We live in an immediate gratification kind of society and why should the idea of being successful be any different?
There are people who really do have a spark. They get a great idea and decide to go for it. But they ultimately fail, only because they do not stick with it long enough for their endeavor to succeed—they did not see it through to the end.
As a blogger and a writer, I have personally learned that success takes time, hard work, and just plain stick-to-it-ness. Have you ever noticed on the web that there are a lot of dead blogs out there (according to the International Bloggers Association, approximately 95 percent are in the blog graveyard along with their deceased Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. It is kind of sad, really. All of these blogs started with excitement. They started with purposeful energy. Now they are just gone. The million dollar question is this: How do you stick with it (whatever “it” is) long enough to succeed? These five steps can help you cross the finish line of this marathon—and you will see your idea through.
- Find the passion.
Embark on this project only if you are passionate about it, because it’s passion that energizes you for the long-haul. If not, you will inevitably tire of it and probably will not stay with it.
- Know your “why.”
Why are you doing this? For me, writing in my journal helps clarify why it is important to me. Ask yourself, how will your idea impact your life? Your career? How will it help others? Your family?
- Write out a plan.
The best intentions can get lost if we don’t have a roadmap to follow. Write out a business plan for your idea that includes tangible action steps. Make them specific. Give them a timeframe.
- Make it a daily habit.
Sometimes to make our big plans and dreams come true, we have to fit them into whatever else we have going on in our lives. You have to find a way to incorporate this plan into your daily life so that it becomes as routine as brushing your teeth.
- Stick with it.
Have the big picture in mind. What are you aspiring to do? Don’t let anything or anybody discourage you. Just do it. Eventually, if you keep the end goal in mind, you will get there. You really will! And when you do, it will be so worth it.
“The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.” –Author Unknown
This article is shortened down, but originally from Debra DiPietro which is a 2015 SUCCESS BlogStars winner, nominated and voted upon as one of the most influential self-development writers and bloggers on the web for her blog, The Warm Milk Journal.