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Commit To Excellence

Are You Really Good At What You Do?

You need to be. Life's best rewards, both tangible and intangible, go to the top performers. So if you're not already one of the best, what can you do?

You can use "The Winning Edge" principle.

This states that small improvements in your performance can make huge differences in your results. It applies to horse races, golf tournaments, presidential elections, job promotions and marketing!

Begin a process of learning and improving what you do. Learn from those who are already excellent in your field and model yourself on them.

When something doesn't work out for you, ask and answer these two questions:

Learn what has been successful for others and do the same things. You will soon be getting the same results.

Why You Must Do What You Love To Do.

Nearly all successful people do what they love to do. Do you lose yourself in your work? Do you respect those who are at the top of your field? Do you enjoy reading about it and think about it even when you're not working? If so, you love what you do.

Don't waste your life becoming excellent at something you don't enjoy. Select the kind of profession that fulfills you, then channel all of your energy toward doing it extremely well.

Determine Your Critical Success Factors.

Critical Success Factors (CFC) are the things you have to do well to be successful. There are normally 5 to 7 major factors. Weakness in any one is critical and sets the height at which you perform.

You are limited by your weakest CSF just as a chain is limited by its weakest link.

For example, Critical Success Factors in marketing might be:

  • Choosing or developing products.
  • Writing ads that pull.
  • Choosing media and planning ad campaigns.
  • Writing sales letters that close sales.
  • Follow-up.
  • Organization and general business skills.
  • Measurement and optimization.
    •

    Failure in any one of these can be critical to your business.

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    Seven Step Process to Develop Excellence
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    1. Do What You Love To Do!

      Decide to do what you enjoy. If you don't love your current profession, what do you love to do and how can you make money at it?

      Answering these questions will be one of the most important steps you ever take.

    2. Identify Your Critical Success Factors (CSF).

      What are the skills that control how successful you are? Write them down on a sheet of paper. Keep the list to the top 5 to 7.

    3. Assign a Score.

      Assign a score of 1 to 10 to your current skill level for each CSF. One is the lowest and ten is the highest.

      If you score above 7 on every CSF, that means you're already extremely successful. Congratulations!

      On the other hand, you may need to be less generous. :-)

    4. Choose the Weakest Link.

      Pick the CSF with the lowest score and make a QUALITY decision to improve it as soon as possible. A quality decision means that you think about it often and deeply. It becomes one of the top priorities in your life.

      Remember, this CSF will determine the height of your success.

    5. Develop An Action Plan.

      Set a goal and make a plan to improve your skills in your weakest Critical Success Factor. Put your plan into action starting today.

      When you have improved your weakest CSF, then repeat Steps 4 and 5 for every CSF that scored 7 or below.

    6. Answer These Strategic Planning Questions:

    7. What are your strengths? What abilities have you developed so that you
      do them extremely well. Should you specialize in them or do you
      need to develop other skills?
    8. How do you separate yourself from your competition. What do you do that
      is better than others in your profession or business? This is your Unique
      Selling Proposition. Communicate it.
    9. Who are the potential customers, employers, clients who would most benefit
      from what you do well? Once you've determined this, focus your efforts
      on them.
    10. Among all of your opportunities, which ones have the greatest potential?
      Spend your time, energy and money on those opportunities.
      11.

    11. Make Every Day a Learning Adventure.

      Commit yourself to a continual process of learning. Set a goal to read one book every week, to listen to cassette tapes, to attend seminars and take training courses. This can literally save you years of hard work.

      The more you know, the faster you will reach your goal of excellence!

      Remember, small improvements can add up to a huge difference in results. Once you commit to excellence, you'll find the road you travel through life less crowded and your opportunities unlimited.

      * * * *

      Larry Hill is the owner of Hill Publishers and Independent Rep. of the MLM Millionaire Training CourseTM. E-Mail: Hill@demc.com Web: http://members.tripod.com/~Hill_Publishers/mmtc.htm

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      Last updated on June 30, 2005 || E-mail the Audubon Area Webmaster