6 Simple Steps That Will Boost Your Success

Do you have your success plan in place?

Or are you still working on figuring out your path to success?

There are many schools of thought—and at least as many opinions—about when and how to set goals or resolutions, or make plans, or strategize, or whatever you want to call your journey to success.

But in the end, it’s really hard to become successful if you have no idea how you’re going to do it.  The fact is that the best way to boost your success, whether in business, or in your personal life, is with a plan.

So, however you label it, and no matter what time of year you do it, here are six simple steps for you to follow that will boost your success this year—and every year.

6 Simple Steps That Will Boost Your Success

Decide Where You’re Headed

In Alice in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat told Alice, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” It’s the same with life. If you have no goal, or a nebulous one, it’s going to be really hard to know when you’ve achieved it. Not knowing what success means to you (because anyone else’s definition of success is completely irrelevant), is going to make it nearly impossible for you to know when you’ve become a success.

Take the time to clearly define what you want and what it looks like. It may take you some time and work to clarify it. If it’s a goal worth achieving, it’s worth the time it takes you plan it out. A clear, well-defined goal makes for a clear path. My goal-setting success kit can help you get started. Download it free here.

Understand Your Why

Why is this particular success important to you? What will it mean to your life or business to achieve this? How will you change through this? Is this something YOU really want or are you pursuing someone else’s definition of success? If it’s the latter, it’s time to take a step back and rethink your path.

It’s important that the why for your success is YOUR why and not someone else’s. If you’re working on a goal that’s more important to someone else than it is to you, it ought to be their goal, not yours. If you’re struggling with why, or wondering how this really matters, I recommend reading Simon Sinek’s classic book Start with Why. It’s a game changer—and even a life changer. At least it was for me.

Plan Realistically

It’s great to shoot for the moon, but if you don’t know how to build a rocket ship you aren’t going to get very far.

By all means, set that great big, pie-in-the-sky goal, and while you’re doing it, make sure you plan what you need to achieve it.

Setting a goal to double your business this year isn’t likely to happen if you’re in a slow-growth industry. It’s equally unlikely that you’ll land a leading role in a major film if you’ve never acted before. That doesn’t mean it can’t happen. You just need to know your odds.

Do your homework before you set your goal. Be realistic in your estimates of time and resources that you need to achieve your big goal. It’s ok to set a big hairy audacious goal that everyone else (and maybe even you) thinks is crazy. Our goals and dreams don’t have to be practical or realistic. But it’s good to have a reality-grounded plan to get there.

It’s ok to set big hard goals that will take you a year (or a lot more) to achieve.  Some successes are meant to be achieved over time, not overnight. Ok, that applies to most successes in life.

Having a realistic plan isn’t a dream killer; it’s more the opposite. A realistic plan will definitely boost your success and your ability to get where you want to go.

Break It Down into Manageable Steps

So now you know where you’re headed, you know why you want to go there, and you know what you need to do to get there. It’s time to break that all down into steps. Map your path, step by step.

You do this by looking at what it’s going to take to get from where you are to where you plan to be, and then setting up the steps you need to take as mini-goals of their own. Just like you set your big goal, give each step a realistic time frame and give yourself a roadmap to success. By breaking it down, you can keep yourself motivated and moving forward without feeling so overwhelmed that you give up. Setting and achieving these mini-goals that will lead to your big goal will definitely boost your success as you achieve each one.

Make Sure You Have Everyone on Board

The right traveling companions make any trip more enjoyable. When it’s a trip along the road to success, the right traveling companions are even more important. And when that success involves your business, you need to be sure your entire team is on board. If they’re disinterested or don’t care—or they’re just along for the ride, preparing to enjoy the fruits of your labors without contributing to the work—you may need to make some adjustments, either in your team or in your goals.

Whether it’s involving your staff, or your personal support network, present your plan BEFORE you set it all in stone. Solicit their honest feedback and be open to the suggestions, concerns and ideas they have. Who knows? It’s entirely possible that they may have ideas that will help speed your progress,  boost your success, or even expand your plan beyond what you thought possible.

Once you have everyone on board, and headed in the same direction, you are ready to go.

Reward Your Progress

Finally, celebrate the milestones. Whether it’s completing the big goal, or boosting your success by completing the steps, acknowledge, reward and celebrate your progress. A little victory celebration is good to help mark your progress and give you a motivation boost to move on to the next step, whether it’s a step on the way to your big goal or a new big goal. Be sure to include your supporters in celebrating your victories. A little positive motivation can go a long way.

Have you put together your plan to boost your success this year? Do you have it all mapped out or are you still trying to determine how best to put the pieces together? A coach can help you get clear on your path and help you put together the steps that will boost your success this year.

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Before you get frustrated and give up on your success plan, use the Contact link above to set a time for us to talk. I can help you find the best way for you to implement these steps that will boost your success. I would love to be part of the team that helps you succeed this year as you achieve your goals and make your dreams come true.