2

DISCLAIMER

The author hasmade every attempt to be as accurate and complete aspossibleinthecreationof thispublication/PDF,howeverhe/shedoesnotwarrantorrepresentatanytimethatthecontentswithinareaccuratedueto the rapidly changing nature of the Internet. The author assumes noresponsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretation of thesubjectmatter herein. Any perceived slights ofspecificpersons,peoples,or organizations other published materials are unintentional and usedsolelyforeducationalpurposesonly.

This information is not intended for use as a source of legal, business,accounting or financial advice. Allreadersareadvisedtoseekservicesofcompetentprofessionalsinlegal,business,accounting,and finance field.Norepresentationismadeorimpliedthatthereaderwilldoaswellfromusing the suggested techniques, strategies, methods, systems, or ideas;ratheritispresentedfornewsvalueonly.

Theauthordoesnotassumeanyresponsibilityor liabilitywhatsoever forwhat you choose to do with this information. Use your own judgment.Consultappropriateprofessionalsbeforestartingabusiness.Anyperceivedremark, comment or use of organizations, people mentioned and anyresemblance tocharactersliving,deadorotherwise,realorfictitiousdoesnotmeanthattheysupportthiscontentinanyway.

There are no guarantees of income made, traffic delivered or otherpromises of any kind. Readers are cautioned to reply on their ownjudgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly. Byreadinganydocument, the readeragrees thatunderno circumstances isthe author responsible foranylosses,directorindirect,thatareincurredas a result of use of the information contained within this document,including-butnotlimitedtoerrors,omissions,orinaccuracies.

3

Introduction

TableofContents

4Vision 6

Focus 7

Risk---Taking 8

TakeResponsibility 9

Mindfulness 10

BeCompetitive 11

BePersistent 13

NetworkandConnect 14

HaveaGrowthMindset 15

BeConfident 16

DotheHustle 17

BePassionate 18

BeCreative 19

BeFlexible 20

BePositive 21

BeGrateful 22

BeAccepting 23

Conclusion 24

4

IntroductionEverybody lovessuccess.Whywouldn’t they?Success issynonymouswithall thingsbrightandbeautiful.Success,inmostpeople’seyes,meansgoodfortuneinboththeliteral and figurative senses. It certainly brings an individualmoney, alongwith thefreedom that excess cash entails. It also brings other less tangible, but no lessdesirable, effects, such as fame, recognition, power and influence. In other words,successisawonderfulthing.

However,manypeoplemakethemistakeoftreatingsuccessasanendresult.Successisnotagoal,itisaprocess.It’snotaboutwinningtherace.Itisabouttrainingfor,andrunning, this race, and every race, in the best possiblemanner. It’s about enjoyingeverythingleadinguptotherace,aswellastheraceitself,asmuchasthespoilsofbeingvictorious.

Thisbook isabout themindset thatbringsabout thiskindofsuccess.Asabusinessperson you have an imperative to succeed. You have no other choice. It’s eithersucceed or get a job helping someone else succeed. There is no middle ground.However,thesuccessfulbusinessownerdoesnotchargeblindlyintothemarketplace,relyingonchancetobringsuccess.Instead,theydevelopthecharactertraitsthatwillallowthemthebestopportunitytoreachtheirpersonalandprofessionalgoals.Thesetraitsarelikebuildingblocks.Theyformasolidbasethatcanbeutilizedtomaketheright decisions at the right time. They can support other learned skills that allowfurtherdevelopment.Finally,theyarearesourcethatcanbedrawnuponintimesofneed.

Themostsuccessfulpeoplelookonsuccessasanexponentialprocess.Itisaprocessinwhicheveryopportunitytosucceedleadstofurtheropportunities.Inthisway,successisnotagoal.Itisajourneyofself---development.Likeallpersonaldevelopmentitisdeeplypersonaland intrinsic. It isnotasetoftricksorhacks. Instead, it isawayoflookingattheworldandlookingatyourself.Allsuccessfulpeopleknowthathowyoudosomethingisfarmoreimportantthanwhatitisthatyou’redoing.Thegoalisnotfiniteandfixed. It isadailyaffirmationthat leadstoweeklyachievementswhich, inturn,leadtoalifelongpositivejourney.

5

Successful business owners are successful precisely because they have wiredthemselvestorealizewhattheywishtoachieve.Theyhaveamindsetthatistunedtosuccess in an almost spiritual manner. They win, over and over again, preciselybecausethey think likewinners.Toparaphrase theoldsaying, they think, thereforetheyknowtheycansucceed.

Inthisbook,youwill learnhowtodevelopthissuccessmindset,amindsetthatcan,and will, bring you the literal and tangible results that are the result of successfulthinking.Unlikeother resources, this book is not focusedon the theoryof success.Insteadoftheoryandplatitudes,youwilllearnspecificwaysofthinkingandactingthatyoucanapplyinyourownlifetoachieverealsuccess.

Theseapplicationswillbepresentedtoyouinashortandtothepointformat.Youwillbrieflylearnabouttheapplicationsothatyoucandevelopyourownunderstandingoftheconcept.Thenyouwillbepresentedwithonetwoeasystepsthatyoucanusetoapplytheapplicationtoyourownlifeandsituation.Thepointisnottoteachyouthephilosophyofsuccess.Instead,youwilllearnhowtousespecificmentaltoolsthatwillletyoudevelopyourownsuccessmindset,amindsetthatcanhelpyouwineverydayvictories,nomatterwhatyoudo.

Considerthisbookasa“cheatsheet”forsuccessfulthinking.Therearenochapters,inthe traditional sense. There are no “takeaway” points. Each specific mindsetapplication is presented as a stand---alone subject, complete in itself. Each one isequallyimportantastheothersand,fromaneditorialviewpoint,nonetakeprecedentover the others. Read them in order, or jump around between applications thatinterestyou.Thechoiceisyoursandeitherapproachisequallyeffective.Thebookismeant tobea referenceresource,oneyoucanuseonadailybasis to refreshyourmindsetprocesses,realignyouroutlookandremindyourselfthatrealsuccess lies inthejourney,notinthedestination.So,ifyou’rereadytobegin,let’sgetstarted.Ittimeforyoutodevelopabusinesssuccessmindsetofyourown.

Vision

6

Whenitcomestosurvival,wearevisualanimals.Asaspecies,oureyesightisourmostdevelopedsense.Wehavestereoscopicsightthatcandetectawidevarietyofcolorsand shading. This, in turn, lets us see easily see patterns and movement. Thesecombinedabilitiesallowedustoavoidbecomingdinnerwhiletryingtogetdinnerforourselves.Ourvisionhelpedustophysicallysucceed,anditstilldoestoday.

Whenitcomestobusinesssuccess,visionisnoless importanttosurvival.However,instead of our sense of sight, this vision involves our sense of imagination andpossibility. Vision, in the business sense, is really the ability to visualize successfuloutcomes. It is theability to imaginepositive results. It is,at itsheart, theability tolucidlydreamofwhereyouwanttogowithyourbusiness.

Don’tbeafraidtodream.AsHenryFordoncesaid,ifyouthinkyoucandosomethingorifyouthinkyoucan’tdosomething,you’reright.So,spendafewminuteseachdayvisualizingwhereexactlyyouplanongoingandyourplanongettingthere.Thisisnotdaydreaming, far from it.This is focuseddevelopment, schedulingandorganization.Planyourdaybyseeingtheoptimumoutcomes.Thisisthesameprocessthatathletesusetohonetheirperformance.Whenyouimagineyourselfsucceeding,youaremorelikely to actually succeed.Remember, if youdon’t take the time tobuild yourowndreams,someonewillhireyoutotakethetimetobuildtheirs.

Focus

7

In any activity or endeavor, it is important to build endurance. Endurance can bedefined as the ability to focus on the task at hand and bring it successfully toconclusion.Somecallitfortitude,othercallitstrengthorstamina.Nomatterwhatyoucall itthough,enduranceistheabilitytopersevereandgetthejobdone,nomatterwhat.

Usually, when we speak of endurance, we’re referring to physical activity. Yet,endurance is as important in thebusinessworld as it is anywhere else. In businesscircles, endurance usually takes the form of focus. Instead of physical prowess, itbecomestheabilitytoconcentratesuccessfullyonagiventask.Focusisacriticalskillforanybusinessowner,especially intoday’sfast---pacedworldwheresuccessoftenmeanskeepingseveralequallyimportantballsintheairatonetime.

So,howdoyoufocusonmultitasking,asituationwhere,byitsverydefinition,severalthings are happening at once?Well, the key to successful focus is attention.Whenseveral things are happening simultaneously, you need to concentrate on only onethingatatime.Thisdoesn’tmeanthatyoubringonetasktofullcompletionbeforeyoustartonanother.Rather,youspendjustenoughtimeonagiventasktotakeittothenextstageofdevelopmentandthenyouturnyourattentiontoanothertask. Insome sense, it’s a little like being a mother duck with ducklings. You give yourattention to theduckling that is farthestoutof line,nudging it forward towhere itshouldbe,beforeyouturnyourattentiontothenextlittleduck.Eachducklinggetsameasureofyourfocus,butnonegetsyourfullattentionallthetime.Inthisway,eachtaskgetsmovedalonginturn,andallaresuccessfullycompletedintime.

T g

8

We’ve all heard the old saying “nothing ventured, nothing gained”. Like most oldsayings,there’sastrongelementoftruthinthosewords.Attheriskoffollowingoneoldsayingwithanother,withoutriskthereisnot,andcannotbe,anyreward.Thereisanelementofchanceinherentineveryventureandunlessthatchanceisrecognizedandfaced,theventurewillneverbecomereality.

Thatbeingsaid,therearepeoplewhoarenaturalrisktakers,aswellaspeoplewhoare very risk adverse. The key to success when it comes to risk---taking isunderstandingwhattypeofpersonyouareandhowthispersonalitytraitcanaffectyourbusinesswhenitcomestodealingwithrisk.Itisimportanttokeepinmindthatthesecretofsuccesswhenitcomestobusinessriskismitigatingpotentialdamageinfavor of potential gain. Therefore, neither type of risk personality, in and of itself,provides anadvantageover theotherwhen it comes to riskmanagement.A risk---takercanjustaseasilyoverreachthemselvesasariskadversepersoncanunderreachthemselves.

When faced with a situation that offers reward and risk, the key is to coolly andimpartiallyassessthepotentialpositiveandnegativeoutcomesanddecideaccordingly. Successful business people are sometimes seen as risk---takers simplybecause they understand the danger in a situation better than anyone elseinvolved.So,whileitappearsthattheyarecourtingdisaster,therealityisthattherisksinvolvedhavebeenmanagedsoastocontrolnegativeconsequences.

In this way, the successful business person who takes a risk is very much like aprofessionaltightropewalker.Totheobserver it looksdeath---defyingand,perhaps,frightening.Totheperformer,itissimplyanotherdayattheoffice.Theirskill,trainingandpreparationsufficientlyoffsettheinherentrisktomakethefeatonlyappeartoberemarkablydangerous.Inyourownbusiness,don’tbeafraidofriskbut,atthesametime,don’ttaketherisklightly.Weighyouroptionscarefullyand,whenyouarriveataprudentdecision,moveforwardwithconfidence.

TakeResponsibility

9

Thisoneisfairlystraightforward.PresidentHarryTrumanhadasignonhisdeskthatsaid“Thebuckstopshere”.Whathemeantbythatwas,asPresident,hedidnothavetheoptiontopassthebuckwhenitcametomistakesorfailure.Hewasthebossandthebuckstoppedwithhim.

That’sprettysmartadviceforanybusinessownerwhowantstobemoresuccessful.Whenitcomestotheresultsofdecisionsyoumake,don’tpassthebuck.Everyoneishappytotakecreditforasuccessfuloutcomeaswelltheyshouldiftheyweredirectlyresponsibleforthatsuccess.That’stheeasypart.Thehardpartisowninguptoyouownmistakes.

Thereissomewhatofaninclinationtotryandblamesomeoneorsomethingelseforanegativeoutcome. Themost successful peoplefight that inclination and accept theblamefortheirmistakesasreadilyastheyacceptcongratulationsfortheirsuccesses.They do so because they realize that being the captain of the shipmeans that alldecisionsstartandendwithyou.Ifyouhappentomakeabaddecisionthenyouownthat fact, tighten your belt andmove forward armedwith the knowledge on hownevertorepeatthatmistake.Thisisapartoftheprocessofgrowth.Itisaprocessthatdemonstrates that the greatest opportunity arises from failure. By avoiding therepercussionsofthatfailure,youalsoavoidtheopportunitytogrowasaleaderandlearn fromyourownmistakes. Inotherwords,youcondemnyourself tomake thatsame mistake over and over. So, if and when you are faced with a bad businesssituationofyourownmaking,don’tpassthebuck.Thebuckstopswithyou.Acceptthatandmoveon.

Mindfulness

10

Experienceisagreatteacher.Eachday,allofourlivesarejampackedwithnumerousexperiences. A lot of these experiences are everyday occurrences. Others are lesscommon. Occasionally, some are so unique that they are literally life changing.However, whether the experience is mundane or out of this world, it offers us ateachingmoment.Mostofuswill,hopefully, comeaway fromauniqueexperiencewithafreshperspective.Yet,veryfewofusgrasptheenlightenmentthatisinherentin the day---today activities that, by necessity, take up the majority of our time.Buddhists call this awareness of the learning potential in the commonplace“mindfulness”. Successful business people understand this concept and utilize it totheiradvantage.

Whenyoubegintobemindful,youseethateverythingthatyoudohasmerit.Youalsorealize that no matter what you are doing, you are capable of doing it better. Inbusiness, this means that you begin to pay closer attention to every task. Youunderstand thateach taskfits intoothersand together theycomprise thewholeofyourbusinessenterprise.Ifyoutakeashortcutorcutcornersonthesmallestofthingsitonlyservestounderminethelargestandseeminglymostimportantjobs.Likewise,whenyouattempt todo themostbasicof jobs to theverybestofyourability thismindfulmindsetcarriesoverintootherareasandbringsanewlevelofexcellencetoyourentireenterprise.So,useeveryexperience,everyday,asamomenttolearn.Bemindful of bad or lazy behaviors andwork to change them intomore positive andproductive actions. Your entire business will benefit from this simple attention todetail.

Be Competitive

11

Theworld isbuilt, to someextent,on theconceptof competition.Everything livingcompetes for specific resources that are needed to grow, thrive and outperformecologicalrivals.Sunlight,space,waterandnutrientsareutilizedtofullestextentbythesmallesttolargestcreatureswherevertheyarefoundandinwhateverquantities.Ashumanbeings,wearehardwiredtoengageinthiscompetitivecontesttoo. It’sapartofourgeneticheritageandoneeverybusinessownerneedstoembrace.

Theproblem is that somepeople perceive competition as a somewhat undesirabletrait.Thisisbecausethesepeoplelookatcompetitionasablackandwhiteissue.Itisseenaseitherawinatallcost,takenoprisonerspropositionorasawatereddownandbarelydiscernibleversionofitself,whereconsensusandagreementaretheorderoftheday.Thisimposedpolaritymasksthetruenatureandpowerofcompetition.Inreality, competitiveness is neither a black nor white extreme. Instead, genuinecompetitionisavalidforceforpositivechange.

The successful business person knows that healthy and honest competition is themotiveforcebehindinnovation.Thebusinessworld, likethenaturalworld, isdrivenforward by this continuing innovation that occurs in response to changes in theexistingenvironment.Inthenaturalworldthesechangesarelargelyclimactic.Thelifeform thatbest adapts to these changes survivesand thrives. In thebusinessworld,these changes are socio---economic. The business that best predictsmarket trendsandmeetsdemandmostefficientlyalsosurvivesandthrives.

Asabusinessowner,youneedtorememberthatcompetitionisthelifebloodofthemarketplace. It not only drives innovation, it also inspires creativity andhelps buildnewparadigms.Don’tshyawayfromyournaturalcompetitivenature.Youareinthegame towin thegame, soareyour fellowbusinessowners.Challengeyourself andchallenge them in the process. Through competition you each drive the others tobetter products, services and performance. Each winner shows the

12

waytothenextlevel,thenextroundandthenextrace.Remember,competitionisthetrueheartofbusinesssuccess.

BePersistent

13

Ok, let’s talk about persistence. For starters, howmanyold sayings, aphorisms andclichésare thereaboutpersistence?Theearlybirdgets theworm.Slowandsteadywins the race. If atfirst youdon’t succeed, try again. If life gives you lemonsmakelemonade. The list goes on andon. The reason that there are somanyold sayingsabout persistence is twofold: First, it’s a really important element in success andsecond,itanelementofsuccessthatgivesalotofpeoplealotoftrouble.Somethingthat’sas importantandtroublesomeaspersistencedeservesa lotofclichédsayingsandalotofattention.

Theproblemwiththeroadtosuccessisthatmanypeopleonlypicturethedestination,notthejourney.Whentheydothis,theynotonlyfailtoseethattruesuccessisnotadestination(it’salifelongprocess)buttheyalsofailtoseethepotentialproblemsthatroutinelyoccurwhenstriving for success.Thismeans thatwhen theseproblemsdooccur,theunpreparedpersonisstoppeddeadintheirtracks.Intheirconfusion,theyforgetwhere theyweregoingandwhyand insteadheadback towhere theycamefrom.

Whenyouarepreparedforandanticipatethesetbacksthatcanandwillhappenonthejourneytosuccess,youarereadytorepair,rethinkandreengage.Thepersistentpersonunderstandsthatfailureisatemporaryconditionthataffectseveryoneatonetimeoranotherbefore they reach theirgoal.Theyalsounderstand that failureandsetback teach powerful lessons that ultimatelymake you stronger. As Gandhi said,strength does not come through winning. Instead strength comes through failure.Whenyoustruggleanddecidenottoquit,thatisstrength.It isalsopersistenceandpoints up why every successful business owner understands that setbacks areopportunitiesindisguise.

NetworkandConnect

14

Inbusiness,asinlife,youcan’tgoitalone.It’ssaidthatnoneofusareislands,butifwewereeachofus formavastand interconnectedarchipelago.Bridgesandboatsstreamtrafficbetweenalltheseislandsandthattrafficislargelyinformation.Ifyoucutyourselfofffromthisflowofinformation,eitherpurposelyorbymistake,youdosoatyour own peril. Why? Because the island next to you is going to take thoseconnectionsandtheinformationtheyprovideanduseittohisorheradvantage.

Networkingisanessentialelementofeverysuccessfulbusiness.Itprovidesyouwithcontacts,leads,clients,partners,suppliersandmuchmore.Itcarriesyournameandyour business reputation farther and more efficiently than most advertising. Mostimportantly, it isanendlesssourceofprofit, ideas,collaborationandsupport. Ifyouarenetworking,youshoulddomore.Ifyou’renotnetworking,youneedtostart.Ifyoudon’tnetwork,yourbusinesswillstagnateanddie.

Whenyou’renetworkingyouneedtokeepacoupleofimportantpointsinmind.First,every social or professional engagement can provide you with an opportunity tonetwork.There’softennothingmoreformalaboutitthananexchangeofinformationand follow---up connection.Remember, as abusinessowner you’re always “on theclock”,sotospeak.Bereadytotakeadvantageofapotentially lucrativenetworkingsituationshouldtheopportunityarise.

Second,whenyouarenetworkingtreatpeoplenaturally, thewayyou’dwanttobetreated.Offernostringsadvice.Oftensolvingaproblemforfreegeneratesmorelong---termprofit than thecostof theadviceor service.Also, listenmore thanyou talk.Silencereallycanbegoldenwhenyoutakethetimetohearwhatanotherpersonissaying.

Finally, always remember that honesty is the best policy. Don’t promise somethingthatyoucannotproduce.Don’tbesomeoneyou’renot inorder tocloseadeal.Beyourselfandwatchthoseconnectionsgrow!

HaveaGrowthMindset

15

So,youmaybeaskingyourself“Whatexactly isagrowthmindset?”Well,agrowthmindsetisanactual,demonstrablepsychologicalphenomenon.Itturnsoutthatmanylong---termsuccessful individualspossesscertaincharacteristicsthattheysharewithotherlong---termsuccessfulindividuals.Thissetofcharacteristicshasbeentermeda“growth mindset”. Now, some people, who tend to achieve less than their fullpotential, also possess a set of characteristics that they share with other under---achievers.Thissetoftraitshasbeendubbedthe“fixedmindset”.Mostpeople,moreorless,fallinonecamportheother.

Peoplewithagrowthmindsettendtohaveadesiretolearnfromlife.Thisdesireleadstotheabilitytoembracechallenges,toovercomesetbacks,toseeeffortasworththeresults,toacceptcriticismandtoadmireandlearnfromthesuccessesofothers.Thesebehaviorsallownativeintelligencetogrowthroughoutalifetime.(Hence,thename.)Peoplewithagrowthmindsetarebelieversinfreewillandthisbeliefallowsthemtoachievetheirgoalstimeandtimeagain.

People with a fixed mindset tend to have a desire to appear smart, with acorrespondingfearoflookingfoolish.Theirdesireleadsthemtoavoidchallenges,togiveupeasily,toseeextraeffortaswasted,toignoreorrejectcriticismandtoenvyandbegrudgethesuccessofothers.Thesebehaviorstendtolimitnativeintelligencetoafixedamount.(Again,hencethename.)Peoplewithafixedmindsetoftenplateauearlyinlifeandfailtohave,letalonereach,fixedgoals.

The goodnews is that a growthmindset canbe cultivated fairly easily by changingsome critical behaviors. First of all, you have to decide to choose growth overstagnation. You also have to bewilling to take positive action and begin to acceptchallenges and criticism and learning from both. An excellent way to begin is bydevelopingthephilosophyof“yet”.Thissimplestepsimpleattachestheword“yet”totheendofeverynegativethought,asin“Thatwillneverwork,yet…”or“It’sprobablynotworthgoing,yet…”Thissimpletrickopensupthepossibilityforgrowthandthatpossibilityleadstochangedbehaviorthatactuallydoescausethedevelopmentofthegrowthmindset.

BeConfident

16

Nothing succeeds like success, right? Sure. However, true success comes fromconfidenceandconfidence,inturn,comesfromsuccess.Theyeachrevolvearoundtheotherintheultimatesymbioticrelationship.However,thisisnota“whatcamefirst,thechickenortheegg?”kindofproposition.Confidencedefinitelyprecedessuccessintheorderof appearance. That’sbecause thequiet assuranceof true confidence, asopposedtomerecockiness, serves to lay the foundation for reachingagoal. In thisway,confidenceismoreofanoutwardmanifestationofaninwardpersonathanitisaposeoranaffectation.Cockiness,ontheotherhand,issimplyonoutwardshieldthatmasksaninwardinsecurity.

As abusinessowner youareneed tobe confidentof yourself andyourproductorservice.Peoplereactpositivelytoaconfidentperson,especially ifthatconfidence isrealandapartofthatperson’ssoul.Inordertodevelopthistypeoftrueconfidence,thereareseveralthingsthatyoucando.

First,alwaysrememberthatconfidentpeopleareabletotakeastandonanissueoradecisionnotbecausetheythinktheyareright,butbecausetheyarenotafraidtobewrong.They seeadifficult situationasanopportunity forgrowth. Finding the rightsolutiontoaproblemismoreimportantthanbeingright.Therefore,iftheyarewrongtheywillbethefirstpeopletoadmititandmoveon.

Confidentpeopleoftenlistenfarmoreoftenthentheytalk.Theyaremoreinterestedinhearingdifferentinformationandopinionsthantheyareinbroadcastingtheirown.Theyalsoareneverafraidtoadmitfallibilityandaskforhelp.Theyknowthatotherpeople’sknowledgeistheirgreateststrength.Finally,theyunderstandthatsuccessisateamsport.Theyknowthatanygoalisachievedthroughtheeffortsofmany,notthewillof the few.Therefore, theysharespotlightofsuccessandshine itonothers farmorethantheyshineitonthemselves.

DotheHustle

17

There’sacertainurgencytosuccess.Thisurgencydoesn’tapplysomuchtothefruitsofsuccessasitdoestothedesireforsuccess.Youhavetowanttosucceedbeforeyoucan even begin to try to succeed. You have to want successmore than you wantanything else. It is this desire that engenders the work ethic that’s necessary tosucceed.That’sright,thereisadefiniteworkethicthatsuccessfulpeoplebringtothetable.Ifyouwanttosucceed,thenyouhavetoemulatethisworkethic.Youhavetowanttosucceedsomuchthatyouhustle.

Hustle isallaboutwalkingthesuccesswalk.Anyonecantalkaboutsuccess.Astheysay,talkischeap.Youcantalkaboutsuccessalldaylongandnotgetonestepclosertoactually being successful. The only way to reach your goals is to put in the worknecessary to get these. This work requires concentration, creativity and consciouseffort.There’snosecrethere.You’regoingtohavetosweattogetthere.Thehoursare long and the tasks are consuming. There’s no such thing as instant success orovernightsuccess.Oftenthepeoplewhoappeartobeenjoyingovernightsuccesshavehustled hard formonths and years to get that success. So, remember that successmeansworkandworkmeanshustle.Gotheextramile ineverythingyoudo. Inthelong run, thoseextramileswillput youaheadof thepackand thatmuchcloser towhereyouwanttobe.

BePassionate

18

Thereisprobablynothingasimportanttoachievingsuccessaspassion.Itmaysoundextreme,butinordertoreachagoalyouhavetoburnforit.Ithastobesomethingthat’sonyoumindallthetime.Tohastobeallconsuming.Infact,passionistheflipsideofourprevioussubject,hustle.Thetwogohandinhandwitheachother.

So,howdotheyworktogether?Well,theonerequirestheother.Theyeach,insomesense,drivetheother.Finally,withoutoneyoucannothavetheother.Hustling,aswediscussed, is all about hard work, long hours and the extra mile. Passion is themotivation that gets all that hardwork done. Face it, if you’re not on fire about aproject,you’renotgoingtobeabletomotivateyourselftodothehardworkneededtocompletethatprojectsuccessfully.

So,howdoobtainormaintainthepassionnecessaryforsuccess?Well,asabusinessowneryoushouldalreadybepassionateaboutyourbusinessanditssuccess.Ifyou’renot,thenyouneedtoexaminewhy.Ifyou’renotdoingwhatyoulovetodo,thenyoumayneedtothinkaboutwhatyouarepassionateaboutandthengetintothatlineofwork. There’s no senseandno reason towaste your time trying tobeenthusiasticaboutsomethingthatdoesn’tmoveyou.Ifyouarealreadydoingsomethingyoulovetodo,thenyourhalfwayhome.Letyourloveandpassionforyourlineofworkshowthroughinthatwork.Yourcustomersandcompetitorswillnoticethedifference.

BeCreative

19

Creativity can be elusive. It’s not something that you can summon atwill.When ithappens, it strikes like lightening. Yet, like lightening, it can be maddeninglyunpredictable. However, because creativity is an essential element of a successfulbusinessmindset,itisnecessarytounderstandthecreativeprocessandhowyou,thebusinessowner,cancultivateyourowncreativejuices.

Thecreativeprocess is largely internalandunconscious.Nooneeverwakesupandsays “Hey! Today I’m going to be creative.” Creativity is all about taking in a lot ofinfluences and letting those influences combines, ferment and morph in yoursubconscious. Together, they form a sort of mental potting soil where new anddifferentideashaveachancetogerminateandgrow.Themorethingsyoulearn,read,seeandhearthemorecreativesoilyouareabletoproduce.

So,asabusinessownerwhowantstobecreative,thebestthingyoucandoisgetoutthereand in theworldandopenyourselfup tonewexperiences.Becuriousaboutmanydifferentthings.Develophobbies.Challengeyourself.Dotheunexpected.Themore you push your own personal envelope themore you are charging your owncreative batteries. When those batteries are charged, it is much more likely thatinspirationwillstrike.Whoknowswherethatnewideawilltakeyou?

BeFlexible

20

Thereisnothingmorestiflingtosuccessthanrigidthinking.Rigidthinkingleadstorigidbehaviorsandrigidbehaviorsleadtodeadends,blindalleysandcreativecul-de-sacs.In other words, while there is a certain amount of comfort to routine, too muchroutine can choke off all chances that you will be able to successfully reach yourbusinessgoals.Why?Theanswerissimple.Theworld,includingthebusinessworld,isconstantly changing.Rigid thinkingand rigidbehavior,bydefinition,are resistant tochange.Therefore,rigidity,inthoughtandaction,spellsobsolescenceinthebusinessworld.Everyoneelsemovesforwardwhileyouarele\behindinthedust.Sowhat’stheanswertothisproblem?Inaword,flexibility.

Intoday’sworld,informationispower,moneyandcontrolallrolledintoone.Thefastandfreeflowofinformationiswhatmakesthispossible.Everythingchangesquicklyandwhatisasuccessfulformulaorapopularproductinonecyclecanbe,andusuallyis,oldnewsinthenext.Theonlywaytosuccessfullystayontopofthisbuckingbroncoof informationanduse ittoyouradvantage istobeflexibleenoughtorollwiththechanges.

Flexibility iseasytoachieveaslongasyouarenottootieddowntoanysingleidea,product,serviceormannerofdelivery.Ifyoukeepupwithchangingmarketconditionsthroughjudicioususeoftheflowofinformation,youcaneasilyspotnewtrendsandadopt themsuccessfully,usuallybeforeyourcompetitorshavehad timetoact.Theonlytrickistonotfearchangeand,instead,embraceit.Ifchangeistheonlyrealityinthebusinessworldthen,tobesuccessfulinthatworld,changeastobeyourrealityaswell.

BePositive

21

We’veallheardalotaboutthesupposedpowerofpositivethinking.We’veheardhowitcannotonlychangeoutlooks,butfortunesaswell.Thereareprobablysomeofyoureading this right now who still remain skeptical about positivism and its allegedbeneficialeffects.Thethingisthatwhilehealthyskepticismisfine,anentrenchedandcrankyskepticismisusuallyasignofnegativethinking.So,ifyouhaven’ttriedpositivethinkinginyourownbusiness,yetremainskepticaloftheconcept,youhaveactuallyalreadyprovedthatthepowerofpositivethinkingworks.

Positivethinkingisaboutenjoyingtheridethatlifeprovides.It’sabouttakingchancesandseeingpossibilities.It’saboutflexibility,creativityanddevelopingandmaintainingastrongpassionforthosethingsthatyouloved.It’saboutgusto,brioanddoingthingswith panache. It is, in some sense, the very antithesis of rigid skepticism andpreconceivednegativity.Itis,atitsheart,anembraceofallofthepowerseachofusare capable ofwhenwe throw off the chains of tradition, expectation and routineresults.Itisarealthinganditworks.

Tousethepowerofpositivethinkinginyourownbusinessyouneedtobeginwithacritical assessment of your own personal style and outlook. Make an honestexamination of how you operate on a day to day basis. Are there areas wherenegativity, in any of its forms, outweighs positivity? If so, then there is room forpositive change. Look at concepts like freedom, choice, possibility, optimism andopenness. Can you do more to increase your own options in any of these areas?Insteadofaskingyourself“HowcanIdothis?”askyourselfinstead“HowcanINOTdothis?” Changing your own personal management style to one that encompassespositivityonadailybasiscangiveyouthefreedomtochoosesuccess.

BeGrateful

22

Itiseasytoexpectsuccess,asifbeingsuccessfulwasarightinsteadofaprivilegeandagift. The problem with expecting to succeed is that, without more, the self---absorptionof thatexpectationcanslowlyandsubtlypoisoneverythingaroundyou,includingyourbusiness.Truesuccessisearnedandwhenitarrivesitshouldbe,andneedstobe,accompaniedbyastrongsenseofgratitude.Thisgratitudeisnotsimplyaboutbeinggratefulforwhatyou’veachieved.Itisaboutbeinggroundedenoughinthemomentofsuccesstorememberandrecognizeeveryonewhohelpedyougettothis particular time and place. Without this grounded gratefulness any success islessenedandwill,inalllikelihood,befleeting.

Sohowdoyourepaythosehowhelpedyouinachievingyourgoals?Well,obviously,acknowledgingthoseindividualsandsharingthebenefitsofyoursuccesswiththemisagreatplacetostart.Yet,aboveandbeyondtakingcareofyournearestanddearest,youalsoneedto“payitforward”bybecomingamentorandhelpertootherswhoarecurrentlyontheirownjourneytowardssuccess.Thinkabouthowyoucancollaboratewithsomeoneelseinordertofurthertheirefforts.Seeifyoucancontributeinsomewaytotheirprojects.Thiscontributiondoesn’thavetobemonetary.Adviceandthewisdomofexperienceareoftenfarmorevaluablethancoldcash.

Thisgratitudecanextendeven further.Therearepeoplewhoare currentlyhelpingyou every day that youmay not see asmentors. Your customers are among thesepeople.Withoutthem,successbecomesimpossible.Takethetimetoletthemknowhow importanttheyare.Yourvendorsarealsoequally important.Yes, theyprovideyouwithmaterialsthatyoupaythemfor,butatruegroundedandgratefulattitudewouldalsorecognizeeachofthemforthecriticalelementtheyplayinyourbusiness.Lookoutsidetheboxandyou’llseethatsuccessisnotasoloeffort,it’sateamsport.

BeAccepting

23

There is absolutely noway for you to be successful and reach your goals until youacceptwhoyouare.Youhavetolikeyourselfandwhatyoudobeforeanyoneelsewill.Theworlddetectshowyou feelaboutyourselfandoftensimplyshares theopinionyouhaveaboutwhoyouare.Beyourselfandfreeyourselfintheprocess.Youareanindividualwhoisunique.Yourtalentsandabilities,youintelligenceandinterests,youopinionsandtastes,makeyouwhoyouare.Thereisnoneedtohideapartofyourselforalterapartofyourself forthesakeofconformity.Truesuccess isaboutfreedomandalltrulysuccessfulpeopleareindividualistswhohave,moreorless,acceptedandglorifiedwhotheyare.Youshoulddothesame.

Atthesametime,beingyourselfdoesnotmeangloryinginmediocrity.Youneedtobetheverybestversionofyourselfpossible.Thismeansthatyouhavetoworkatbeingyou.Youhavetoputthetimeintoself---improvement.Acceptanceisnotanexcuseforlaziness,cowardiceorfear.Lifeisaprivilege.Itisagift.Thegiftandtheprivilegeoflifeis that you get to be yourself, the best self you can possibly be. Use the gift, takeadvantage of the privilege that you’ve been given. Don’t squander the chance. Letyourownuniquelightshineforth.Thisisthelightthatwillilluminatethepathtorealsuccessinlife.Itwillalsobethelightthatattractsotherpeopletoyou.

Conclusion

24

So there you have it. Success is a multifaceted achievement that involves manyconceptsand,often,manydifferentpeople.However,asyou’velearned,theconceptsinvolvedinthesuccessfulbusinessmindsetarebasicandlearnableprinciplesthatcaneasily be put into action by anyone dedicated enough to reach the next level ofachievement in their lives. It isallmatterofdoing thework tochangethe things inyourownpersonalagendathatmightneedadjustment.Rememberthatyoucanusethisbookasatooltohelpyoumakethoseadjustments.Youcan,andshould,gobackandreviewthosesectionsthatcanhelpyouanytimetheneedarises.Thepointisthatlife isaboutsuccess.Thismeansthatyouhaveyourentire life toconstantlychangethingsforthebetter.Successisaprocess,aswellasajourney.Here’stowishingyouagoodtrip.