Bringing Your Dreams to Life

When your most cherished goal seems to be slipping away, strengthen your execution. Having worked with hundreds of direct sellers throughout the year, I've observed that success is 10 percent vision and 90 percent execution.

I realize this statement runs counter to the premise that a goal is the most important ingredient of success, and that you succeed or fail based on the merits or worthiness of your goal. Let's look at the relationship between goals and execution.

Your goals will never fail you. Rather, you fail them, largely due to lack of implementation!

Unless you properly plan, execute, and remain focused until completion, the goal-and that means any goal-is irrelevant.

By analogy, when they were both very young, both Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning had grand visions of being champions in their sports. Was it the vision of the goal that made them great performers, or was it their willingness to execute? How many other aspiring athletes had great visions, but did not succeed because they either did not have a plan or failed to execute a plan?

To succeed at the highest level in direct selling, you must value and enforce (with yourself!) the principles of execution, and follow that course until successful.

The good news is that you don't have to be blessed with lots of natural talent like Tiger or Peyton. The skills required to succeed in direct selling are within the reach of everyone who is willing to remain focused on execution.

Developing Your Execution Skills

Consider these questions as they relate to you:

"Have you ever missed a golden opportunity because you failed to develop an idea?

"Have you ever been frustrated by your inability to follow through and execute plans, even after committing to do so?

"Would it be worth a focused effort to permanently fix the real causes of your inaction?

If you answered "Yes" to any of these, you'll want to know why execution is the key to greatness, what good execution is, and how anyone can master the art of execution.

Why is execution the key?

Because the execution of your plan is what transforms your dream into your reality.

What is good execution?

It is making good decisions and making things happen. It is reacting well to unpleasant and unexpected events. It is developing characteristics that are critical to your success, such as efficiency and effectiveness.

How can one master the art of execution?

Focus time and resources on the "core activities" necessary for achievement. There are always more things to do than time and resources to do them. Go for the "high payoff" activities.

Hold yourself accountable to deadlines and adjust tasks accordingly. Missed deadlines are a symptom of poor execution and lack of discipline. Establish realistic timelines, then monitor your progress and make course corrections to ensure you stay on track. Surround yourself with people, experience, and expertise. Well-trained, experienced people know how to get a job done effectively. Inexperienced or untrained people will simply not be as effective. People who experiment and learn become experienced executors.

Realize that everything you say, think, and do counts. Consciously pay attention to the small details of core activities, and notice whether each one moves you closer to or further from achieving your goal. The small details are what make the difference between mediocre results and outstanding results.

The success you enjoy depends upon many things, but mostly it depends on you and your willingness to execute until the goal is achieved.

Improving Your Execution Today and Tomorrow Take these steps in the next 48 hours to embrace the discipline and do what needs to be done for success.

Identify your "high impact" activities, give them top priority, and get them done.

Monitor your progress. Are you on track to meet your deadlines? Make any needed adjustments.

Pay attention to every word you speak and action you take. Everything counts!

Truthfully,

Steve & Sonia Figueroa

www.BAMoneyMaker.com