The few simple but essential principles of your steps to success
Woody Allen famously remarked that 90% of success was showing up. Perhaps Woody's adage is remembered for its simplicity and inherent truth. When you wish to attain a goal, your biggest obstacle is to begin. How many times have you thought about that hall closet which needs cleaning and sorting? Is it done? If not, it's only because you never started. A hall closet may entail a couple of hours work to make it all neat and tidy again. Although this may seem so simple that it doesn't warrant a mention, most failed projects are due to the lack of a beginning.
Your mother probably told you many times as you were growing up, "Just keep plugging along and you'll finish the job." Here is the second of the few, simple, steps to success. Consistency and persistence pay off. No matter how large the project seems, all that's required is that you break the project down into its separate parts, in a step-by-step outline. Begin at the beginning and keep on going. It's similar to mowing a large lawn. You may tire in the middle of the task, thinking, "I'll never get this done!" Just take a break and get back to work. Don't give up in midstream!
The third rule of your steps to success requires that you plan your steps and prioritize your tasks. If you're putting in a vegetable garden, you don't want to purchase your plants in a burst of gardening enthusiasm, only to realize your plot needs tilling and composting. Your lovely plants will wilt and die by the time the ground is prepared.
Learning to delegate is an essential in your steps to success program. Let's use the garden example. You did buy your plants too early. However, you've got a couple of teenagers not getting their quotient of fresh air and exercise. Put them to work! You can put the plants in the garage out of direct light and keep them moist until the ground is worked and ready.
If your project is large, such as painting the house or cleaning out a cluttered, two-car garage, allot a certain amount of time on your calendar each day to the exclusive pursuit of that task. It's best to make the time of day consistent, which helps assure you'll follow through.
You can see that the basic steps to success in any project are really quite simple. Take that first step, be persistent and consistent, plan ahead and organize your work. Then it's a matter of putting one foot in front of the other until you're done!
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