There are many different steps that are necessary to succeed by creating a positive change in your life. Our “present” is generally fueled by one of two things. This is, we either hang on to the past in a relentless manner, or we look ahead to our future. While it is good to look to the past, as well as to the future, we should make every effort to do so in a positive and constructive manner. Reflection and anticipation are only successful for us when we are:

“Taking the wisdom of the past, applying it to our present, in an effort to create a successful and productive future” – Angie Shiflett

In this guide, you will be introduced to how to succeed in creating a positive change in your life. You will learn how to see the past as a wonderful collection of wisdom, apply that wisdom in the “now”, and create your own masterpiece for the future. If you have accepted that a change needs to be made, and you are ready to start enforcing that change in your life, you should continue reading. If you have not accepted that a change needs to be made, and you are ready to go…well, nowhere. You should stop reading right here and come to terms with the fact that stagnation is nothing more than a breeding pit for failure.

Desire

In order to be successful when it comes to creating a change in our lives, it is imperative to have a desire to change. I mean, you have to have a true desire. If you are changing because you think it will make someone else approve of you more, or like you more, you need to skip back up to that “stagnation” spill. You can never really CHANGE unless YOU want the change, and have a true desire for it. It is a known fact that if the thought of change is more personal and meaningful to you, you are quite likely to be more persistent in pursuing it. It is also important to ensure that you consider the “pros and cons” of the change that you want to make in your life before setting out on the journey to achieve it.

Capacity

Now, as you focus on the change that you want to achieve in your life, you must consider your capacity to achieve the change. In other words, is the change that you want to achieve within reason? If it is not within reason, you may find yourself engulfed with complete and utter disappointment. Knowing and understanding that there is a certain level of “reality” that must be faced when it comes to change. We all love those visually appealing types of changes that make us feel all dreamy and gung ho, but the truth is, there are some changes that are realistic and some that will only result in continuous disappointment because of the fact that they are not within our capacity.

Positive Thinking

Yes, I am going to tell you that the power of positive thinking will make you successful when it comes to creating a change in your life. I know, I know…you have heard it all before. Well, don’t you think there is some level of validity to this piece of advice if it is so “universal”? Seriously, you have to keep your thoughts straight when it comes to bringing about change. How can you make a change and actually believe in it if you are always thinking that you can’t? Did you ever stop and consider if you are thinking that you can’t that you are the only person holding you back from all that you can experience in life? If not, you need to consider this. Remain positive, and you are likely to be quite successful!

Patience and Support

Patience and support are two of the main essentials when it comes to succeeding with change in your life. First, you must learn to develop a little patience for the change to occur. We all hear “change doesn’t happen overnight”. I am not sure how much truth there actually is in that statement, because I do believe that change can happen overnight. It may not be the large goal that you have your sights set on, but just the choice to make a change is a change – what did that take you, all of five minutes if that? The secret is being patient when it comes to the final results. Let’s think about it…very few “masterpieces” were created in a day’s time. Aren’t you a masterpiece? Of course! We ALL are! Take your time and get the lines, the contours, and the colors right. You will be very glad that you did!

Support is another important element when it comes to creating a change in your life. There are many different types of support that you can experience when trying to make a change. The secret is to “think outside the box”. Let’s see, friends and family members are excellent support systems. Motivational books and DVD’s like those by Joyce Meyer, Jim Rohn, and John C. Maxwell are considered a form of support. Professional counseling and coaching sources are great too! Indulge in one, indulge in all! You take up as much support as you can. Remember, the team that has the most players is often the team that takes the lead in any major competition. Great a team – a team that will allow you to win when creating a change in your life!!!!

If you look around you and the world that you are part of, you will quickly discover that many individuals engage in activities and display behaviors that are quite questionable. Many of these individuals display these behaviors and engage in activities that are considered to be questionable in order to accumulate riches and succeed in life. While it is true that many of these individuals achieve the success that they are after, they lack the integrity and honor of having character. If you are looking to achieve success in your life, and you want to do it in a morally upright manner, you must start by evaluating your character. Here, you will learn the importance of character.

If you attempt to succeed in a morally unjust manner, you may acquire a generous amount of wealth, but you are likely to remain unhappy, and experience an inner feeling of emptiness. This is because of the fact that you did what you did with a lack of character and regard for the character of others. When you display a morally upright character, you also display integrity. That is basically what character is – having a high sense of integrity. Integrity, ultimately, means “quality” when it relates to the character of an individual. Integrity goes so much deeper than just a standard “quality” in character.

Individuals who study philosophy have come to the conclusion that there are essential fundamentals when it comes to this term as it relates to human life. First, integrity is the standard that a person has towards themselves that is highly ethical, professional, and “formal”. The second fundamental is when an individual displays behaviors, and takes actions that are considered to be morally upright when faced with decisions, jobs, and social interactions in life. Integrity can be considered a moral, and it can also be considered a virtue when it comes to character.

There is one particular rule that has been passed down from one generation to another all throughout history that truly defines what is expected when it comes to proper character. That is the ever-popular “Golden Rule”. This rule, which originated in The Holy Bible in Luke 6:31 states: “Do to others as you would have them do to you”. While there are a number of translations and expression of this particular rule, the meaning is simple. If we keep this rule in mind as we progress through life, not only will we exhibit a morally upright character, but we are quite likely to experience the success that we have set out to achieve.

There are certain characteristics that make a person successful. First the individual that is destined for success will have a strong belief in themselves, as well as that which they want to accomplish. This type of individual will also have a determination to do what it takes, and to do it in a virtuous manner. Work is not an issue for these individuals, and neither is failure. Failure is nothing more than a way of letting that person know that they must attempt to do whatever it is that they are trying to do in a more creative way. Failures are true learning experiences that the individual with character and integrity actually look forward to, and the lessons experienced. If you can have this character, you will go far in life.

There are a number of effective strategies for developing your will power for success in life. Many fail to realize it, but in order to achieve the success that you want to in life; a couple of things must be in place. The first thing, of course, is the motivation to carry you through on your journey to success. The second element is the ability to develop and sustain will power. Here, I will expound on the very important element of developing a will power that will allow you the strength, and courage to press hard – even in the most challenging of all situations – until you have accomplished your goals in life. Do you want to be successful? You must first have a strong will.

At a very young age, each of us are taught that, in order to be successful, we must do well in our educational careers. The concept and ideal that education and success go hand in hand is a nice one, there is no underestimating that. The fact is, however, that success has been achieved by a large number of individuals who had little to no education. There are a number of reasons why they were uneducated – maybe they had to stay home to help their family bring in money, or maybe they were educated at home by parents that had little to no education – there are many reasons for this. However, the rationalization that education is a core essential for success is an incorrect rationalization. It is will power that drives a man to success. Education may make it easier – that’s a given – the individual with “will” ALWAYS finds a “way”!

If you want to succeed in life, you must have will power. I mean, that is the fact – plain and simple. Now that you know this, it is time to take action. So, where to start? Let’s start with your goals. What is it that you want to achieve in life? Where do you want to see yourself in one year? Why is it that you want to achieve what you do? Many people make the choice to set goals based on what they think their family, their friends, and their coworkers want them to do. They want to look “good”. Let me tell you right now, you will never “look good” by following the lead of another when it comes to YOUR life – that’s right, YOUR LIFE – not theirs. What you have to do is politely excuse that person that is trying to lead you and take front and center.

Once you take front and center, you are taking the first step towards properly developing your will power. Now, as you stand front and center, you know what is behind you. You just came from the back, right? So, leave everything behind you – including negative thoughts, negative self talk, and, well, just anything negative. We are not looking back here, we have to move forward if we want to achieve success. If you have to, turn around and wave goodbye to everything behind you – past perceptions, a low self image, a decrease in confidence, and whatever stands behind you – so that you can press on. Will power means taking what you know to be truth, creating an action plan to turn it into something productive and getting your feet moving!

Now, that you are all excited and ready to go – it is time to move out!!! Will power may try to test you on the journey down the road to success, but do not give in. If you trip over a limb and fall, pick yourself up, think about the positive learning experience and move on. You will likely stumble – if you can’t catch yourself, pride yourself in falling gracefully, then pick up and move out. You may come face to face with some troubling mountains and hills – that’s ok. All you do is push those obstructions out of your way! Stop at absolutely nothing in order to achieve your goals. When you are able to do this, it is then that you have truly achieved success!

If you have a fear of failure, you’re not alone. Many people do. However, the fear of failure can do more than keep you from being successful. It can also hold you back in other areas, including simple life enjoyment. Often times, fear of failure develops over a period of time, often triggered because you did not get the acceptance and approval you needed from those who were important to you as you were growing up.

If you were raised in a particularly negative environment and received little praise for what you did, you may be among those who experienced fear of failure. Even as you strove for positive recognition and encouragement, you may have learned that no matter how well you did or how hard you tried, it wasn’t good enough.

This may have resulted in low self esteem and may even have become a self-fulfilling prophecy, feeding negativity. Over time, you may have developed an ever-present fear of failure that has made you reluctant to try anything new. If this has carried over into adulthood for you, you may fear that you’ll never succeed in anything you do.

Fortunately, you can overcome this fate. Here are six things to remember:

1. There is a relationship between fear of failure and the resulting (or even preceding) lack of success.

Even though a lack of success and fear of failure have some things in common, they are different. If you lack success, you haven’t succeeded for one reason or another. If you have a fear of failure, you won’t even try to succeed, which in turn of course will lead to a lack of success.

Let’s take a look at how much effort you’ve applied to succeeding at something. Do you see a pattern whereby you stop trying once you’ve lost confidence? If this is you, it’s something that can change and is in fact the biggest reason people fail to succeed. How long did you honestly, truly try before you stopped even trying to succeed with a particular endeavor? Stop for a moment and think about when you’ve lost confidence and subsequently given up trying.

2. How much time and effort do you give something before you give up?

Of course, no one is saying that you need to keep trying endlessly (especially in the same ways) at something that simply isn’t going to work. However, if you have experienced a fear of failure or lack of success previously, you may not have the patience and persistence you need. Remember that successful people, too, have experienced failure. The difference is that they picked themselves up after such failure and gave things another try, perhaps taking a different tack. Increasing the amount of effort you give something without feeling overly stressed or willing to give up too soon is something you need to pay attention to.

3. Build relaxation into your schedule

Of course, you shouldn’t simply sit back on the couch and watch TV all day, but you do need to build breaks into your day so that you don’t get overly stressed and tired, which can lead to giving up overall. If you have an excess amount of stress and negativity in your day, this will give you an even stronger fear of failure. Take regular moments during your day to do something fun that will relax you, exercise, or otherwise take your mind away from the task of the moment. Doing so will put you in a more positive frame of mind and may even allow you to solve a problem you’ve been stuck on. It certainly will also ease the tension. For example, if you can just work for half an hour before you feel stressed, take a small break every half hour. You’ll have an easier time pushing forward if you know that you’re going to take a break in just a few minutes. In addition, make sure you do push forward with full effort during the time you are working. Knowing that you’ve got regular breaks scheduled is, again, going to help you give your full attention to what you’re working on, which will increase your chances of success.

4. Baby steps are the way to go

Instead of trying to accomplish one huge project in its entirety, break it into small and easily achievable steps. Again, take breaks regularly so that you don’t become overly stressed or overwhelmed. If you do this, you’ll come back to your projects fully relaxed and reenergized, ready to tackle problems once again. In addition, this will help keep you positive in general.

5. Keep doing things you know you’re good at

If you know you’re good at something, make sure it’s something you keep doing regularly. If you know you’re good at something, you’re going to feel confident and self-assured when you do it. This, in turn, is going to give you the tools you need to carry that self-confidence and self-assurance into new activities. With this confidence, you’re much less likely to fail and are also much more likely to take setbacks in stride. Therefore, you can take this confidence and utilize it in the efforts you make for new tasks you’re not yet comfortable with. This, in turn, will make it much less likely that you experience a fear of failure to the point where you want to quit.

6. Regularly boost your own self-esteem

One of the best ways to ensure your success is to make sure your own self-esteem is high. Often times, a fear of failure can have its roots in a lack of self-esteem. As you improve your self-esteem, you’re less likely to fear failure. And rather than relying on approval or acceptance from others, you’re going to be able to turn inward and focus on yourself and your own abilities. This in turn will help you garner self-approval in what you do, which is a much more reliable barometer. This makes others’ opinions of you less important.

If you focus on these keys, in time, you’ll begin to see your confidence grow and your fear of failure weaken. Ultimately, it may disappear altogether.

Self-Belief

When it comes right down to it, it is far more important to live an authentic life than it is to impress other people. Have faith in who you are and what you are capable of. Relax and enjoy dreaming of the things and life you want. You don’t even have to know what you want at first, the process of discovering what is important to you is an important part of the journey.

What’s Important to You?

Before you can begin your journey towards a new life, it is important to understand where you are currently at. What is it about your life that you would really like to change? Is lack of time a problem? Does your life lack purpose? Do you want to do something with your life that will provide a lasting benefit? You’re not alone. What are you interested in or moved by? Is there a social concern that you would like to make a difference in? Imagine discussing your ‘achievement’ with Oprah. Which of your ideas leaves you feeling most empowered?

Find a Purpose Big Enough to Drive You.

There are a lot of books centered on discovering your passion, but for most people it is really a matter of rediscovering the things you love to do. Life has a way of drowning out our passions but all it takes to get them back is the decision to do so. Things that make your heart sing should be a part of your life. Painting, handcrafts, dressmaking, gardening, writing, carpentry or any number of human activities can make you happy and can easily be included into your lifestyle. Whether your passion is something you do on your own or with others, your life will be enhanced by its presence. If you can find a way to use your passion for a greater purpose, you will be able to leave a legacy and make a difference.

Be Willing to Learn

You don’t need to copy people but you can save a lot of time and mistakes by learning from the experts. Discover who the experts are in your particular field and use the internet to glean what tips you can from them. You may discover gaps in your niche market that you can fill.

Learn How to Use the Internet to Your Advantage

The internet is the quickest and easiest way to find information quickly. The biggest problem you’ll face is that there is actually too much information. This is why it is helpful to learn how to locate and sort through the most reliable information. You can use online libraries, expert articles and social networking environments to discover the information you are looking for.

Is Your Idea Transformative?

In other words can it change lives (your own included)? If you get on the ground floor with an idea that is needed and will encourage the involvement of others, you may find yourself with a much bigger project than you dreamed of.

Build on a Firm Foundation.

Your greatest asset is your experience and wisdom. It is important to be able to fall back on these no matter what your project. There is an old saying: ‘Stick to Your Knitting.’ This means to stay with what you know or what you are good at. If you have a lot of experience, wisdom and skills in an area that you can turn to a profit, you would be wise to go in that direction. It is a lot harder to succeed when you lack experience and knowledge in an area.

Become an Expert

Once you have turned your passion into a profitable niche or have simply become an expert, you can share it via online video as well as starting a blog. As you increase your audience and perhaps create a vibrant online community, you will gain further knowledge of benefit to others. In other words, your capacity to make a difference in the world from your passion is almost unlimited.

Take Action

It is easy to stay stuck and avoid the necessary steps to turn your passion into a viable business and community proposition. If you need a bit of encouragement, look for someone who can support your goals and is willing to walk with you on this journey. If you make mistakes, don’t be discouraged just learn for them and keep on going. If you do this you will always be moving towards your dreams.