You must however have a goal clearly in mind. This can be referred as a vision of what you want your life to be. It's like parent asking their child what they want to be when they grow up. If you don't have a clear vision as to where you want to be, your odds of success are greatly diminished. You, and only you, can decide where you want to go on your travel through life.

But you can't sit on top of a hill and think pleasant thoughts all day. You have to come down to real world and set your goals and objectives. You have to set priorities and have a plan to meet them on a regular basis. You must have a plan of action, and follow it. In other words, "plan your work and work your plan". While things come up to delay you at times, you must meet your goals each day. You must be organized, and have a system in place to attain your objectives. Without one, your ship will certainly founder. Excuses don't count. Leave these behind you. Build your own personal image of success.

Do you spend any time honing your skills? Community involvement is a great way to do this. Get out and meet people. Do some public speaking - anything to allow you to practice your techniques when dealing with people. Most sales are not product driven. If people believe in you, you are more than halfway home to making a sale.

If you are fired with enthusiastic ideas and allow them to dominate your thoughts, you will find that new horizons will open. As long as your enthusiasm lasts, so will new opportunities. Don't wait for world to beat a path to your door - it won't. Search out and seek new ventures.

Allow yourself to think outside boundaries. Remember, failure is merely a stepping stone on your road to success, and if you exercise positive thinking, you will reach your objective.

A positive attitude (ie. spirit of optimism ) is absolutely essential in path towards success in whatever endeavour in life you may choose. We all know and envy those people who project an aura of confidence and success. Don't we?

Thus, self image is a vital self-management skill... and, like all skills, it needs constant exercise to nourish, strengthen and grow:

"Water flowers, instead of weeds in your garden."

How long has it been since we visited ourselves by looking closely at ourselves?

The technical word for this is introspection (loved by those "psycho types").

How Do You See Yourself Now?

1. What do you do well?

2. What do you like most about yourself?

3. What results/achievements are you most proud of?

Your self image can be an 'invisible ceiling'. Don't sell yourself short, because everyone has potential to do anything. "If you can think it, you can do it." Aim high. If you train fleas to jump in a glass jar, even if you remove jar, they do not jump any higher (it's a conditioned response).

Don't be a flea! Say to yourself:

"I need to lift lid of my unlimited potential."

Lifting Lid

Unlimited Potential

Self Image

Self imposed ceiling

Limited Potential

HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE FUTURE?

Write a short note to yourself on who you want to be and what you want to achieve by years 2003 and 2005 (perhaps even 2010, as years fly by so fast, as we get older). Utilise visual imagery (or mental pictures) and talk to yourself in a quiet place. Stillness is key.

Make a decision to change (if you want to) and where you want to go in life. Involve yourself in clear specific goals. Enough about goal-setting. That's subject of another article!

So work on your self image daily by affirming that you are "unique and special" . A person with individual gifts and talents. You DO have something totally unique to contribute to world... by "simply being YOU."

Craig Lock

The Special Person You Were Meant to Be

If you can value truth above approval, and friendship over power, wealth, or fame, If you can share your gifts wisely, leaving someone better off than when you came, If you find happiness, simple pleasures, and see rainbow, not falling rain , If you have faith to keep on believing in miracles that no one can explain, If you live every day to your potential and find goal in everything you see, Then you'll be, not just happy and successful, but person only you were meant to be.