4 Steps To Make It Happen, Every Time

What is your it? Do you want it? Are you determined? Will you dedicate your energy and focus towards it? You can achieve it. You can be an entrepreneur. You can skyrocket your business to success. You can complete the big project and meet the deadline. You can go back to school. You can teach yourself a new skill. You can develop and sustain a relationship with the person God has for you. You can live without regret. You can make it happen, and you can do it now, with these four steps.

#1: Define it: What is your it? What drives you, what is it you dream of achieving? Think big. What will keep you motivated? Do you want to start your own business and be your own boss? Do you want to switch careers? Are you seeking the love of your life? Are you striving to be a better person? Label your it. Now, be sure this is the it for you, for now. Are you ready for it? What if your dream happened, would you be ready to handle the success it brings? Be confident that God gives you the strength to accomplish the dreams He lays on your heart (…He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it… Philippians 1:6).

If it is the right dream for you, is this the right time for this it? For example, starting a new business. Income opportunities are wide open for entrepreneurs. In addition to finding a niche for your company offline, the internet provides the opportunity for people to earn a good living with relatively little investment. But it requires initiative, something to contribute to the world, and a person smart enough to understand (or learn about) business, the content, and the internet. Is that you? You also have to check the timing. Before you quit your day job, try it out on a small scale and see if your it has found a place.

#2: Detail it- Create a step by step action plan for success. Investigate other successes in your area of focus. Searching for the love of your life? Read books on relationships. Spell out what type of person you are seeking, and be the person that type of person would desire. Looking to improve in business? List out exactly what needs improvement and devise strategies for success in increments, monitoring your progress at regular intervals. Be specific with yourself, so you have clear and practical goals to accomplish each day.

#3: Do it- do it better, do it more, or do it differently, but never stop striving. If you find obstacles impeding your success, find a way around them: do it better. If you find you had difficulty in a relationship, learn from this experience, and learn how to do it better for the next time. If you stumble, get back up. If you lose a contract or client, or find you are fumbling deadlines, invest more energy into it: do it more. If you are finding brick walls with every attempt, seek out advice and change your strategy: do it differently.

If you are sure this is the right it for you and for now, then whether you do it better, do it more, or do it differently, never give up, just keep going and do it.

Do what you determine to create. Make it happen! Attitude is everything. You will never succeed without an “I can do it!” attitude. Exude confidence inside and out. Let your clients, business contacts, and others involved in your it see your expectations of achievement. Believe it and keep your focus.

#4: Do a different it- If you have truly put forth the effort, and it is not happening, then change your it. Some it is unfolding, so learn what that is, and refocus your energy towards that: do a different it. For example, only 1% of those who try to run their own business succeed. Are you in that 1%? You never know until you try, and you just might change your life. If you never try, you will never succeed. Either way, you will succeed in your it. Success means seeing past failures as stepping stones on your journey to the mountain peak of your it.

When I ran my business years ago, I started with a determination to make it work because I had to make it work. I had picked up and moved to a new state, and started from scratch. God had given me the skills, the opportunity, and the business smarts, and it was up to me to do the work. And I did. I treated my clients with respect, balanced professionalism with personality, and in a very competitive niche, I received more business than I could handle. I chose my own hours, referred work to others when I wanted time off, and received positive feedback from others in the business community. It was the right it, at the right time, and I followed through with the details and did it. I had a great attitude and I kept my focus on the it. I made it happen.

I am currently completing my dissertation for a Ph.D. degree. I am making it happen. But I had to do a different it than I first envisioned. I had originally intended to conduct my research under a large grant (very difficult to obtain, but I “think big”). I had dreams of using extremely advanced technology and spending years of work with expensive equipment. I received great feedback my first rejection, which indicated to fix a few minor details and I might get funded. I worked arduously on this task, and re-submitted. Despite these efforts, I discovered that I did not receive this grant. I had a choice. Try again for that it, or change my it.

With the six month delay the application process would cause, even with a different avenue for funding, I decided that my it is now to get it done, myself. I have refocused my work. I have scaled it down to a manageable yet still important piece of research, utilizing technology that is already available to me. And I am excited. I realize now that this is my it. I was never meant to receive the grant, but my work improved in my efforts towards it. God taught me about perseverance in the process, taking risks, and accepting rejection. And I am better for that, and more determined to succeed. While waiting to hear on the grant, I discovered the beauty of writing from my heart through this blog. I have found a way to express myself apart from my scholarly works, and to help others find a better you. I am now more determined than ever to complete my dissertation as soon in 2007 as possible, and devote more time to these articles. God is showing me my it, my passion, and His faithfulness in completing His purpose for my life. The grant was just a stepping stone towards encountering and achieving my it.

Attitude makes all the difference. Are you giving up, just hanging on, or excited about your future? Seek out your it, and make it happen! I continue to pray for my readers as I write to encourage and help you find your it. You can do it! You can succeed and make it happen! Why wait? Adjust your attitude with these four steps, and do it today.