A Stress Thought
Preparation Equals Success
By Byron Pulsifer, © 2007

Preparation is one of the most important elements to success. Preparation also has the internal benefit of reduced stress. How does this work?

Countless people worldwide wish that they were successful, or, at the very least, able to do something they like to do. You may have heard the phrase "do what you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life". Well, you can, but not without preparation.

1. Preparation for success enables you to take advantage of opportunities when they are available. You won't have to let the opportunity pass you by. This preparation may be in the form of higher education, specialized training in an area where you want employment, sufficient money in the bank to buy into a business, or it may be in the form of people partnerships that can help you attain a position that requires sponsors.

2. Preparation for success means also that you have detailed an action plan to accomplish what you want. This includes the basic goal setting exercise that denotes exactly what you want to achieve, and when you want to reach the end result. Goal planning removes the stress associated with flying by the seat of your pants not knowing exactly where you are going and what you have to do to get there.

3. Preparation for success means you are emotionally equipped with the right attitude to see you through obstacles that you will no doubt encounter along the way. This means that you are prepared to meet each obstacle as no more than a necessary stepping-stone. That each obstacle encountered is just waiting for a solution to help you further your goal.

4. Preparation for success means that any failure you meet is seen as an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Remember that failure is your best teacher. These lessons learned would provide you with a clearer pathway to accomplish what you want.

5. Preparation for success also means that with every success will come the desire to proceed further. You must be prepared to define what ultimate success you want in any given area, and be prepared to look at new horizons.

6. Preparation for success may also mean that you will eventually encounter stress - that is stress associated with too many demands on your physical or overall wellbeing. This level of success means that you will need to be prepared to step back, step away, or reduce your involvement. At this level of success, you may end up re-defining your next steps that will serve to bring you happiness and joy. This could entail everything from retirement, to the selfless act of volunteering your knowledge to help others less fortunate. There is no better feeling than being able to help others overcome what you have with the benefit of knowledge, and experience.

Don't let lack of preparation be your obstacle to attain success.

Start today.

The Difference Between Winning and Losing

An Inspirational Poem
The Difference Between Winning and Losing
By Catherine Pulsifer

What makes a winner? What qualities does a winner have in comparison to a loser. There are many differences that determine a person's success. Below is a short poem that shows the differences between winners and losers:

Hanging on, persevering, WINNING Letting go, giving up easily, LOSING

Accepting responsibility for your actions, WINNING Always having an excuse for your actions, LOSING

Taking the initiative, WINNING Waiting to be told what to do, LOSING

Knowing what you want and setting goals to achieve it, WINNING Wishing for things, but taking no action, LOSING

Seeing the big picture, and setting your goals accordingly, WINNING Seeing only where you are today, LOSING

Being determined, unwilling to give up WINNING Gives up easily, LOSING

Having focus, staying on track, WINNING Allowing minor distractions to side track them, LOSING

Having a positive attitude, WINNING having a "poor me" attitude, LOSING

Adopt a WINNING attitude!
No matter what happens in your life there is good in it. We sometimes have to really look for the good, but it is there.

The key to success and less stress in your life is YOUR ATTITUDE!

Reading the biographies of many successful people shows that they faced many challenges, challenges that caused stress. Many of them failed over and over again, but they never gave up.
They dealt with the stress of failure and stayed focused on their goal. Their attitude and determination lead them to success.

To quote Thomas Edison, "Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."

Never leave that till tomorrow...

"Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today."
- Benjamin Franklin

When your desires are strong enough you will...

"When your desires are strong enough you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve."
- Napoleon Hill

Do your work with your whole heart and you will succeed...

"Do your work with your whole heart and you will succeed-there's so little competition."
- Elbert Hubbard

In the end, we do battle only with ourselves...

"In the end, we do battle only with ourselves. Once we understand this and focus our energy on what we can do to control our lives... we begin to gain important insights into how life works."
- J. Stanley Judd

I found that I could find the energy...

"I found that I could find the energy... that I could find the determination to keep on going. I learned that your mind can amaze your body, if you just keep telling yourself, I can do it...I can do it...I can do it!"
- Jon Erickson

Success...My nomination for the single most important ingredient is...

"Success...My nomination for the single most important ingredient is energy well directed."
- Louis Lundborg

Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success...

"Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success. A whole clear, glorious life lies before you. Achieve! Achieve!"
- Andrew Carnegie

Let go of the past and go for the future...

"Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined."
- Henry David Thoreau

For every failure, there's an alternative course of action...

"For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour."
- Mary Kay Ash

The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates...

"The meeting of preparation with opportunity generates the offspring we call luck."
- Anthony Robbins

The future is not in the hands of fate...

"The future is not in the hands of fate, but in ours."- Jules

Never accept the proposition that just because a solution satisfies a problem...

"Never accept the proposition that just because a solution satisfies a problem, that it must be the only solution."- Raymond E. Feist

If you decide to go for it, do it with spirit...

"If you decide to go for it, do it with spirit: Sometimes success is due less to ability than to zeal."
- Charles Buxton

You, too, can determine what you want...

"You, too, can determine what you want. You can decide on your major objectives, targets, aims, and destination."
- W. Clement Stone