Once you have written your goal statements, read them aloud at least three times each day. Think about your goals constantly. Be committed to accomplishing each goal. Give your time, efforts, expertise, resources, and whatever it takes to accomplish your goals.

Make a binding agreement with yourself that nothing, and no one will stop you from attaining your goals. Commit to making the changes revealed in the review and evaluation of your progress to-date.

Make the necessary changes in your thinking, your actions and behavior, and in your relationships and associations, to accomplish your goals. Free yourself from the mistakes, decisions, and actions in the past. Remember the Second Rule for Success - the Rule of Change:

"And be not conformed to this world,but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..." - (Romans 2:12)

"Be not conformed to this world..." means that you are not locked-in to whatever circumstances, situations, associations, challenges etc. that existed in the past, or which exist in your life right now. You do not have to remain in your present condition.

"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..." means that you can be changed or transformed from your present condition by putting a new thought, a new state of consciousness, into your mind. In other words, you can change your life from whatever it was last year, this year, and in fact whatever it is right now (this world) to anything you want it to be, by changing your thinking, your frame of reference about yourself.

"...Choose this day whom you will serve..." (Joshua 24:15)

Every opportunity, every challenge that we experience confronts us with a choice. We choose either a positive approach (flowers,) or a negative approach (weeds.) Even if we make no affirmative choice at all, an approach is selected by the 'world mind' which, in this cycle, is generally negative.

In order for you to change your life for the better, you must affirmatively identify and specifically define what a better life means to you. This you do by writing out your goals as we stated in Part 3 of this series. Once your goals are clearly defined, you must choose to pursue this better life you have defined for yourself, and make the changes in your thinking and acting which will bring it about.

Follow the nine rules for becoming a success as a simple, effective roadmap to the New You for the New Year.

Nine Rules For Becoming A Success
1. Do not procrastinate. Don't wait until all conditions are right to become a success. You could wait the rest of your life. Believe that you always possess the understanding, courage and self-confidence to take action. Realize that procrastination is a state of mind.

2. Do it now.
Take the first step. There is always something you can do RIGHT NOW to move closer to your success. Use need, desire, ambition and attitude to motivate yourself to immediate action. Overcome thoughts of helplessness, limitation, lack, negativity and failure.

3. Stand on your own two feet.
Don't depend on anyone, or anything for your success. They may be depending on you. Believe that you already have everything you need to get everything you want. You should become independent as a part of your interdependence.

4. Do not fear failure.
To fail proves that you're trying. Every failure is a dress rehearsal for success. Every opportunity for success also contains the possibility for failure. Learn from your mistakes and failures, and concentrate on your possibilities for success.

5. Don't sell yourself cheaply.
You are worth exactly what you say you're worth. Know your full potential and the true value of your talents. Recognize that you are a very special individual with boundless capacity for health, wealth, happiness, love, success, prosperity and money.

6. Develop the success habit of being goal oriented.
Set realistic goals for yourself. Determine what must be done to attain your goals. Make plans for their attainment. Keep a record of your performance and achievements. Stick to your goals until they are accomplished.

7. Visualize your goals and believe you can attain them.
See each goal clearly, and in great detail in your mind's eye, your imagination. Develop a sensory relationship with your goal. Know how it looks, feels, smells, tastes, and sounds. See yourself as though you had already attained your goal. Hold that vision constantly in your mind and believe that you can and will accomplish it. Know that your goal will be achieved in a timely manner.

8. Plan your work, and work your plan.
Analyze each of your goals. Write down each and every action that must be performed to accomplish each goal. Make a plan for its attainment. Prepare a time schedule for the performance of each action. Execute your plan in accordance with your timetable, and produce desired results. When you execute your plan effectively, you attract the attention of other people who will help you in your efforts.

9. Don't you quit.
To quit demonstrates your own lack of belief in yourself. Winner's never quit, and quitters never win. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Be prepared to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes. When you persist in your efforts to achieve desired results - your goals, you are asking God, the Universal Mind to grant those desired results in your life experience.

Action through Persistence induces Faith. Faith through action produces desired results.

Live In Day-Tight Compartments
Start each day with a positive mental attitude. Visualize and focus on your goals. Carefully make your plans. Write them down in detail. List the things that must be done each day to accomplish your goals. Use every hour of every day to execute your plans effectively to produce desired results. At the end of each day, ask yourself the daily question:

Did I do everything I could today, to make tomorrow the way I want it to be? When you can answer the daily question in the absolute affirmative:

Yes, I did everything I could, with all I had to do it with! you are well on your way to the success and achievement you seek and deserve over the New Year. HAPPY NEW YOU!!!

© 2004 LifeSkill Institute, Inc.

Based on The Twelve Universal Laws of Success, Second Edition, Expanded, ISBN 0-9748362-1-4 a new book by Herbert Harris, available at Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or through the LifeSkill Institute, Inc. Call (800) 570-4009 to order books. Get your FREE copy of "Twelve Affirmations to Live By" poster by E-mail to: lifeskill@earthlink.net

Brother Herbert Harris will be keeping the Black community updated on thoughts for success and how we can succeed in our lives. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

To subscribe to Harris' column join the Afromerica email list to receive new information as it is updated. Or E-mail H Harris at: lifeskill@earthlink.net

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