by any passerby.

No one succeeds alone. Every endeavor requires a team of visionaries, pragmatists and supporters. Know your strengths and surround yourself with those whose strengths support your weaknesses. Then you will all be unstoppable.

Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net

Success Breeds Success

Every successful business starts with a successful person. Do you have a clearly written vision statement for your life? Focus on being, not doing. It is important to know who you want to be. Would you like to be educated, respected, a good public speaker, a friend? Write these into your vision for yourself and keep this vision constantly in front of you. You can accomplish this through a goal board and through daily affirmations. The more you focus on what you want to become, the faster your subconscious will work to make it your reality.

Dr. Carl Rogers, the famous psychologist, had people write out what they wanted to become. Then, in each session as they talked about themselves, Dr. Rogers would simply repeat back to them what they said about themselves. Over time, each individual began to become more like their ideal self.

What is your ideal self? If you know who you want to be and keep your vision constantly in front of you, you will become your ideal self.

Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants

Important Vs Urgent

Throughout our day there is a conflict going on between what is important and what is urgent. The important needs to get done for us to live pleasant, fulfilled lives. But the urgent screams to be done first and often leaves no time for what is important.

Sometimes the urgent really does need to be done first. If the house is on fire, everything else must be placed on hold until it is put out. But usually what we perceive as urgent really isn’t.

The fact that your favorite TV show is coming on in 2 minutes may seem urgent, but taking time to hug your kids and listen to the problems they had in school that day is what is important.

Answering your emails may seem urgent, but taking time to plan your day so you can be productive is what is important.

Never become a slave to the seemingly urgent at the expense of what is important.

Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net

Control

A thermometer moves up and down with the temperature. A thermostat works to control the temperature so everyone is comfortable.
Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Are you in control of your future, or do you just react to it?

You can take control of your life. Start with awareness. (What’s the temperature now?)

Set your goal. (What temperature do you want it to be?)

Make your goal a reality. (Work towards it consistently.)

Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants

Unless You’re a Shrink, You Won’t Find Success On The Couch

Guess what. If you want to succeed, you have to get up and work for it.
I am a firm believer in goal setting and visualization. But to succeed you also have to get up and get cracking.
Whatever your field, there is a process that must be worked.
If you are in sales: Pick up the phone. Make the appointments. Do the presentations.
If you are a student: Go to the library. Pick up the books. Write the papers.
If you are in management: Design the metrics. Communicate your department goals. Train your team.
Work is not a curse, but a blessing. Even Adam and Eve had jobs in the Garden of Eden. Adam was the gardener, and Eve was his assistant.
The story of the grasshopper and the ant, popularized by Disney, actually has its roots in the writings of King Solomon.
Every goal has its labor, and today is a work day.

Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net