A To Z Of Success

Abundance
The dictionary defines Abundance as an extremely plentiful or over sufficient quantity or supply. Abundance suggests an overflowing amount. If we are abundant in love, abundance suggests that we are able to give so much love and that we do not need to worry about how much we give. We don’t ever run out of love. Similarly with air, we have an abundant amount to breathe. There simply is enough to go round and we don’t hang on to it as if we will run out. With all elements it is the same, even with money. People who are abundant with money have no problem with letting it go as they know that there is enough to go round and that it will keep coming to them. Those who operate from scarcity are scared to let go and hoard the money. Money only has a value, when it is being used. The more we use it, the more we will generate. Learning to be abundant is part of success. Practice abundance daily.

Believe
To believe is the ability to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.

To be a success, you need to believe in yourself and your business. When starting up, you have no historical proof that you will success, so self-belief is critical to success as well as others believing in you. Based on your passion, previous actions or some other reason they believe in you. In fact most business arrangements have little to do with the product, but rather the people concerned in the business arrangements. Even if other people doubt you, you need to have complete belief in yourself to be a success. Find something everyday to believe about yourself.

Communicate
Communication is a major key to success, especially in relationships both in business and in personal relationships. Communication is the method of imparting knowledge or information from one person to another. Wars have been started because of miscommunication. It is imperative that you practice the art of good communication.

Don’t give up
When we talk about giving up, we are referring to the act of abandonment, loosing hope and despair. Sometimes it seems the whole world is against you, but in reality, you are receiving feedback that something could be wrong with your idea. Rather than giving up, it maybe time to adjust the way you are doing something and shift your perspective slightly and try a different approach. Giving up to a negative idea is very different to giving in to a different line of thought. To be a success, you will need to give in a lot, but never give up!

Energy
Energy is having the capacity for vigorous activity. Your success will move so much faster if you have the ability to be energetic. You must be energy driven in all areas of your business from your planning to your presentations, to your delivery until the collection and then it does not stop. You must also be energetic in follow ups and keeping close to your customers.

Poor boring service is a terrible crime and a sad reason for your business failure when all it takes is you getting excited about your products or service. If you cannot get energy the to be bothered about what you do, please don’t expect anyone else too. Be energetic all day. It will not only lead to better business, but you also lead to better sleep at night because you will be tired out!

Focus
To focus on something is to give it special attention. You concentrate your energy on specific things that need action. Focus is important as it provides direction and serious though about an item. Scattered energy such as light energy has so much less power than pinpointed light energy. Thought energy is somewhat similar. Intensely directed focused energy, especially when group driven has amazing results on the outcome of an object of desire. Practice being focused daily.

Generous
Generosity is a big part of abundance. Generous people are generally more successful than those who are not generous simply because people like them more and good business is a result of good relationships. Generous people are normally more caring, loving and happy and we all like to do business with people like this. The Law of Attraction states we attract like, so generous people attracts generosity to themselves. Generosity is a major key to success and should be practiced unconditionally as often as is possible.

Hard working
In order to be successful you will need to invest time and money in the business. You will have to be hard working and diligent looking after your business affairs. Now most people starting businesses think that they have to work 20 hours a day 7 days a week, but this is not required. Hard work should be linked to smart work. There seems little point to working all day as there will be no time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Most people spend all day working because they have no clearly defined tasks for any given day. Personally I think setting your self 10 things to do and then go home after they are done is much more sensible than working all day trying to achieve nothing clearly defined.

Integrity
Integrity is adhering to moral and ethical purpose with soundness of moral character and honesty. This calls to attention your own personal ethics. You need to be very clear in life what is and what is not acceptable to you in business, before you start. I may add that nothing good comes from anything based on bad efforts, so make it a point to be honest and in integrity. You cannot really expect customers to trust you completely if you are being dishonest in business. No matter how tempting it maybe – always stay clean. You can then focus on results while your competitor is focusing on hiding two sets of books and trying to remember what he has been hiding for the government. Not a good way to focus energy!

Joyful
A joyful person is a pleasure to work with. Joy is an external way of showing the internal status. A joyful person is normally at peace with them selves and reflects a person’s heart. It is now thought that we also think with our hearts as well as our minds, so a joyful heart would help us to think pleasantly and are attractive to be with. Nothing is nicer than working with someone who is joyful, helpful and pleasant to be with. Joyful people generally have better results in life. Learn to see the nice side of things in life even if sometimes it seems hard to do so.

Knowledgeable
When you are knowledgeable about your chosen subject, it shows that you care about the product or service you are offering. Having an insight and understanding of your product helps remove obstacles that could be possibly thrown out by your client. Intelligent planning and well-informed presentations will make sales so much easier. It promotes conversations with your clients and will help you to perceive what your clients really need. Personally I wouldn’t buy anything from someone who couldn’t be bothered to study their products and couldn’t answer my questions adequately. You do not have to know everything about your niche before you start working on it, but you should have sufficient knowledge to get you going and bypass at least the simplest objections. You can always go back to the client with more information once you have laid down the initial groundwork.

Loyal
Loyalty is a prized characteristic that shows faithfulness to commitments, vows and obligations. It is essential that you are loyal to yourself, your friends and your customers. There maybe times when your loyalty is called into action and you must make correct choices. Loyalty should be so ingrained into your sub-consciousness that you do not even have to think about it. You just are a loyal person.

Master of his own life
To be a master of your own life is like being a captain of a ship. You absolutely must have a plan of where you are going and you must have steered direction or you will just aimlessly drift around. Master of you life does not mean that you push everyone around like some old sea captain, but rather it means that you are in control of what is happening to you. Live your life by chosen commitment not by accidental circumstances. Most clients do not care about delays or problems, they just want results. Plan accordingly and allow time in your scheduling for possible mishaps. In order to be master of your own life, you absolutely must know and understand yourself, what you like and don’t like, what is important to you and your values and goals in life. Take the time to put an action plan together before you embark on a new project.

Networking
You will need a really great network of people in your business to make it work. You cannot be successful alone and you must put in support systems to help you. There will be times when you cannot work but this does not mean that your business and income earning potential should stop. You will need suppliers, staff, delivery people, lawyers and other important people working with you. I believe that you need to expand your network to get best results. The people you presently don’t know are probably the ones that can help you. However, do not neglect to look at the potential power of the network you already have. There are hidden talents and resources in that network that may just amaze you. At every chance you get always network. I once was given a single business card that led to hundreds of thousands of dollars of business by a chance meeting and swapping of business cards. Always have cards with you and hand them out at every given opportunity.

Organized
An organized business runs smoother than chaotic businesses. Organization gives structure to specific intent. Organization and focus go hand in hand and allow all the other elements of successful business to operate. Not only does it give you more time, but it also creates freedom. Traffic rules actually create freedom (at least it would if everyone applied the rules). Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue if there were no traffic signals, traffic enforcers or rules of the road? Freedom from gridlock is a result of organization both on-road and off-road. The highway of business is the same and organization is an essential part of smooth business. Learn to become organized no matter what happens. Once chaos sets in profitability will fall.

Praise-worthy
A happy employee is a harder-working employee. Same goes for your customers. Employees do not only work for money and there efforts in helping your business should be rewarded by more than just money. Praise of good work is always enjoyed by everyone so if your staff does great work, then let them know. Also customers like to be appreciated and if someone buys something from you, remember to say thank you in some way. I love it when someone sends me a card or a small gift to say thank you for my business and customers are no different. It is simply good business to praise good efforts. Even the smallest token of appreciation can make a huge difference.

Quality
Quality is associated with higher payments. Virtually everyone appreciates that better quality costs more and most people are prepared to shell out more money for good quality. Yes there will always be those people who won’t pay, and most people will ask for discount these-days, but in the end quality is simply good-value-for-money and a cheap product that does not work is actually expensive because it is a waste of assets, time and money in the long run. Focus on quality products and services and go the extra-mile. It will be worth it in the end and you will see it in your high profitability.

Relational
All business is about relationships. It doesn’t matter how good your product is, if people really don’t like you they won’t do business with you. You need to improve your relationship with yourself, your friends (who can recommend you to other people and support you), your family, your business partners, your staff, even your enemies and most importantly your spiritual relationship with your Higher Power is a key part to successful business. For those of you who acknowledge the power of God, you will know that following his guidance is a key to successful life. Wealth is a contribution of at least 6 areas of life all working together. Relationships are so important in business, so take time to master the inner you.

Sincere
Sincerity when dealing with people is a given. Everyone can see the false tongue and you must make sincerity one of the number one qualities that you practice. Lies are soon found out by actions and by the lose talking of other people. You simply cannot control the accidental words of others and no matter how hard you try to cover something up, in the end it will come out. Even when things go wrong, as they will, a sincere apology is better than trying to pin the blame on someone else. I have actually got work from a client after saying sorry to him for a business deal that all went wrong. I assumed responsibility for it and genuinely meant my apology and he gave me a new contract for dealing with him in “an honorable” way. Doing what is right is sometimes the hardest way, but is always the correct way. Do not be superficial in your sincerity, but rather let it come from the heart.

Teacher
Be a teacher whenever you can. The law of the Lid states that no matter how big you are there is only so much you can do alone before you cap yourself. Eventually you have to sleep. While you are sleeping, you are not earning, unless you have taught someone else to cover your work load for you. The same is true when you are sick or away from business. Do not be scared that others will take your job away from you, but rather build a dynamic team around you that can move mountains working together. A good businessman teachers others to do what he can do. His brings better results from the team and also gives you more free time. Do not go insane trying to do everything yourself. Many people say they cannot afford to employ others to do the work, but once the team kicks in, you will not be able to afford not to have them. Teach whenever possible and as well as you can.

Understanding
The power of understanding is incredible. Understanding can be seen in a couple of different ways. There is product understanding which shows comprehension about your tools of the trade and is an essential in business, but there is another more personal side to understanding that is seen when dealing with people. People are not machines and you need to be able to understand the people who you work with. Empathy and sympathy for their obstacles and short-comings are an essential part of team work. This does not mean that everyone should not take responsibility for their errors and mistakes, but at least take the time to understand why these things happen and see how you can put them right.

Vulnerable
Vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but shows that there is a softer side to you. It shows that you have feelings and that you have compassion. It shows heart. It shows that you are not made of steel and can be hurt. People do not like to deal with robotic machines, but prefer the gentle side of human beings. They will allow mistakes if you show that you genuinely care about what has happened and show that there is indeed room for improvement. Often, clients will work with you to help improve things so that these things maybe avoided in the future. Being vulnerable shows you are human. Don’t be scared to be vulnerable as you can’t possible know everything about everything!

Willing
Willingness is a characteristic that should be practiced at all times. The person who is inclined to do things with cheerful consent will attract more rewards in life. People, who work by the clock and the rule book, rarely improve their station in life over someone who does things willingly by free choice. Going the extra-mile with excellence is a service that will always get noticed in the long term. Everyone wants to work with willing people.

X-ray vision
Having the ability to see everything will give you an edge over others. I do not physically mean being able to x-ray objects, but rather having a really clear image of what you want and how to get it. This is part of planning and it is essential that you have definite objects of desire clearly written down with a step-by-step action plan of how to get it. X-ray vision is so much easier than fumbling around knot knowing where you are going or what you are doing. If you do not have vision statements and plans of action, you must get them so you know how to align your decisions with these plans.

Young at heart
Stay young! Even as we get older, stay young. Young children are so wonderfully innocent and creative. I watch my 9 month old boy growing and it is amazing to see him putting information together to do things he has never done before and often he is successful. Childlike qualities are some of the most wonderful qualities we can have and then somewhere along the way, we start to develop our “nicer” older bad habits. Throw away those bad habits and develop childlike qualities. Screaming and crying might get your customers attention, but it probably won’t get you business with them, so be careful which qualities you develop!

Zealous
A zealous person is characterized by being ardently devoted or diligent in their work or task and is simply a joy to work with. There is a saying which goes; “It is much easier to ride a horse in the direction it is going” and this is so very true when working with other people. If you have a common bond and single minded direction when it comes to work ethics it is so much easier. A zealous person is supportive, encouraging and an overall important person to any team. The power of zeal is one that should be welcome at any table and your business partners will be grateful of your business energy.