Herbert Gray studied success for 11 years and found the common denominator was that successful people make the habit of doing the things that unsuccessful people don’t like to do. Whatever you do repeatedly becomes a habit.  And gets stronger and stronger.   Plus, with repetition you will get better and better at “The hard stuff.”

You must train and create the discipline of self-discipline.  It’s a lifelong task.  Napoleon Hill, the author of the amazing Think and Grow Rich, called it “the master key to riches.”

First you must ask and answer:  How do you define success?  What would your perfect life look like?Your goal is to get into the top 20% of whatever you choose to do.   The thing that will achieve your successful life.

The Iron Law of the Universe:  If you want to achieve success in any area, you must determine how success is achieved in that area.  Then practice those skills and activities repeatedly until you achieve the same results.

H.L. Hunt (Oil Billionaire) 3 step plan for success:

1.  Decide exactly what you want

2.  Determine the price you will have to pay.

3.  Decide you are willing to pay that price – for as long as it takes.  No rationalization and excuses.

I would suggest a slightly uncomfortable exercise for this.   Make a list of the important things that you would have to do in order to be super successful in your field.   Like Tracy said, the actions that would get you into the top 20%.

Now pick the top 5 or 6 that would have the largest impact if done well.  Like really knocked it out of the park doing them.

Take a deep breath and imagine yourself doing each of those.    Whichever one you have the worst guttural feel about doing is the one you need to star and pay attention to.    I bet you a shiny nickel that it’s also the one that will make the biggest impact on your business.

Quite the quandary, huh?   Wait, here is the great part!   Almost everyone else will have the same feeling.  Which is what makes it the most direct path to success.   I will also wager a guess that, if you were to study the top achievers in your field, they are the ones doing a lot of your starred item.

So delve into it.  Think about it.  Roll around in it a little.   Search for a way to overcome it.   Google searches.   Talk to people.   Or just go do it.    The repetitions will get you better and find new angles.  New techniques.   New people to help you down your road to success.

Behind that door is your future success.   The door is the boundary for your comfort zone.   There is no way around this.   It’s up to you decide which side of the door you want to be on.

*** From Brian Tracy’s book “No Excuses”