Everybody wants to be successful at something. It could be to have a happy, loving marriage. Or it could be to start a profitable business. Or it could be to win first place in some competition. Or it could be any number of things, and you can have more than one thing you want to be successful at. In fact, the more there are- the better because that means you want to enjoy life on different levels.
But did you know that there is a formula to success regardless of what it is you want to be successful at? It’s a formula which I can attribute to the successes I have had in my life.
The Four Step Formula For Success
If you have read any of personal development coach Tony Robbins material or listen to any of his audio tapes, then you are probably well aware of the four step formula for success. Regardless of what you think of Tony Robbins, these four steps do work!
They are not some silly incantations or some kind of metaphysical gibberish. After reading what they are, you’ll probably realize (like I did) that using this formula will work if we have compelling enough reasons to achieve the goal we are wanting. This formula is more or less a guide to help you; achieve your goal. It is ultimately up to you to do it.
Step One: Know Your Outcome
Before you can start working towards your goal, it only makes sense to know what the final outcome is that you are working towards. The key is to be as specific as possible about what the outcome is.
For example, say that your goal is to have a new BMW by a certain date. While having a BMW by a certain date is a very nice goal- it isn’t very compelling. To make it compelling, you have to be specific. What color will it be? What kind of interior will it have? What model will it be? The more specific you are, the more real it will be.
Or say you want to lose weight. Instead of saying “I will lose 50 pounds by this time next year”, break it down into short, achievable goals. “I will lose 10 pounds in four weeks” is far more inspiring AND achievable. The ultimate goal could be to lose a total of 50 pounds by the end of the year; but by breaking it down into steps, you are more likely to follow through with each step you reach.
Step Two: Take Action
Now that you have a specific goal in mind, the next step is to take action towards that goal. This is the step which requires the most effort depending on what your goal is.
Using the BMW goal, what are some steps you could take to having one? One could be to do some research online to see where you could buy one. Another step would be to figure out how much the one you want costs. Then you could figure out how you would pay for it.
The action could be something as simple as contacting a dealership for a brochure or going to a dealership for a test drive or going to your bank to see what kind of loan you could be approved of. The point being that you have to take action as soon as you can towards your goal. You will see one action- little or big- will not only inspire you to work towards achieving your goal but also fuel the fire for it.
Step 3: Notice What Is And What Is Not Working
While it is critical that you take action towards achieving your goals, it is even more critical that the actions you take are actually working.
So how do you determine if your actions are producing the results you need or are expecting? One way can be by using predetermined milestones.
Using the BMW example again, you could have milestones on how much money you have to save up in order to purchase the BMW. If you plan on buying it in a year, then you could have four milestones- each being three months apart- in which you have to have X number of dollars saved by the time you reach each milestone.
Another example would be with weight loss. You could sit down with a calendar and decided on how much weight you want to lose by certain dates. Then you could refer to these dates as you work to lose weight to see if you are on track. If you are not for whatever reason, then you could reassess things and figure out what is and what is not working in your weight loss plan and readjust.
Having these milestones or checkpoints in place is just one way we can see if we are on the right track or not. I can’t stress enough how important this step is in achieving goals. So take the time to plan these out. I guarantee you won’t be sorry!
Step 4: Change Your Approach If You Are Not Getting The Results You Want
The point of Step 3 is to keep track of your progress towards your goal. If you notice you are not getting the results you think you should, then reassess your strategy and make a change. If that change works- great but if it doesn’t, then make an adjustment and see what results the new change produces.
One point that has to be discussed is how much time you should give your approach to see if it is working or not. This is a judgement call on your part. If you think your current strategy is working but just needs some time, then you may want to have a milestone date in place. This way, you don’t continue with a strategy which may have made sense at the beginning but isn’t working out in practice.
You also need to be realistic about the results you want your strategy to produce. For example, say you want to make a million dollars a year from now. It is simply unrealistic to expect to make half of that amount in, say, a month! You have to find a balance between what is possible and what is realistic.
I would suggest assessing your progress every one to two weeks. When you do, be honest with yourself. Now isn’t the time to sugar coat what you have done or make excuses. This will only hurt your progress. Be honest with yourself when you do this and you will find yourself achieving your goals much faster- and isn’t that what you want?
Do you use the formula for success when you work towards your goals? Do you have a different formula which you use? Let us know in the comments section below. Thanks!
