Warrior Mind Podcast – Episode # 41 – 5 Steps to Success

In this episode of the Warrior Mind Podcast I’m going to go over the 5 Steps to success.

The 5 steps for success go’s hand in glove with creating a well-formed outcome and SMARTER goals.  This formula can be applied to all areas of your life.  Remember: it’s much easier to hit a target that is clearly defined and visible.

I’ve just opened up a new “store” Mental Training Store that has an audio program about success.

Enjoy the podcast:

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1 – Know Your Outcome

You need to know your outcome, you should have an outcome for everything you do Although you might be tempted to accept outcomes from someone else, your outcomes are the most important..

Choosing to do nothing or to wander through life is an outcome – realize you chose it and ask yourself ‘How well is this outcome serving me?’ When you do not have something specific to achieve, there are many other people who do have a goal and how often do you find yourself helping them to achieve their outcome! When this happens, you may feel taken advantage of or blame the other person. You need to realize that you chose that path and in doing so created the ensuing results. There is no one to blame. Be conscious of the choices you are making in your life and the consequences (rewards) that arise.

What is your outcome for getting this program? If it is to simply to listen to and read the information?  If so, congratulate yourself, you are on your way to achieving it! Or you may wish to consider the following outcome: Find at least one idea in this program that if you were to adopt it today, it would change your life for the better.

When you are ready, why not set other outcomes that you would like to achieve, in the areas of health, relationships, career, family … ?

2 – Take Action

While this might seem self-evident, many people do not do this. They make up excuses, or give excellent reasons (side note: “reasons” are an indicator of limiting beliefs) of why sitting around and doing nothing or something apart from their goal is the right thing to do. This program is all about making things happen, for you or for others.

Many people with a clear outcome do not take action to achieve it. How many times have you heard a friend (or even yourself) talk passionately about building/achieving something or taking a special trip and yet, they never fully commit to it and it remains, but a dream.

For illustration purposes, suppose my outcome is to travel to Los Angeles this weekend to enjoy the restaurants and night life. Unless I take action, such as getting in my car and driving to Los Angeles (or taking the bus, train or airplane); this will remain an outcome that I would like to achieve next week, next month, next year, … .

3 – Have Sensory Acuity

If you have the awareness to see, hear and feel what isn’t working, you can change your behavior to steer you towards the desired outcome.   It’s OK to be off course, as long as you are aware and make corrections.

You need to pay attention and have some form of measure to know whether you are making progress towards our outcome. Or, maybe you have already achieved it or are going in the wrong direction.

Turning to our example of spending an enjoyable weekend in Los Angeles, assume I am driving along the highway of life, when a signpost appears which says ‘Phoenix 180 miles’ (Phoenix if west of Los Angeles). I can notice this piece of information make a correction and continue to Los Angeles. Or as many of us do – choose to ignore it and continue on my current direction. Have you ever done that? I know I have when I have not been paying attention to what is important to me and what is happening in my life!

4 – Have Behavioral Flexibility

If what you are doing isn’t working, anything else has a better chance of working, so change what you are doing. Many times we just stubbornly repeat the same thing, yet that has already proven not to work. The more flexible you are in your own behavior, the more you are controlling the situation you are in, and the better you become as a communicator and sales professional.

Some of us actually see the signposts of life and choose not to admit we need to change course, behaviors, beliefs etc.

In our example, I can choose to notice that I have driven 380 miles in the wrong direction and hope that if I persist long enough in this one direction, everything will eventually work out. Or I can become aware of the signpost and decide to explore what other options are available to me – turn around at the next interchange and head for Los Angeles, or stop at Palm Springs and take a flight to Los Angels, or stay in Palm Springs for the weekend.

5 – Operate From a State of Physiology Excellence

Operating from a totally resourceful state will empower you, and as states are quite contagious, it will also empower whoever you are with. If you are not feeling too hot, change that, by adopting a physiology of resourcefulness and firing off ‘anchors’ that make you feel good.

Your thoughts (internal representations) affect your physiology and your physiology affects your thoughts. In your mind, you should have thoughts (pictures, sounds, feelings, tastes and smells) of achieving your outcome, while adopting a physiology of having already achieved it.

This reminds me of a true story told to me by a student in one of my classes. He had a friend who, after graduation from college, wanted to be an executive in a financial institution. After graduation, the best job he could find was in the mailroom in a financial institution. This did not deter him at all. Every day, he showed up for work in a suit and tie and carried himself as if he were already an executive – for in his mind, he was an executive, who just happened to be getting a little experience in the mail room. Do you think he was noticed? You bet! Do you think he advanced in the financial institution – YES! A couple of years later, management recognized what he knew all along and officially appointed him an executive in the financial institution.

Related articles

• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode #32 – Personal Goals (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast – Episode #34 – Emotions (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode 31- Know Your Purpose (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode # 36 – Four Levels of Communication (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode 33 – Excellent Thinking (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode #39 – Contemplation (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode # 35- Mental Discipline (warriormindcoach.com)
• Warrior Mind Podcast Episode 40 – Know That You Don’t Know (warriormindcoach.com)

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