Monday Motivation: Ten Secrets of Success

Last month I attended a networking event and the guest speaker presented  Ten Secrets of Success.  Here they are:

1.       How you think is everything.  Always be positive.  Think success, not failure.  Beware of a negative environment.   What you think about, you bring about.

2.       Decide upon your true dreams and goals.  Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.

The Avett Brothers :: Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise

3.       Take ACTION.  Goals are nothing without action.  Don’t be afraid to get started.  Just do it.

4.       Never stop learning.  Go back to school and read books.  Get training and acquire skills. 

I would add to this: surround yourself with subject matter experts.  Want to be a better writer?  Learn from other writers.  Spend time with them.  Find critique partners and beta readers you trust and who will give you honest feedback on your writing.

5.       Be persistent and work hard.  Success is a marathon, not a sprint.  Never give up.

6.       Learn to analyze details.  Get all the facts, all the input.  Learn from your mistakes.

7.       Focus your time and money.  Don’t let other people or things distract you.

8.       Don’t be afraid to innovate and be different.  Following the herd is a sure path to mediocrity.

9.       Deal and communicate with people effectively.  No person is an island.  Learn to understand and motivate others.

10.   Be honest and dependable.  Take Responsibility.  Otherwise, numbers 1-9 won’t matter.

I'm going to be honest here and say that some days it's easy to stay positive about my goals, and some days just totally suck.  I know that I'm fortunate to have a job, but there are days like last Friday: driving my daughter to school, I came up with the solution to a major plot issue in my manuscript, but I had to put that idea on hold and go to work for eight hours.  I know my situation is not unique, but it doesn't make it suck any less.

This week is another busy one with orthodontist appointments, gymnastics, Cub Scouts, Bunco (at my house), et cetera.  Talk about distractions.  But I've made it my goal for the week to write every day, even if it's just nabbing a couple of hours after the kids go to bed and the Bunco box has been passed on to next month's host.

And I'm really looking forward to getting together with the MNYA Writers on Saturday.  Add that to the list -- pages to critique!

What are you looking forward to this week?  And tell me, what are your secrets of success?