There are twelve necessary elements involved in achieving success:

1. Spend daily time in reflection, contemplation, meditation, stillness and silence. Ground yourself in self-awareness.

Since all that exists arises out of the infinite, you should get intimate with the infinite so you can have what you want. Meditation connects you the greater aspects of your self and also to the divine.

Learn to meditate and then develop the discipline to do it daily; make it a habit, like brushing your teeth.

Contemplation of one's own internal self and of the external world will lead to wisdom.

2. Gain control of your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies.

Stop allowing your self to get yanked around by other people, by your culture, by events or circumstances. You are you. You own your self. Take control.

Think what you want. Feel how you want. Believe what you decide is best for you.

Create you own ideals. Define your own purpose. Then, live that purpose.

3. Develop a strong self-image. Learn to love yourself.

Get to know yourself. You are an exceptional individual. You are unique in the whole universe. You are special. You are sacred. Know who you are and then, love who you are.

Self-love is not egocentrism; it is simply the acknowledgement of your sacredness.

4. Think for yourself. Opt out of mass consciousness. Utilize your creative imagination.

Look around you. If you want to be average, to be the norm, then think like everyone else. If you want more out of life, then learn to think for yourself.

Don't allow your culture to become your cult. Program your self.

5. Set your goals. Create your own game plan. WRITE IT DOWN.

Write down your goals. Define them. Affirm them.

If you fail to make a plan, then you might as well plan to fail.

Let's take a look at some research two university studies about written goals. The results will astound you and, hopefully, convince you to begin now to write down your own goals.

In 1984, a follow up study was done on the Harvard Business School graduating class of 1964. All members of the class stated that they had had, at graduation, clear goals to accomplish in life.

Only 5% of the 1964 class had taken the time to write down their goals. 95% of this group had achieved those written goals 20 years later.

Of the 95% who did not bother to write down their goals in 1964, only 5% had achieved their expected goals.

Even Harvard graduates only succeed when they plan to succeed and then commit their plans to writing.

The Harvard study was preceded by an earlier study done by Yale University.

This study found that only 3% of the 1953 graduating class had written goals.

Twenty years later, in 1973, this 3% of the Yale graduates had accomplished more than the other 97% combined.

Set your ideals, clarify your goals and then write them down. Carry them with you. Refer to them often. Map your progress. Plan to succeed.

6. Do what needs to be done. Develop self-discipline.

Become your own disciple. Don't allow yourself to become distracted or to become too lazy to do what is necessary to achieve your goal.

Develop the discipline to be what you need to be, do what you need to do in order to have what you want to have.

7. Be of service. Think win/win. Find a way to create success or happiness for others.

People succeed by giving others what they want. 'Find a need or want and then fill it' is an old truism of business. Examine your own ideals.

Are there others who hold the same desires?

Find a way to give others what is in tune with your shared ideals and you will prosper.

8. Educate yourself, then use, apply what you know. Applied knowledge is power.

Get wise. Apply what you learn to your life. Many people know the secrets of happiness and success but don't apply them and are confused by the lack of harmony in their lives.

9. Be visionary. Think ahead. Use the past. Live in the moment.

Create the future. Use your imagination. Become a visionary.

Turn off your television and turn on your inner vision.

Learn from others' successes. Learn from others' failures.

Everything you see was created in the past. Use the past but don't let it use you.

Live fully in this present moment. Imagine your ideal future. Make it real.

10. Use your time wisely. Live a balanced life. Be, do, have.

Remember to take time to play.

It encourages both halves of your brain to function so that your mind can inhabit and function in a bigger space. Plan, rehearse and then execute.

Don't just spend all your time doing, without first being.

Frenetic activity is the sign of those who choose to work hard instead of smart.

It is those who spend as much time being and thinking as doing, those for whom 'work is play' that succeed.

11. Speak your truth. Live your word. Say what you mean, mean what you say.

Above average people talk about ideas, average people talk about things, and below average people talk about other people.

Talk about your truth, your ideals, what you desire to see manifest.

Don't spend too much time talking about what is already manifest, what already exists. That just makes you average. Allow other people to live their lives. Don't waste your time talking about them.

You may be advised not to talk about yourself. Don't listen. It is bad advice. Speak always, first and foremost, your own truth. Otherwise, you'll end up living somebody else's.

12. Enjoy the journey. Be here now. Be in the present moment. Be a spiritual being.

Happiness does not come tomorrow with the rising of the sun. It is only available now in each present moment.

Slow down enough to enjoy this moment and each that follow will bring their own reward. Be grateful for all that you have right here, right now. You will end up having more to be grateful for in the next moment.

Develop that attitude of gratitude.

? Leslie Fieger. All rights reserved worldwide.

Leslie is the author of The DELFIN Knowledge System Trilogy: The Initiation, The Journey and The Quest plus many more success publications. He also the co-author of The End of the World with Hugh Jeffries and Alexandra's DragonFire with his daughter Ashley. Subscribe to his free and ad-free eZine at http://www.ProsperityParadigm.com or http://www.LeslieFieger.com.

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