Preperation

"Most people have the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win."

-Bobby Knight

Through observing people, I have noticed that most want success. Most people have goals and future visions of themselves obtaining success, but very few actually achieve their most lofty goals. Why is that?

Successful people practice a superior ability to map out their road to success. Successful people know that to achieve any big goal, one must take small steps. 

If your goal is to lose 30 pounds, you don't set out to lose 30 pounds in one day. You must strive each day to lose that 1/4 pound and eventually you will have reached your goal. The problem is that humans are prone to delay future gratification for immediate desire. This is why instead of working out, you may have eaten a cookie which pleased you at the moment, but in the long run got you further away from your goal. 

Procrastination is a big part of this. Instead of studying now, I will do something more enjoyable and wait until another day to study for my test. This is a battle we must win if we want success. Getting an A is far more likely if you study now, and later rather than putting it off. The issue is that we lie to ourselves. Humans are prone to being unrealistic about their future and overly optimistic about how they will behave in the future. 

"Your success is hidden in your daily routine." -Anonymous

Success is not something we arrive at, but rather a habit that we have formed. Successful people know what they need to do everyday to achieve ultimate success and they are masters at forming successful habits.

I challenge you to write down one long-term goal you would like to achieve. Write down how far you are from that goal. Below that, write down one small step that will inch you toward that goal. Repeat that step everyday for a month and then look back at where you started and see how much closer you have got to your goal.