Success is probably the end result of taking the right actions. Have you ever bought a toy for your child that needed assembly? Follow the included instructions and chances are high that you will succeed at putting it together properly. Don't follow the instructions and you
may end up with extra pieces and a toy that doesn't work.

If you know that certain actions are bound to produce certain results, then why is it so difficult to take the right actions when it comes to business and life in general?

We all want to succeed with our online ventures. Now that should be a given. After all, who goes into business to fail? Yeah, I know..... I'm stating the obvious. The truth of the matter is, success is not hard.... failing just happens to be easier. In fact, it's so easy.... thousands of businesses fail every day. Sad but true.

Let's assume that you want to succeed, but you are having a difficult time at it. Don't make a task list of what you need to do or need to get done. If task lists worked for you, you wouldn't be having a difficult time succeeding. Let's take a different approach.

Make an absolute truth list about yourself. What's the absolute truth? Let me give you examples of absolute truths.

Note: I interviewed a few people prior to writing this article to see if I could help them by sharing my "absolute truth" method. These are some of the absolute truths my subjects were kind enough to share with me. Keep in mind that these absolute truths belong to other people and may not apply to you at all. You will need to come up with your own honest list of absolute truths.

Examples of absolute truths:

#1 I stay up all night even though I know I've got important projects to do the next day. I also know that by staying up all night, I won't be able to finish the projects the next day because I will be too tired. Yet I stay up anyway.

#2 I smoke even though I know the risks. I know that I don't want to get lung cancer and I know that I want to be around to see my children get married and have children of their own, yet I continue to smoke anyway.

#3 I take my spouse for granted. I don't treat my spouse like he/she is the most important person in my life.... even though he/she supports me 100% in everything I do in my personal and business life.

#4 I know that by properly marketing my business, I will get more leads and make more sales... but I've not placed any ad orders or researched new places to advertise in the past two weeks.

----- end of examples -----

What do all of these absolute truths have in common?

They are all self defeating. But for some reason or other, the subjects chose to take the wrong actions and make those things their absolute truths.

For example #1, the subject is fully aware of the consequence of staying up all night and not getting enough sleep. It affects his/her ability to properly perform the following day, yet the subject chooses to stay up all night anyway. The subject does not suffer from insomnia. The subject simply suffers from poor judgment.

For example #2, the subject is also aware of the risks, is concerned, yet chooses to continue smoking. It's an addiction, it's a habit, it's still a choice.

For example #3, the subject acknowledges that his/her spouse is the most important person in his/her life, but chooses to take his/her spouse for granted. Doesn't make much sense, does it?

For example #4, the subject understands the importance of properly marketing his/her business to generate leads and sales, yet chooses to do nothing instead.

Try it now. Make an absolute truth list. Be completely honest with yourself. Don't share or show your absolute truth list to anyone. Password protect the file so you can be sure that nobody will ever read it. Once you feel secure that nobody else will ever read your absolute truth list, only then will you be totally honest and write down your absolute truths.

Once you've finished making your absolute truth list. Read it a few times. If you find that many of your absolute truths are self defeating, you will have discovered exactly the reasons why you are having difficulty succeeding in business or with personal relationships.

Once you realize which of your absolute truths are self defeating, you need to ask yourself the following questions.

If I know that a particular absolute truth is self defeating, why should I choose to continue to do it? If I continue to do it, I am choosing to fail. Why would I choose to fail?

Let's say that again....

If I know that a particular absolute truth is self defeating, why should I choose to continue to do it? If I continue to do it, I am choosing to fail. Why would I choose to fail?

When I succeed in business and with my personal relationships, I will be happier and I know this to be the absolute truth.

With your absolute truth list in front of you, it's like having all of the answers to the test of life. The crazy thing is.... the choice is simple, but it's entirely up to you. Which will you choose? To succeed or to fail?

The end result is actually the perfect starting place. Have you ever done a maze puzzle? Have you ever noticed that it's easier to complete the maze when you start from the END and work your way backwards? Have you ever done a jigsaw puzzle? One of the first things you do is look at the picture on the box so that you know what the completed puzzle is supposed to look like. You started with the end result in mind.

When you set a goal for yourself or your business, during your planning session, start with the end goal in mind and work your way backwards. There's a good chance that you will be able to accomplish the goal quicker by taking this backwards planning approach.

I plan on implementing this backward planning approach with my son before he goes off to college. If he has the end goal in mind as far as what he wants to do for a living, we can reverse engineer the desired end result and set him on the right path. By knowing what he wants to do for a living, we will know what type of degree he will pursue, and by knowing what type of degree he is going for, we will know exactly what courses he should enroll in.

Considering the increasing costs to attend an out of town university ($92,000 for four years), and the fact that I have three children to put through college, I'll be damned if I outlay that type of cash without a real deal end goal in mind and the proper planning in place to achieve that end goal.

To succeed, you need a clear cut end goal in mind. Otherwise, you will be wandering about never accomplishing anything because you don't know what you are working towards. Just like my cousin who I used to refer to as a "professional student". He went to college for 8 years and came away with a 4 year degree - because he had no end goal in mind. I think the only reason he stopped going to school
was because my aunt and uncle could no longer afford to pay for his "education".

I think you get the point. 8-)

Start with the end goal in mind, and work your way backwards while planning out the tasks needed to reach that goal. Take the right actions and work your plan, and I guarantee that you will save time, money, and effort... and reach your goal much faster.