Success Statistics

As some of you know, I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month for the first time this year. Of the 101,510 people who signed up to do it in 2007, only 15,333 actually reached the 50,000 word mark. That is only 15% of all those who set the goal actually completed it. That isn't a very encouraging statistic, especially for first-timers. So I started researching the NaNoWriMO forums to see what pitfalls people have fallen into the past the frustrated them and what tactics people have used to succeed. In my research, I came across a link to the following chart:

While this was done for the 2003 participants, I don't believe that the percentages have changed much based on the comparable completion statistics between the years.

What do you notice that is interesting about these percentages?

I found it interesting that of the 27,483 people who set the goal to write 50,000 words in 30 days that year, 58% never even got started!!! That is nearly 2/3 of the whole group.

I think this statistic holds true for many people who set goals - if the number isn't even larger.

How many times have you set a goal to do something new or different and then never started on it. I know I am guilty of that ... far too many times than I care to admit. But there is one statistic that I have learned that I guarantee holds true for each and every person regardless of what their goals is. That statistic is that 100% of the people that never start a goal will never accomplish it!

So, if you want something to change, if you want something better in your life, you have to take the first step. Just look at the graphic again. Those that got started on their goal in 2003 improved their chances of completing it by 31%.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."
~ Mark Twain

Notice that only 31% of those that get started actually reach their goal and how that number jumps significantly at each 10,000 word milestone. I guarantee that the reason why 69% of those that got started never achieved their goal is because at some point in the process (probably very early on in the process) they decided that if they didn't work on their goal one day it wouldn't hurt their chances of success. They were wrong.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
~ Jim Rohn

I know I have said it time and time again, but once you get going you have to keep going by working on your goal every single day. Establish early on the habit of doing something daily, anything at all, that is related to your goal. It harnesses the power of momentum, which will keep you rolling through the challenging times. And once you have done that for 17-30 days straight, it will suddenly become more uncomfortable to not take action than it is to take action!

Improve your chances of success by getting started and then establish good daily action habits early on so that you, too, can be an unstoppable force of achievement and success!

The First Step - Part 7 of 7

“Take the first step, and your mind will mobilize all its forces to your aid. But the first essential is that you begin. Once the battle is startled, all that is within and without you will come to your assistance.”
~ Robert Collier

Most people do not consciously recognize that there is a mind/body connection that can aid us or hinder us depending on how we use it. A quick way to test this is to think of what you do with your body when you are sad or depressed. Your head will be down, your eyes will be looking down, your posture slumped, your breathing shallow; whatever it is that you usually do when you are in that emotional state. Now, consciously perform those actions without any particular reason to feel that way and pay attention to how those actions combined affect your emotions and your level of thinking.

Now reverse it. Act the way you normally act when you are happy or really excited. Your head is held high, you are standing tall, you are breathing fully, your eyes are wide and looking upward, and you have a big silly grin on your face. Do this and see how those actions affect you. Now while you are acting happy, without changing any of those characteristics, try to get depressed. If you are honest and you stayed in your "happy stance", I am willing to bet that most people who try this are not able to get depressed.

So, why do I bring this up?

When you are immobilized in terms of your goals, when you procrastinate doing what you really want to do, that immobility has a dampening effect on your mind. And, conversely as Robert Collier points out, when you take the first step, your mind mobilizes all of its available faculties to aid you in achieving your goals and dreams. And when you act and your mind engages, you feel good, which, in turn, makes you want to act again, creating a Mind/Body Achievement Cycle and, pretty soon, you are "on a roll!"

But not only does your mind and your body work together for your good when you decide to act, but the universe conspires WITH you as well! Take my wife, for example. She is a Mary Kay consultant and she had to make a decision regarding her business. She could either scale back her efforts and settle into an easy, comfortable flow of business that would provide her with a little bit of extra money each month and leave her time to pursue other side interests, or she could pursue her dream of being a Director with an "I will not be denied!" attitude until it is achieved which would not only provide her with a good source of income to pay off debts and take amazing vacations with our family, enable her to meet new and amazing women on a regular basis, give her a huge sense of achievement, and win her a number of fabulous gifts and prizes every month. She decided to go for it!

Within days of her decision, incredible things started to happen. Her schedule for the following month was almost completely booked up. She had people lining up to join her team and go for their dreams as well. She even met a lady at the grocery store who she had never met before who gave her a solid lead for someone who was ready to join her Mary Kay team right away - someone my wife hadn't even worked with yet! Everything just started to fall into place seemingly overnight and my wife is well on her way to accomplishing amazing things with an amazing company.

In conclusion of the First Step series allow me reiterate the last words of Robert Collier's quote:

"...Once the battle is startled, all that is within and without you will come to your assistance."

A single step is all that stands between you and the path to getting everything you want out of life. There will be other steps to take and lessons to learn along the way, but it only takes a single step to get started. Take that step, my friends, and get yourself on the path. Nothing worthwhile comes to those who stand still in life expecting everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. We live in a "self-service" world where we have to get out and get the things we want. Don't be foolish enough to believe people are just going to hand it to you. It is as my father always told me: "He who hesitates is lost."

Take the first step and I will see you at the finish line!

Action Steps:
1. Take the first step towards your dreams and goals today!
2. Keeping taking small steps every single day until you achieve them!
3. Visit The Millionaire Marathon blog consistently for more tips, information and insights to help you along the way.

The First Step - Part 6 of 7

“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yesterday we talked about having a plan or goal and breaking it down into small stepping stones that will carry you from where you are to where you want to be. But what do you do when you don't know all the steps to take? What do you do when you can't see the path from beginning to end, when you can only see the first few steps? Most people don't do anything. This is known as "paralysis by analysis".

It really does not matter if you don't know how to do something. You only need to know the first step to take. If you know that much, you take a "leap of faith". Boyd K. Packer describes this as "the moment when you have gone to the edge of the light and stepped into the darkness to discover that the way is lighted ahead for just a footstep or two."

Jack Canfield also talks about this faith in the movie, The Secret, when he talks about driving from California to New York at night. You don't have to see from one coast to the other to get there. All you need is for your headlights to show you the next 200 feet before you. And once you have traveled those 200 feet, your headlights will reveal the next 200 feet, and so on, and so on until you reach your destination.

But some of you may worry about starting off in the wrong direction because you can't see the full path. I struggle with perfectionist tendencies from time to time, so I can totally understand that concern. Let me share with you an example of where I learned to overcome that struggle. I have aspired for many years to be a popular fiction writer. I was working on one particular story and decided to outline the story from beginning to end to prevent me from getting bogged down in the writing of it. I managed to complete 90% of the outline, but was unable to finish it because I couldn't quite see how to wrap up the story without dragging the ending out and boring the reader with explanations and dialogues that lacked the action to hold their interest. I agonized over this for weeks (yes, weeks) and made absolutely no progress, whatsoever.

I finally came to the realization that, while I didn't have a neat and tidy ending laid out, I had the bulk of the novel planned and ready to write. Why worry so much about an ending that hasn't even had a beginning yet? So I started writing, trusting that the ending would present itself at some point in the process. The funny thing is that within two days of writing, of getting the creative process flowing and putting it into action, the pieces started to fall into place. I still don't have it completely nailed down, but I am very close and have full faith that it will not even be an issue when I get to that point in the story. But even if I end up with a poor ending to my story, it is only a first draft. Any story can be written, but only great stories are rewritten!

So don't worry so much about the how, focus on the now and take the first step in faith!

Action Steps:
1. Write down something that you have been procrastinating because you don't know fully how to accomplish the task or goal.
2. Identify and write down the first step that you can take.
3. Take the first step in faith!

The First Step - Part 5 of 7

“Have a bias toward action - let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.”
~ Indira Gandhi

Imagine just for a moment that you have just been invited to the movie set of a Christopher Nolan film. Although Batman Begins and The Dark Knight were huge successes, this is to be far greater than anything he has ever done so you are very excited to witness the master at work as he creates what is sure to be a blockbuster film. All the actors are on their marks ready to film the next scene and special effects and technical crews stand waiting to work their magic as Christopher steps forward and calls out the traditional "Lights! Cameras! ..." and then nothing happens.

The same thing happens with your life when you have goals, dreams and plans, but never act on them. You are the director of your life. You can either create a blockbuster event that the whole world would pay good money to see, or you can squeeze out a low-budget, no-plot B-movie that is quickly forgotten by the five people who went and saw it.

What is the movie you want to create? Is it a comedy that keeps people laughing? Is it a romance that inspires people to treat their spouses better? Is it an inspirational movie that moves people closer to God? Is it a "Biggest Loser" documentary starring you? Whatever type of movie you want to direct yourself in, make sure it is an ACTION movie. Go out and tackle your B.H.A.G. (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) and give the world something worth watching.

One of the major problems with B.H.A.G.s are that people are intimidated by them. Even though accomplishing their B.H.A.G. would be a huge deal to them, most people never start on them or they give up soon after they start because the end seems so far away. It seems unattainable. I talk a little bit about that in The Millionaire Marathon program and how to conquer that fear. Here is an exerpt from The Millionaire Marathon:

The Power of Stepping Stones

Just like any marathon, in order to reach the finish line, you have to take the steps that will carry you from the starting line to the end of the course. There may have been times in your life where you thought, “If I had a million dollars, my life would be so much better/easier/more fun.” But, if your life would be so much better, why didn’t you set out in that moment to create a million dollars? Is it because the idea was too big?

Try a little experiment with me. Imagine you just came home and as you enter the family room you discover that someone had broken in and tore up the place. Your DVDs are thrown all around the room, the couch is tipped over, books were pulled off the bookshelf, the curtains are lying on the floor, your potted plants are knocked over, the laundry you folded before you left has been thrown all around – it is a complete disaster area! You can’t take a single step into the room without stepping on something. You, of course, call the police. They come, take their photos, promise they will be in touch, and then they leave you alone with Martha Stewart’s worst nightmare.

Now, notice what your mind does when I give you the following instructions. Keep in mind that you are the only one there so these instructions are for you and you alone
--- CLEAN THE ROOM!

Now, most of you probably did not immediately picture a clean family room. You probably started going through a mental checklist of what to do to get it clean which may have included pick up the books and put them on the shelf, put the DVDs away, push the couch back upright, hang the curtains back up, rewash and fold the laundry, straighten up the potted plants, vacuum the whole room, etc.

Some people’s mental checklist may have been get the phone book, open to the yellow pages, look up a local cleaning service, pick up the phone, dial their number and ask how quickly they can send someone over. (There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the easy route!) And some people’s mental checklist may have been break down in tears, go get the half-eaten pint of Ben & Jerry’s from the freezer and hide out in the bedroom until your spouse gets home.

The human mind is a funny thing in that it cannot cope with large projects. No matter which line of thought your brain may have followed, it had to take the large project and break it down into smaller, more accomplishable tasks. This is one of the true secrets of success in any endeavor. It doesn’t matter if it is to create a highly popular video game, lose 50 pounds, write a New York Times’ #1 best-selling novel or create one million dollars. Simply break the task down into the small stepping stones that will enable you to traverse the chasm that lies between where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow … and TAKE ACTION!!!

Action Steps:
1. Identify and write down a major goal you want to accomplish.
2. Write down the major tasks you need to do to accomplish this goal. These are your milestones.
3. Break your plan down into small stepping stones that will carry you from milestone to milestone.
4. Write down a "reward" for each milestone you reach.
(Note: Rewards don't have to be expensive. In fact, they can cost absolutely no money at all. It just has to be something that makes you feel good. Get creative!)
5. Take ACTION and take the first step!

The First Step - Part 4 of 7

“The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen.”
~ Lee Iacocca

I am sure that you have all heard the saying that a goal not written down is only a wish. Do you know why writing things down is so important and the impact that it has on you? As humans, our brains are constantly running; constantly thinking about "something" and we may not even know what that something is. It is intangible, distant and lacks clear definition. The minute you start putting it into words, you start to bring it into focus. You give it body, shape, form and substance. It becomes more than a thought and creates an emotional reaction within us.

One example of this can be found by those who have kept journals or diaries. We all have hazy memories of our past. But as time goes on, unless it was a life-impacting experience, most of our memories get hazy and distorted until they become difficult to recall at all. We become detached from them. If you have kept a record of your past, you may have noticed that you can go back and read about a day, even one that was not particularly eventful, and the scant details you recorded will bring it back to you with amazing clarity. You may even start remembering details that you did not write down such as a song you heard, a slight breeze that was blowing at the time, or physical features of the people you interacted with. And all of this provokes an emotional reaction within you; usually the one you felt that day when you first recorded the entry. It is as if your journal is a time machine that takes you back to that day so you can relive it all over again.

Just like your writing is a time machine to your past, it can also convey you to your future.

Let me pick a wish of mine as an example. I wished to be a publicized author. I can take that wish and turn it into an instant reality (yes, instant!) by writing down my experience of attending the Meet the Author event where I am the author! I can share the excitement of opening the boxes and see the cover of my book with my name on it. I can describe the long line of people who are waiting anxiously to meet me. I can express my joy and appreciation as people compliment me on what I have written and how much they enjoyed it. I can describe the exitement of shaking people's hands, giving hugs, encouraging aspiring authors and my gratitude for the opportunity to meet such diverse, incredible people who have been inspired and entertained by my writing.

Just as I wrote those few lines about that future experience, completely devoid of the details I would use to describe the sights, sounds, smells and textures of the occasion, my pulse quickened and I became slightly breathless with excitement. Why? Because as I wrote those lines, I lived that experience ever so briefly in my mind. It was as real as if it had already happened and it provoked the emotional reaction of my being there. And as you focus on the emotional, future experiences, you start to set the Law of Attraction to work on your behalf.

So, write it down and make it happen!

Action Steps:
1. Make a list of things you want to d0, places you want to see, people you want to meet, objects you want to acquire and experiences you want to have. (See if you can list 100!)
2. Identify your "Top 10" on this list.
3. Select one of your "Top 10" and take the first step to making it happen by describing it in detail. Use all the senses - sight, touch, smell, sound and feeling!

The First Step - Part 3 of 7

“The two important things I did learn were that you are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and that the most difficult part of any endeavour is taking the first step, making the first decision.”

~ Robyn Davidson

Have you ever felt powerless and weak when it came to achieving something important to you? I know I have. But like Robyn, I learned that I was far more powerful, far stronger than I initially believed I was. Let me share an example with you.

A number of years ago, I hiked to the rim of Mt. Saint Helen's with some members of my family. I was in pretty good shape and was cruising up the slope, at one point carrying my sister's backpack along with my own. But there came a point when my legs cramped up unexpectantly. It started out as just being really uncomfortable, but when we broke clear of the boulders and hit the pebbly slope that stretched to the rim of the volcano's crater, it quickly became intensely painful and my pace ground to a near-complete stop.

Seeing how much pain I was in, my father suggested I just sit and rest and they would pick me up on the way back down and help me reach the bottom. As appealing as it was to sit down at that moment and ease the pain, I simply replied that I was still moving. I started picking out points on the slope to walk to, but the more intense the pain got, the farther away those points seemed. I finally just started telling myself, "Take 10 more steps. You can do that much."

So, I took 10 more steps. Once I hit the tenth step, I told myself to take 10 more. And I kept taking 10 more until I collapsed with quivering legs on the crater's rim, looking down at the lava dome at its center. The interesting thing was that, while I was one of the last in our group to reach the rim, I was the first to reach the bottom, running and jumping all the way down completely free of pain, where I waited for the rest of my group to wearily straggle back to the car.

I learned the important lesson that day that I am far stronger than I tend to allow myself to be. That applies to more than just my physical body. I am smarter, wiser, and mentally tougher as well. And now, one of the things I enjoy most is pushing myself to see just how far I can go and how much I can achieve.

Sometimes, we just have to get out of our own way and see how far we can go. We have to erase the word "can't" from our vocabulary and keep on pushing on to see just exactly what we can do. The majority of the limits we have encountered exist only in our own minds. We have to make that difficult decision to take that first step beyond what we think we can do, and another after that, and another after that until we reach our desired destination.

So wherever you feel weak, wherever you feel you have gone just as far as you can possibly go and you have done all you can possibly do, take 10 more steps or improve by just 1% and allow yourself to be stronger and more powerful than you previously thought you were. And if you do it once, you can very well do it again, and again, and again.

Action Steps:
1. Write down an area where you wish you were better.
2. Write down you personal best achievement in this area.
3. Now write down what it would mean in terms of achievement to "take 10 more steps" or improve in this area by just 1%.
4. Take the first step beyond your previous record and keep on moving!

The First Step - Part 2 of 7

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”

~ Mark Caine

It is easy to fall into the trap of believing your environment is to blame for where you are in life. Perhaps you don't have the same opportunities as other people who come from wealthier families. You may not be as popular as some people. Maybe you don't have the same training and education that others have received. All of these situations and more can make you feel like a captive in your current state of being.

The truth of the matter is that your environment has nothing to do with you. When you want something bad enough, you will find a way to get it no matter what the obstacles. There are hundreds of stories of people who have overcome poverty, lack of education, shyness, opposition and more to go on to achieve things beyond even their wildest dreams. They simply refused to be held captive any longer. They took the first step and found that taking that step and another and another was far easier than living in defeat.

Action Steps:
1. Write down what areas of your life you feel are holding you captive from the freedoms you want to enjoy.
2. On a separate piece of paper, write down steps you can take that could break you free from your current prison. Be creative.
3. Wad the first piece of paper up into a ball and say to it, "I refuse to be your captive any longer. As of today, I am free!" and throw it in the trash.
4. Choose one of the steps you have written down that will give you your freedom.
5. Take the first step!

The First Step - Part 1 of 7

We have all heard the saying that every journey begins with a single step - the first step. For all the self-improvement, motivational, and success "secrets" out there, taking the first step is the most important of them all and deserves greater coverage by the success gurus than it actually gets. While I am no self-proclaimed guru of health, wealth and happiness, allow me to share with you over the next seven days some "First Step" quotes and my thoughts on how they can be applied to move you from where you are to where you want to be:

“Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation”

~ Oscar Wilde

Discontent is a powerful tool for achieving success. Every one of us is discontent with something in our lives. We all have something we want to change. The unfortunate fact is that the majority of us bury our discontent in our fears.

We are discontent with how much money we make, but we are afraid to ask our boss for a raise or to look for a new job.

We are discontent with our social situation, but we are afraid to try and make new friends or to ask our dream date out.

We are discontent with the amount of debt we have, but we are afraid of looking poor in front of our friends by spending less money.

We all have something we don't like, but our fears are holding us back. Allow that discontentment to grow until it is bigger than your fears. Then, when the pain of not changing is greater than the fear of making the change, you will be ready for that first step.

Action Steps:
1. Write down one aspect of your life that you are discontented with.
2. Write down what steps you could take to change it and identify what the first step is.
3. Write down what is holding you back from changing that aspect of your life.
4. Write down everything you would gain by changing this aspect of your life.
5. Write down everything you would miss out on by not making the change.
6. Take the first step!