My first piece of advice on success today for anyone willing to listen is simply to turn off the news: Don't listen to CNN.

Turn off the Fox News network, NBC, CNBC and all the other networks that are sensationalizing everything that is happening in our economy on a minute to minute basis. I have made a conscious decision not to listen because a high percentage of what you see on television today is pure garbage designed simply to improve ratings. I refuse to listen to a constant diet of negativity. In fact, I refuse to even associate with negative people. I suggest that each and every one of us has an obligation to protect our attitude.

Visualization is Powerful.

Ask Tiger Woods or any other professional athlete for that matter about visualization. If you visualize failure, in effect, you can create your own failure. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. By the same token, the "Law of Attraction" also works. If you visualize success you increase your chances of creating success.

This isn't some mystic power from the universe. It's actually quite simple. Your thoughts control your behaviors. If you visualize positive things your behaviors are more likely to be positive. You will view things differently, recognize opportunities much quicker and actually generate creative ideas to act upon. Those actions then drive your success.

The Top 5 – 10% of the Success Chain

It is often said that it is the top five to ten percent of the wealthy that create jobs for the rest of the country. That isn't mystical either. It is simply a basic principle of the free enterprise system.  The majority of employees today undervalue their own abilities and become protective of what they have. This puts them in a low risk defensive mentality that inhibits their creativity and willingness to take any kind of risk. This mentality is probably why research has suggested that only 20% of all employees actually reach their own personal potential.

So…. Let's start there. That statistic says that there is tremendous opportunity for the majority of employees to increase their chance of realizing their full potential. No matter what situation you find yourself in, make a pledge right now that no matter how tough the journey seems, you are committed, and you will not give up. You will maximize your own personal potential.  It starts with taking responsibility for who you were, who you are, but more importantly – who you want to become. Let go of your fears. Change is scary but if you create it, you can control it. Be a little bit of a maverick. Decide to take some calculated risk. Begin to look at all your options.

You must go forward with focus, passion, and a sense of meaning. Begin by quantifying your goals. How will you measure success?  What does succeeding mean to you?  For some it's just a promotion to upper management. For others it means happiness and spiritual wealth and to others it may mean being the CEO.

You define success for your life and only you can do that. Don't let anyone else set your standards for personal life achievements. Outline your purpose. Start by investing in learning. Commit yourself to at least one hour a day of scheduled reading or other forms of education.

Write Down Your Goals ---- Write down at least three to five goals for your life and for your job; under each goal try to identify milestones along the way that can track your progress. And lastly, under each goal identify specific actions that you feel you must take to accomplish that goal. It's amazing how success rates multiply simply by defining goals and putting them in writing. List specific factors in your life that would allow you to generate the best methods in accomplishing your goals.

Execute ------- Some general once said, "No plan survives contact with the enemy."  To me that means unless you begin to execute, you will never figure out what adjustments and changes are necessary to keep your journey on track to reach your destination.

Understand the Requirements.

• Create a personal success plan that is in alignment with your company's objectives unless you are an entrepreneur running your own business. 
• Ambition is a must ‘– don't unrealistically shoot for the moon but don't sell yourself short either
• You must be willing to take personal risk. Be a Maverick but don't shoot from the hip. Calculate and  analyze your risks
• Become self motivated and be willing to release your discretionary energy. (going above and beyond standard expectations)
• Create definitive goals with milestone markers – document them
• Success isn't a gift --- It just doesn't happen. If you are going to create a journey toward success, you have to plan for it.

We all live 24 hours each day. What you do with that time determines your success. Ask yourself if you really have defined your destination. Ask yourself if you have defined the map for your journey. Create a self-imposed respect for time. Learn to multi task. Treat time as an investment. Do these things and your attitude becomes a positive platform for all your success drivers.


Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution's "Leadership Strategist", founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com.