Here they are in no order of priority . . .

1. What You DON'T Want. As important as it is to know what you want, it's also important to know what you don't want. We highly recommend keeping a Toleration List'a list of things you're tolerating in your life and your business that you no longer want to tolerate.

The mere act of identifying the things you are putting up with that are detracting from your success and happiness will begin the process of eliminating them.

Start your Tolerations List today?and review it at least monthly.

2. Your Path and/or Your Vehicle. When you know what you want, what you don't want and are clear on all the other things in this list, you have to become clear on the path to getting where you want to go. What's your plan? What's the vehicle that will take you there? Is it a good plan and are you using a dependable vehicle? Is there a backup plan?

Get clear on your plan and make sure you have the right vehicle.

3. Your Goals. Do you know your top three goals? Are they clear? Can you articulate them in a succinct fashion and have anyone understand what they are?

Are they SMART goals? In other words, are they Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Relative (to your mission and values) and Timely?

4. Why You Want Them. This is another area where many people fall down. They might be clear on WHAT they want, but they aren't clear enough about WHY they want what they want. Reasons come first and answers come second.

The Universe has a tendancy to hang onto the answers until our desire is strong enough.

Being interested in achieving a big goal is not enough. You have to really want it.

5. Where You Are. Before you can determine how to get somewhere, you have to know where you are now. And this is a step that many people either don't or refuse to take.

Where are you financially? What's your net worth? How much do you owe? What are your current expenses? How much of your income is passive? What's your credit score? This is all very important information.

Where do you stand with your health? What do you weigh? What is your cholesterol? What are the benchmarks your doctor has covered with you in your last physical?

What are current sales? How many customers do you have? What is your average sale per customer? What is the lifetime value of a customer?

This process can sometimes be uncomfortable?and maybe that's why so many people refuse to do it. But you must know where you are in all the areas that are worthy of measure.

So where are you now?

6. Your Mission Statement. What's your personal mission? What's the mission of your company?

A mission is a direction. It's not something you ever actually achieve'it's your purpose.

Being clear on your mission and being able to articulate that mission to others is critical to your success and that of your organization.

7. Your Target Market. Few business owners I ask can give me good answers to the following questions: Who is your ideal client? With whom do you like working with? What are the psychographics and demographics of your target market? Where are they? How can you best reach them?

Knowing your target market is essential to your overall success.

8. Your Values. What do you really care about? What are your personal values? What are your company values?

Sound core values are the foundation of a truly successful life and business. By discovering and becoming acutely aware of your core values, you make decisions easier.

Invest the time to get clear on what you stand for. And then articulate it in a compelling fashion. In doing so, you'll make it easier for people of like mind to find you and do business with you.

9. Obstacles and Constrictions. What stands in your way? What do you see as your biggest constraint? I will warn you that most of what you come up with will be excuses. Write them down anyway.

But dig deeper for the REAL challenge, the one'or ones?that aren't so obvious. The ones you may not want to admit to at first.

Hint . . It's rarely "out there".

Unless you know what stands in your way, it will be hard to plan around or fight through an unknown enemy.

10. Your Strengths. Most people are well aware of their shortcomings, but not all that clear on their strengths. They focus far too much on improving what they're not good at.

It's much more productive to build on your strengths, to improve what you're already good at than to to try to make up for perceived dificiencies.

What are YOUR strengths? What are you good at that you can leverage to your advantage. Invest some time into determining your strengths. Ask others what they see as you strongest assets. The answers may be quite different than you expect.