This is as concise as I know how to make it:
1. Set Goals:
You GOTTA set goals. If you don’t have a dream, how are you going to make a dream come true? And that is goals for ALL the major roles of your life:
– Work/Career
– Family/Friends/Personal
– Health/Physical
– Community/Contribution
– Spiritual
Each goal should have an action plan (not matter how brief) with targets and dead (alive?) lines
2. Commit to continuous learning
Committing to continuous learning, to never ending personal and professional growth is one of the highest leverage activities you can adopt. If you are not growing, you are stagnating. The world is forever changing, change with it or you will wake up one day to find yourself obsolete. Plus, approached with the right attitude, continuous learning is fun and exciting.
3) Journal faithfully
Regular journaling is a vital form of feedback. Journaling is not keeping a diary, journalling is recording your thoughts and progress toward your goals, getting a perspective on yourself, methodically developing your self awareness.
4) Self motivate
The ability to motivate yourself, to learn your triggers, to manage your moods, to be able to summon your talents at will and bring your best self to bear when needed: these skills are golden. There are many powerful techniques to self-motivation (see “Unlimited Power” and “Awaken the Giant Within,” by Anthony Robbins); the foundation is tapping into desire (so easy when I want to, so hard when I don’t) and self-belief (we never attempt what we expect to fail). Pick goals that are aligned with your deepest desires and then make them real with visualization, extra mile hard work and persistent, laser-like focused effort. Do not expect overnight success: If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. Be content with incremental progress. Baby steps, baby steps: “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” — Robert Collier; 1885-1950.
Coda: The “secret” is not in the knowing, it is in the DOING.
PS: The most successful life is a balanced life; material success is incredibly hollow without true friends, deep family ties, connection to your community… and do not forget to give back; the social contract is fundamental to civilization.