As you know I’ve spent years studying success, and over the years I’ve come to know that success is available to anyone who is willing to follow the principles (or the keys) to success.  Success doesn’t belong to the elite; success is not the birthright of the privileged nor is it the property of a choice few.  Success is for anyone who is committed to achieving it.  Success can be yours, if you’re willing to consistently apply the success principles to your life. 

No one can apply the principles of success and not succeed anymore than someone can add 2 + 2 and not get 4.

Today I want to talk about five more keys that will help you succeed.  Some of these keys I’ve mentioned before, but I want to take a slightly altered look at them today. 

These five keys will better position you to be effective and to make a difference in the world.

5 More Must-Read Keys to Success:

Key #1: Be Original

I don’t stay at the Ritz Carlton Hotel because it reminds me of the Hilton Hotel; I didn’t marry my wife because she reminded me of my last girlfriend.  She’s not my last girlfriend, there’s something unique about her which distinguishes her from the rest.  How are you different?  Your value is in your difference from others.  To succeed you must understand your difference and you must find a way to offer that difference to the world.

Key #2:  Focused Branding

When I think of the retail store “Wal-Mart,” I think of “Low Prices.”  When I think of “Google,” I think of “Search Engine.”  Every successful person or business can be summed up in a word or two because they’ve focused on their niche, and they’ve successfully communicated that focus and its benefit to the world.

What do people think of when they think of you?  They should be able to “sum up” your benefit in a word or two.  If they can’t, then you have some work to do.

Key #3: Relationships

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”  This saying certainly has some truth in it.  The good news is: “If you don’t know someone, you can always get to know them.”  Networking is a major key to success; who do you know?  You are only a few humans away from anyone in the world; you know someone, who knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone…  Through this connection you are at most six relationships from knowing anybody in the world (according to the six-degrees of separation principle).

Key #4: Have a Goal and a Plan

The most basic lesson in success is to have a specific goal with a deadline, and to have a step-by-step plan to achieve the goal.  The person without a goal is like a car without an engine; it’s not going very far. 

You need daily, weekly and monthly goals; goals guide you, they motivate you. 

You also need a plan; a plan consists of the directions to get you to your goal.  Without a plan, you will most likely wander, you may even get lost, but rest-assured you won’t make it to your destination.  So be sure you have a step-by-step plan that indicates “exactly” how you’re going to get from point A to point B.  If you don’t have a goal and a plan, you will fail, and you can quote me.

Key # 5: Remember the Main Thing

As the saying goes, the “main thing” is always to keep the “main thing,” the “main thing.” Determine the three or four things that you must do daily to guarantee your success, and duplicate these items daily.  If you can have a successful day, then you can have a successful year, you just have to be consistent.

Parting Words

Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, you have the ability to achieve.”  I believe we all have the ability to live successful lives, the likes of which have never been seen before.  We all possess what it takes to succeed. Success is not arriving at your intended destination, success is “committing” to get there; success is a decision.  Have you decided to succeed? 

Please Read: A special thanks to everyone who has signed up for my weekly motivational e-mails!  I’ve started a series titled 101 success tips.  Every week I will send out one success tip that I’m personally working on, and that you should be working on as well.  I’ll see you at the top!

Thank you for reading mrselfdevelopment.com, where every article expands your mind, increases your faith, and changes your life.

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