How to Become Successful

Everyone has goals; big goals or small goals, personal goals or professional goals. Sometimes you don’t even realise a goal is a goal until you experience the exhilarating feeling of achieving it and you realise how important it was to you.

The key to becoming successful in life is to harness the power of your mind to achieve the goals you set your heart on.

Your incredible RAS

Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) is the part of your brain that organises information, filters out irrelevant ‘noise’ and allows you to focus on what is important to you. When you set your goals, your RAS begins honing in on information that helps you achieve them.

For example, if you decide you want to start your own business, you will begin to see advertisements for local start-up business clubs, you will overhear conversations about funding opportunities and you will find yourself being introduced to business owners who you never knew existed. Why does this happen? It’s your RAS working overtime to present you with opportunities to achieve your goals, whilst influencing your actions and validating your beliefs.

By setting your goals, visualising them and using daily affirmations your subconscious thoughts will train your RAS to show you the information, people and opportunities you need to succeed. Ultimately, you can invite success into your life and take control of you future.

Goal setting

The most important tip I can give you on goal setting is to write your goals down. When you put pen to paper you turn your dreams into goals; you make them real.

SMARTIE goals will keep you focused and on tract, using an inspirational and emotional connection that really drives you to achieve them – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Resourced, Time bound, Inspiring and Emotional.

Goal visualisation

To truly get to know your goal, you must visualise it on a daily basis.

Your RAS cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imaginary. It simply hones in on whatever is important to you. Therefore, if you vividly focus on your goals each day, your RAS will actively seek out the information and opportunities you need to achieve them.

Positive affirmations

If you don’t already practise positive affirmations, I encourage you to begin straight away. Daily affirmations can be personal or goal focused and should reinforce the most important areas you want your RAS to focus on.

Use positive language to create phrases of encouragement, determination and true grit that you can repeat to yourself throughout the day. “I will be kind and gracious to everyone I meet today”. “I have what it takes to reach my goals”. “I will overcome all odds”. Whatever phrases you chose, what matters the most is that you believe the things you tell yourself; the words you use will shape your life.

Positive affirmations are key to achieving your goals and ensuring that your minds stays focused. They will strengthen your resolve should you waver off course and help you get back on track quickly.

The ability to achieve success is all in your mind!

Written by Kevin Riley, ActionCOACH
warwick.actioncoach.co.uk