A special welcome to our many new subscribers this month! I hope that these lessons will add value to your career and to your life. Several of you have asked if it is alright to forward the lessons to your friends. Please do!

Before getting started, I want to share my excitement with you that my new book, Success Strategies for College and Beyond, is now available. Based on the ten strategies in this e-course, this book provides detail in implementing each of the strategies. It will be available in the bookstores soon and is currently available on my website at http://leaderdynamics.com/ssfcab.htm.

This lesson is on Strategy #5. If you did not receive the first four strategies, you can view them by clicking on links at the end of the lesson.

Ready! Aim! Take Action

Abraham Lincoln said, "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." We build a foundation by visualizing what we want, determining our priorities, and setting goals. Once this is done, it is necessary to move forward by taking action. By standing still, we move backwards in this rapidly changing world. Action is a predecessor to success.

Often the most difficult part of taking action is getting started. The best way to start is to first develop an action plan. Writing an action plan requires the action of writing. Your action plan can be simple or complex, depending on the nature of your goal. Once an action plan is in place, following this plan is as easy as following a recipe.

The following non-business examples will illustrate the process of developing a simple action plan:

Example #1
Jane's goal is to decrease the size of clothing she wears from a 14 to a 10. Her action plan might include these steps:

1. Visualize myself as wearing a size 10.
   
2. Tape pictures to the refrigerator and bathroom mirror of myself from four years ago, when I wore a size 10.
   
3. Consult with my doctor concerning the diet that is best for me.
   
4. Prepare weekly menu plans.
   
5. Make grocery lists before shopping for groceries.
   
6. Shop for groceries after meals, and buy only those foods on the list.
   
7. Eat only foods that are on my diet plan.
   
8. Walk at least 20 minutes each day.
   
9. Weigh and measure myself weekly.
   
10. Reward myself with a visit to an art museum or a movie, or by taking time to read a new book as I reach each five-pound milestone.

Example #2
John's goal is to buy a new house. He might engage in the following action plan:

1. Save money for a down payment on the new house.
   
2. Study information about local communities and determine where I want to live.
   
3. List the features that I want in my new home.
   
4. Visualize my new home.
   
5. Interview real estate agents, and select the one who will work best with me.
   
6. With the selected real estate agent, tour homes that are in my selected area, which have the features I want and are within my price range.
   
7. Revisit the homes that best match my selection criteria.
   
8. Make an offer to purchase the house.
   
9. Celebrate, and move in!

Although most action plans associated with your business goals will be longer and more complex than these examples, the process will be the same. The action plans have the following similarities:

• The steps are listed in sequential order, even though some of them are ongoing or overlapping during the process.
  
• Each step is measurable, i.e., you will know when the step has been completed.
  
• The action plans do require visualization of the end result.

Now that we have covered the first five success strategies, it's important to know that these strategies gain a lot of power when they are integrated. In other words, if your beliefs, visions, priorities, goals and actions are synchronized, you will be able to create much more success in your life.

Sigmund Freud once said, "Thought is action in rehearsal." I encourage you to rehearse your actions through thought, to develop action plans to achieve your major goals, and then to follow your plans.

© 2004 Joan Eleanor Gustafson, Success and Leadership Dynamics

Although this e-course lesson is copyrighted, we encourage you to forward an unaltered version of it to your friends, with the above copyright.

The next lesson in this e-course will be "Stay Focused!"

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if you are not already on our list.

In my 26 years at 3M, I had the opportunity to engage in countless professional and personal growth activities, which contributed to the phenomenal success I have enjoyed in my career and in my life. Because of this experience, I want to share information with you on some of the best resources I have found for professional and personal growth. I have three recommendations this month:

Brand New Book – Success Strategies for College and Beyond

If you have ever thought you might need a formula for success in life, this book is for you. The strategies and action steps in this book have been used by thousands of business professionals, students, and athletes who are now enjoying more success than they had ever thought possible. Although the book was written primarily for college students, the strategies work for anyone.

Based on the ten strategies from this e-Course, this book contains much more information in the form of examples and action steps. The formula for success really works! For more information, click on http://leaderdynamics.com/ssfcab.htm.

The Success Principles
Jack Canfield, co-creator of the famed Chicken Soup for the Soul book series, recently announced the definitive guide for those of us who want to become more successful in our lives, careers, finances and relationships.

It's called The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, and Jack has $3,060 worth of bonus gifts in store for you when you purchase the book online during this initial launch period.

The Success Principles became a best seller within a few days after it was announced. I was thrilled to read it – Jack's best ever in my view -- because it's a treasury of success principles he's learned and tested in a lifetime. For more information, click on http://www.jackcanfieldtrainings.com/book/.

People sometimes ask why I would recommend someone else's book on success, when I myself write books on this topic. The answer is that my passion is witnessing the success of others, and I like pointing them in the direction of the best books on this topic, which include Jack's and my books.

Book Yourself Solid

If you are self-employed, this program is for you. Do you absolutely love your work but hate the thought of having to find more clients? Since I hear about this dilemma from many of my self-employed clients, I went on a mission to find an outstanding program for solo professionals to attract ideal clients and customers. This is it! An audio program by Michael Port, it's called Book Yourself Solid: The 7 Keys to Getting More Clients than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling.

You might have heard of Michael Port, who was once a slightly famous television actor and is now an extremely successful solo professional. It took him less than ten months to build a six-figure coaching practice, and now he teaches others to use his techniques for building their businesses. Having spent much of my life in an international marketing career, I like to think I know a lot about attracting customers, but I learned pages of new tips from Michael. Within 24 hours after listening to Michael's program, I was able to contract with two new clients using his techniques. It is definitely worth the investment!
For more information, click here.

I wish you much success!

Joan Eleanor Gustafson

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