Do You Have The Four D's You Need For Success?

In order to achieve any amount of success in your life, it is
important that you understand four basic characteristics. Let's
call these four attributes the four D's of success, and they are
vital no matter what level of success you want.

Desire - Decision - Determination - Discipline

Desire is the most essential of the D's. Without desire, the
other fundamental things just don't matter. There are many things
we might like to have, and perhaps, we envy someone who already
has something we like. However, we are not very likely to have
these things for ourselves without desire. Not just a feeling of
wanting something or thinking it would be nice, but a deep-down
burning desire, a do-it-or-else attitude and a willingness to
make sacrifices to reach that goal. By sacrifices, I mean things
like giving up the extra servings to lose weight, watching less
TV to have more time available for a special project, doing
without a few things to be able to save money for a down payment
on a new house. Without a strong desire, the sacrifices may
become more of a dreaded chore than a means to an end, in which
case we are more likely to just give up and abandon the goal.

Decisions need to be made once you have a clear-cut desire. You
want to accomplish a specific goal and now you need to decide how
to do it. Decide on a method to reach your goal and how long it
might take to get there. You can usually find valuable
information that is related to your goal in a bookstore, the
library, or on the Internet. Other times, you might need to talk
to someone who has accomplished a similar goal. Also, decide what
sacrifices, if any, may be necessary for you to make in order to
reach your goal. Reaching a goal is often easier by breaking a
major goal into mini-goals, each one being a milestone in itself.

Determination and willpower are the traits you need to reach your
goal when you have a burning desire and you've made the decision
to take action and make something happen. There may be obstacles
on the way to your goal, but strength of mind and fortitude can
help keep you on track. It doesn't matter how fast you are moving
toward your goal as long as you keep moving in a positive
direction. You should be resolved to turn your desire into a
reality no matter what it takes.

Discipline can sometimes be the hardest D to handle. We may have
the best of intentions, but a moment of weakness can throw us off
track. It takes self-control and restraint to make sacrifices and
stick to the plan we decided upon. Every so often, we have to be
strict with ourselves and remember that the goal we seek is worth
the effort. If it becomes too hard to follow the plan, we might
need to revise the plan or the time it takes to get there.

Usually, what we desire most, is not the goal itself, but the
benefits that we experience when the goal is reached. The
following is a list of some goals and possible benefits:

Goal: lose weight Benefit: look/feel better, more energy
Goal: plant a garden Benefit: fresh food, exercise, nature
Goal: learn to play golf Benefit: exercise, recreation
Goal: buy a motorhome Benefit: travel, family outings
Goal: work at home Benefit: freedom, more time with family
Goal: make more money Benefit: better lifestyle, prestige

Take a moment to think about your desires. Chances are good that
you have desires that are strong enough for you to make the
decision to take action and make things happen!