DEFINE THE DREAM What is it you are actually trying to do? Be world's best writer? Become a megastar performer? Lead church choir? Own a record label that records other acts?

You would not believe how many writer/artists come to me, saying they just want to do "something" in Music Industry. Sorry, you have to specialize a bit more than that!

Sit down with paper and pen. Define EXACTLY what it is in your heart that you dream of. (Hint, bigger dream, harder to achieve...but as long as you are prepared to give what it takes, you'll find a place in scheme of things.)

By way, I have to do this, because I get sidetracked by wanting to do too many things. I constantly have to reassess projects and schedules...just part of business in a busy, busy world.

RESEARCH THE DREAM Let's say you decided that you want to be a great writer, who is successfully cut on charts, and makes a lot of money. Do you know what real charts are? Who's on them currently? What labels are consistently charted? The styles of top ten successes in last two years?

Do you know what actual elements of a great standard song are? Can you name top sellers of all time in your genre? The top sellers of current year? And do you know why they attained success? Do you hone your skills and knowledge whenever you have a chance?

Can you make presentation of your art a commercial reality? Not just WILL you, CAN you?

PRACTICE THE DREAM Go do 150 sit ups without practice. Go write a great song without practice. You have to practice (i.e., actually write) everyday, just like you would with any improvement program. If newest song you are showing is old, you are not competing as a writer.

REWRITE THE DREAM If something doesn't go exact direction you thought it should have, rewrite situation. If it's song that has flaws, rewrite it until they are gone. If it's voice, get some training.

Goals are single most important factor in achieving success. Without a realistic goal, how will you ever know when you have reached your success level.All successful people set goals.All goals must be realistic, short term, measurable and obtainable within bounds of your own perception.As time passes, your goals can always be adjusted upward to reach your ultimate goal of success. However, if your initial goal is to be worth $1,000,000 by year end and you are currently only worth $100,000 with an annual income of $50,000 a year and this is November, you most likely will never be able to reach it and therefore, it is unrealistic.Biting off a job in small portions makes eventual achievement of total task seem easier and manageable.All successful people constantly set goals, re-evaluate their goals and scale them upward toward even greateraccomplishments.

A positive attitude is second factor that successful people have in common.I have never met a truly successful person who I would consider a "self made" success that did not have a positive attitude.These people relate to world on a positive basis.They always look for "can do" not "can not do" side of every situation. "If you think you can or if you think you can't, you're right."All successful people truly believe not only in themselves, but in reality of their goals. A positive attitude is contagious and when it is sincere, people with whom you come in contact will relate to you and your activities with a vitality and positive attitude that causes a winning, successful environment.

The truth is always best to deal with for several reasons, not least important of which is that it is always easiest to remember.If you are going to be successful, you will not have time, energy and ability to remember untruths, or lies that you have told people. This consumes valuable energy and detracts from power needed to run a successful life.The truth is easy to remember and generally, in long term, easier to deal with. True winners are always ready to face truth in situations and handle things as they deal with them on a timely basis and then proceed to get on with business of running a successful, prosperous life.Never having to back track to cover up problem areas.

Research and Development in today's society have become extremely important to all major corporations.This is where all new products and ideas evolve.Successful individuals have always understood this principal on a personal level and they constantly strive to improve their own abilities through such methods as formal educational systems, seminars, reading books, listening to ideas thoughts of others, and in any manner that presents itself to them.Successful people truly believe they can improve themselves and constantly strive to seek methods and means that will help them accomplish this task. They also know that there is a price to pay for this success and return on investment is sometimes great and sometimes small, but that return without investment is always same "0".

"Thinking is hardest work there is, which is probable reason why so few engage in it." -Henry Ford

Man's ability over all other creatures on this Earth is ability to think.All successful people use this talent to improve their lives and control their own destiny.Only you can take initial step toward unleashing of power within your own mind. The power is awesome and at times can be frightening. However, man has abilities of mind that many people can not or would not believe.Anthony Robbins has recently written a book entitled "Unlimited Power" which explains in simple terms theories of Neuro Linguistic Programming, power of mind and how to gain control and use it.NLP was originally developed by John Grinder and Richard Bandler as a communication system using central nervous system.Through this system Mr. Robbins has put forth a complete outline on how to unleash your "performance power" and achieve goals that before you probably felt were impossible.