How To Apply Paul J. Meyer's 5 Steps to Success
By Lori & Bob Bomes
This 5 Step method by Paul J. Meyer provides the process and framework to succeed in business and in life. Success in business and in life starts with setting goals. Follow this 5 Step method to define, plan and achieve goal after goal.
Step I. Crystallize Your Thinking. Develop what specific goal you want to achieve. Then, dedicate yourself to its attainment with unswerving singleness of purpose, the trenchant zeal of a crusader.
How To Apply: Decide what area in business or in life you want or need to set a goal —and why. Then, brainstorm on paper all the different aspects related to your goal and why you want to pursue it. Notice how your ideas connect. Look for the highest goal that embodies other sub-goals. Often times, the highest goal will inspire and motivate you. Carefully choose specific words to describe the goal. Find ways to keep it alive by where you post it. This process allows you to crystallize your vision.
Step II. Develop a Plan for Achieving Your Goal and a Deadline for Its Attainment. Plan your progress carefully: hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month. Organized activity and maintained enthusiasm are the wellsprings of your power.
How To Apply: Decide what parts of your brainstormed thoughts in Step I are actually tasks disguised as sub-goals. Then, identify the logical order to do them step-by-step. See if there are any steps that can be deleted, combined or added. List them in a planning chart or format. Identify when specifically you will work on each task. Breaking down the tasks and assigning time to do them keeps you on track towards achieving your goal by the deadline. Look to see what organizational structures and processes need to exist to support your work. Again, keep your crystallized vision alive as you work on the day-to-day tasks that drive you towards fulfilling it.
Step III. Develop a Sincere Desire for the Things You Want in Life. A burning desire is the greatest motivator of every human action. The desire for success implants “success consciousness,” which, in turn, creates a vigorous and ever-increasing habit of success.
How To Apply: Decide what you desire in life. Sometimes it is easy to know. Other times identifying what you want can be challenging. When you are connected to what you truly desire, you will sense it with a burning desire that motivates you to make it happen. A general desire for success gives you the drive to find meaningful goals and achieve them. Achieving goals increases your desire for success. It is a cyclical process. Step III could have been the starting point of this 5 Step method. No matter where it is placed, though, it drives every aspect of this process. Keep your desire for success and the fulfillment of your vision alive.
Step IV. Develop Supreme Confidence in Yourself and Your Own Abilities. Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses...[and] on your power, instead of your problems.
How To Apply: Decide that undoubtedly you will succeed. Having confidence in yourself does not mean you do everything yourself—or even know how. It means that you know you yourself can either do certain tasks or find the right people and resources needed to get other tasks done. Your outline in your plan is a guide. You may need to make adjustments along the way. Trust yourself to know what to do. Concentrating on your strengths and your power will boost your confidence and ability to overcome challenges that arise. Keep your vision alive. Knowing why you are pursuing the specific goal will inspire you to create success.
Step V. Develop a Dogged Determination to Follow Through on Your Plan, Regardless of Obstacles, Criticism or Circumstances of What Other People Say, Think or Do. Construct your determination with sustained effort, controlled attention, and concentrated energy. Opportunities never come to those who wait. They are captured by those who dare to attack.
How To Apply: Decide that nothing will deter you. When the why of your vision is strong enough it will overshadow what anyone else may say, think or do. The more specific your goal is the more you will focus your efforts, attention and energy. Part of staying focused comes from your plan and knowing when to do what tasks—and then doing them. Making opportunity happen all starts with having a specific goal. Keep your goal in front of you. It will reinforce your determination to succeed. our determination to achieve your goal
Paul J. Meyer's 5 Step success method works for any type of goal. Some goals are goals you achieve once—and they are done. Other goals are ones you achieve...and then continue to refine and maintain. Actively find ways to keep the reason why you are working towards a goal alive—and it will inspire and motivate you to overcome any challenges until achieve success.
Paul J Meyer Born May 21 1928 and departed on Oct. 26, 2009 He moved to Waco in 1958 to work as a sales executive for a fledgling Christian publishing company called world records and two years later founded Success Motivation Institute, in the process becoming one of the fathers of the personal development industry. He became our first teacher.