The Courage To Act

The world is full of people with great intentions. They dream about all the wonderful things they would like to have and do in their lives, as soon as they get around to it. They get ready, they get everything in order, and they even have plenty of opportunities. They set specific goals with detailed plans on how to accomplish them. They read books, listen to audio programs, and attend seminars in their field.

But, in most cases, little, if anything ever happens. Their plans never get off the mark. Weeks, months, and years pass by and very little happens for most of these people. They end up like the great majority of people, living lives of quiet desperation.

What separates successful people from those who are not? When you examine all the characteristics, qualities, and behaviors of successful men and women throughout history, they all found the key to success. It is simply this: People who are successful think, plan, and then they take action. People who are not successful, think, plan, but never take action. And in most cases, that's all the difference there is.

The world belongs to those who reach out and grab it with both hands. It belongs to those who do something rather than just wishing, hoping, and praying. It belongs to those people who take action today, rather than those who intend to do something someday, when everything is just right.

Successful people are not necessarily those who make the right decisions all the time. No one can do that, no matter how smart he or she is. But once successful people have made a decision, they begin moving toward their objectives step-by-step. They begin to get feedback or signals to tell them where they're off course and when course corrections are necessary. As they take action and move toward their goals, they continually get new information that enables them to adjust their plans in large and small ways.

There are no guarantees in life. Everything you do, even crossing the street, is filled with uncertainty. You can never be completely sure that any action or behavior is going to bring about the desired result. There is always risk. And where there is risk, there is fear. Whatever you think about grows in your mind and heart. People who think continually about the risks involved in every action they take become preoccupied with fears, doubts, and anxieties that always hold them back from taking any action in the first place.

When you begin to take action on all your goals and objectives, you will find that something remarkable will begin to happen. New doors of opportunity will open for you everywhere. But these doors of opportunity will never open for you without taking action. They will never open for you if you wait for some assurance before taking action.

It takes a great deal of willpower and personal organization to set a goal and then make a plan to achieve it. But that's where the work begins, not where it ends. Now you have to do something. Now you have to pick up the telephone and set up an appointment to see the person who can help you achieve your goal. Now you have to risk your time, or your money, or your energy. You have to risk your emotions and lay it all on the line. You have to be willing to take a chance, knowing that it might not work. You might hit a wall of disappointment and fall flat on your face. And you might very well find your selfback to square one, having made no progress at all.

But this is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful people. Successful people know that you only have to succeed once. You can fail over and over, but as long as you succeed big just once, all the previous failures will be irrelevant. All those people who have been telling you to play it safe, and that what you're doing won't work, will now tell you how lucky you are that everything worked out.

If you want to achieve success faster, then you have to try or do more things. Take more action and put the odds in your favor. According to the Law of Probability, the more things you try, the more likely it is that you will try the one thing that will make the difference in your life.

General Douglas MacArthur once said, "There is no security in life, only opportunity." What this quote means is that if you look for opportunity, you'll find all the security you need. However, if you look for only security, you'll end up with neither opportunity nor security. The truth in this is all around us today. Thousands of men and women who sought nothing but security are finding themselves unemployed for long periods of time because of corporate downsizing and restructuring.

Once you have a goal and a plan to achieve it, you must immediately take action. And once you start moving toward your goal, don't stop. You must do something every day that will move you closer to achieving your goal. Never let the size of your goal or the length of time it will take you to achieve it stop you from continuously taking action. During the planning process, break down your goal into small tasks and activities that you can do every day. The important thing is for you to always be making progress, every day, every week, and every month to the achievement of your goal.

The most important single quality for success is self-discipline. This is the ability to make yourself do what you need to do to achieve your goal, whether you feel like it or not. You have to force yourself in to motion and stay there. Once you make a plan and set a schedule, you have to stick to it.

It's easy for you to do something when you feel like it. If you want to, or if it makes you happy, or you have lots of time. However the true test of your character is when you do something you know that you must do, even if you don't feel like doing it.

You can always tell how badly you really want something, and how capable you are of actually achieving your goals, when you begin taking action even when you feel tired, discouraged, or when you feel like your not making any progress. But very often, this is the exact time when you will break through to great achievement.

The secret of success has never changed: Set a clear goal, write down a plan for it's achievement, and then take action on it. And once you get started, never give up. When you do this, your success is guaranteed.

Copyright? 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. A former ad agency executive and marketing consultant, Joe's work in personal development focuses on helping his clients identify hidden marketable assets that create windfall opportunities and profits, as well as sound personal happiness and peace.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.
Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.
Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.
Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.
China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries
Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.
The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.
ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.
Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.
The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.
You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.
Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.
Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you honor our heroes with these powerful podcasts, audiobooks and documentaries this Veterans Day.

Inoculate Yourself Against Negativity

Unfortunately we come into contact with negativity everyday. We can't... Read More

The Other F Word - How Failure Can Be The Key To Your Success

Thomas Edison has done it. Naomi Watts often jokes about... Read More

Plants, Herbs and Roots For Prosperity

Plants of all kinds (including trees), herbs and roots have... Read More

I Havent Failed...I Just Havent Finished Yet

How many times do we fail at something, then attemp... Read More

Take Yourself to the Top!

Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is... Read More

10 Tips for Sensible Living

Here are a few suggestions that I try to put... Read More

Mastering The Habits Of Success

The difference between success and failure is based on behavior.... Read More

Your Words Have Power

You teach others how to treat you by how you... Read More

Success Lessons From Marathons - Start Slow And Get Slower But Make Sure You Finish

A good laugh can help in a difficult or tough... Read More

Ingredients For Success

Management by Objectives, strategic planning, quality, teams, re-engineering. Passing management... Read More

The #1 Secret of Success

Today I am going to tell you the #1 secret... Read More

What Am I Going To Do With The Rest Of My Life?

Unexpected life changes. Anticipated transitions. Long, sleepless nights. What do... Read More

Accelerated Learning is Profitable

Accelerated learning is not only practical, it is profitable. Acquiring... Read More

Success and Failure: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Failure is GreatYou are probably asking yourself what could be... Read More

I am my Fathers Daughter-An Optimists Viewpoint

One of the greatest compliments I ever received in my... Read More

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful People

Personal missions statements (PMS) are just nothing but the winning... Read More

Learning From Your Mistakes

Your ability to deal constructively and effectively with mistakes and... Read More

Belief Helps You Succeed But Can It Win A Boat Race?

On March 27th 2005, Oxford won the annual boat race... Read More

Six Steps to Personal Success

Trying to keep up with the Jones only drags good,... Read More

You Are What You Think You Are

Think out of the box, they say. But what's a... Read More

Success; So Close, Yet So Far Away!

Have you ever had this feeling? You're standing in front... Read More

What Do You Feed Your Mind?

"The mind grows by what it feeds on." J.... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Create A Soundtrack

Choose a personal theme song and soundtrack that stirs you... Read More

4 Scientific Strategies to Become Brilliant At Anything

In this brief article we will explore four methods that... Read More

If You?re Not Where You Want To Be In Life, It?s Your Own Fault

Have you ever wondered why you're not where you want... Read More

Antigo wedding limo ..