Amazing Rainbow

Here's a quick rundown of most of the things that keep one from achieving the success they want. If you're not accomplishing your goals or not reaching them as easily or as quickly as you think you should, use this as a checklist to see where you might be missing out.

Not Knowing What You Really Want.

Mark Twain said "I could teach anyone how to get what they want. I just couldn't find anyone who truly knew what they wanted ". I agree. Most people don’t know what it is they really want to achieve. They often know what they don’t want, but then that’s where their focus and energy goes to what they don’t want.

Being unclear on what you want is one of the biggest stumbling blocks to success. Paul Meyer says "if you’re not achieving the success you desire, it’s simply because your objectives are not clearly defined ". Your goals need to be written, specific and measurable. When you talk to others about your goal(s), they should be able to understand it quickly.

Lack of Focus.

You can be clear on your goal, but if you don’t stay focused, if you take on too much (have too many or conflicting goals), if you fill your life with busy things or operate inconsistently, you will likely fail.

Focus creates power. A river’s might is harnessed by a dam and focused into electrical energy. Some people say you can achieve everything you want. I don’t believe that. But I do believe you can achieve anything you want with the right focus.

Not Enough Reasons.

This one is often overlooked. Reasons come first, answers come second. If you have strong enough reasons, you can accomplish anything you desire.

Significant success demands passion. When your why is strong enough, the how will come. And your desire will sustain you when the challenges and obstacles come your way.

The Distractions.

All too often we're distracted by other things. Some are outside of our control. Stuff happens. People do things. Events take place. At other times, we become distracted by our own choosing. I call it BSO Syndrome—Bright and Shiny Objects. You begin one goal or project and then start chasing after another.

Sometimes your "great" ideas can work against you. Your next "big idea" can be the enemy of your current project.

We encourage people to work on no more than three major objectives ones that can have almost daily action toward their achievement. Focus and discipline is needed here.

Lack of Belief in Yourself and/or in Your Goal.

This is often related to worthiness, but there’s more to it. You need to believe in yourself and in the creative process. Winners expect to win. A shortage of belief causes many people to give up or never begin in the first place. In many cases, it causes one to take shortcuts that sabotage their success.

Many people simply don’t feel worthy of success. This is a tough one. I can tell you it’s based on an erroneous belief, but you have to get that for yourself. Read the books. Listen to the tapes. Hang out with people who can help you see your highest and best. You deserve to be successful. There is no reason for you not to have what you want unless you ignore the principles of success.

Deficient Knowledge.

A worthy goal usually requires learning new things. Buckminster Fuller said, "You can’t learn less." Perhaps you’re not sure what it is you need to learn in order to get where you want to go. Find out. But don’t let lack of knowledge keep you from starting. If you wait until you know it all, you’ll never begin. Start from where you are and build the bridge as you walk on it.

Insufficient Skills.

Most likely there are certain skill sets you lack which will hinder your progress. Discover what these are and start today in gaining the necessary skills. Perhaps you need to learn how to effectively use a computer and the Internet. Maybe you need to up-level your communication or time-management proficiency. Even a good attitude is a skill. Enhancing your skills is a lifelong investment that will pay you big dividends.

And if you need a skill that you don’t see yourself getting good at or enjoying, find a team member that IS good at those things and focus on what YOU'RE good at doing.

Not Enough Money.

Most people think this is the number one reason why they haven’t achieved their dreams. They think that if they just had more money then they would be successful. But it’s rarely a money problem. It’s usually an idea problem. With good ideas and a tenacious spirit, you can get the funding you need.

Low Energy.

Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." In order to have the energy and stamina to win, we need to take care of our bodies. Get adequate rest, eat the right foods and refrain from careless and unsafe behavior. Our achievement is our production. Our bodies, our minds and our intuition make up our production capacity. If we don’t properly care for ourselves, we’ll be unable to produce.

Inadequate or Nonexistent Support.

Everyone needs help. You don’t need to go it alone. I’ve seen far too many people fail because they weren’t willing to ask for help or didn’t know where to turn in order to get it. There are always people who can help. Bring in talent and resources from others and make it a win-win situation. Align yourself with organizations that can help you succeed.