TELL ME YOUR WHAT AND WHY -- AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW

By Charles Lalonde
Posted Monday, December 20, 2004

In the Internet Marketing and Home-Based Business community, there is no shortage of credible experts who will teach you HOW to build a financially successful business. Why then is the percentage of people who take these courses and who actually go on to build a financially successful business so low?

A clue for the answer to this disturbing fact can be found in a quote by Mark Twain:

"I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want."

My experience with thousands of entrepreneurial and sales individuals has verified the truth of this statement. For example, while teaching a course (at a large College) for people who had chosen to start their own business, there were very few who could tell you specifically, and with passion, WHAT they wanted from their business and WHY they wanted it!

You might be saying at this point, I know exactly WHAT I want from my business-success and lots of money. This sounds reasonable enough...who doesn't want to be successful and make a lot of money? The problem is these desires are too nebulous and they lack a meaningful purpose to keep you motivated through challenging times.

If you doubt this statement, listen to what Albert E. N. Gray, author of "The Common Denominator Of Success", says
on this subject:

"Many men with whom I have discussed this common denominator of success have said at this point, "But I have a family to support and I have to have a living for my family and myself. Isn't that enough of purpose?"

No, it isn't. It isn't because its not a strong enough of a purpose to make you form the habit of doing the things you don't like to do. For the very simple reason that it is easier to adjust ourselves to the hardships of a poor living than it is to adjust ourselves to the hardships of making a better one. If you doubt me, just think of all the things you are willing to go without in order to avoid doing the things you don't like to do.

All of which seems to prove that the strength, which holds you to your purpose is not your own strength but the strength of the purpose itself."

I find that most people have a difficult time defining their WHAT and WHY correctly. When doing this, you need to be very specific and focused. For example, you may define your WHAT and WHY this way:

"I want to be a millionaire (the WHAT) so that I can help disadvantaged children reach their true potential (the WHY)."

This is good, but may I suggest something even more powerful:

"I want to have a million dollars in cash (the WHAT) so that I can open a self-development center and help disadvantaged children reach their true potential (the WHY)."

It's very important for the WHAT to be specific. In our first example, if you become a millionaire in assets like land, you won't have the cash for your project to help children. Furthermore, the WHY must also be specific because it's the WHY, not the WHAT, that motivates you to succeed.

The following steps are recommended to establish your WHAT and WHY for success:

1. Make a list of everything you want, and then prioritize your list until you have narrowed it down to the top five most important.
2. Now, write out in detail WHY you want these five things that you have identified as your WHAT.
3. Next, carefully analyze which one of these five things you want the most. Remember, you must passionately want this one thing, or it will not have the power to motivate you.
4. Finally, determine HOW you will achieve it and what training you will need to succeed.

A quote by Albert E.N. Gray will provide you with a final thought
on this subject:

"But as long as you live, don't ever forget that while you may succeed beyond your fondest hopes and your greatest expectations, you will never succeed beyond the purpose to which you are willing to surrender. Furthermore, your surrender will not be complete until you have formed the habit of doing the things that failures don't like to do."

About the Author
Charles Lalonde is a Certified trainer, writer and speaker who believes in always being a student. He is the author of Revealing The Secret Formula In Think and Grow Rich. For a FREE copy of the "Success and Wealth Secret Revealed Insider Report", click on (http://www.thoughtstoriches.com/) free.html and end your search for the key to outstanding success and prosperity.