In my last post I shared some insight from a John C. Maxwell article in SUCCESS magazine discussing the importance of passion in pursuing your dreams and achieving your goals. Passion is important, but it alone will not ensure your success. You must take action! But how do you get from where you are to where you want to be?

It starts with a game plan for success.

The message is important for anyone building a home based business, and reminds me of the same procedures I used when flying missions over Afghanistan as a Navy pilot. In order to achieve our objectives for those missions, we put together a series of steps that led to mission success. We built a flight plan, conducted a crew brief, executed the plan, debriefed the results, and then shared our experiences with fellow aircrews.

The same formula works in my business today.

So how do you get from point “A’ to point “B”? Here are some things to consider when planning your strategy for success:

1.) Plan. Every successful endeavor, whether it is flying a combat mission over enemy territory or building a home business in a down economy, starts with knowing the target. What is your target? Are you focused on a certain income level? The size of your team? Your marketing presence in your industry? To say “all of the above” is dangerous. I suggest focusing on one goal at a time, then move on to the next target.

2.) Brief. In aviation, pilots always “brief” the mission prior to executing the mission. Discussing your plans with a team of seasoned industry veterans, a business partner, even a supportive friend or spouse is an excellent idea. Talk through it with yourself; outline in specific detail the steps you will take to get where you want to be. Want a US naval aviation secret? Plan backward. Start from your objective (your big goal, big dream) and work your way back to your present position. Delineating the steps right before your goal, then right before that one, then right before that one until arriving at your present place in life is powerful in building a flight path to your dream.

3.) Execute. Once you have your plan designed, then talked it over with a team of advisors and yourself, go for it. Do not delay. Do not hesitate to get moving with your plan. If you are worried about hitting obstacles along the way, don’t. Because you will. Your preparation, and more importantly, your desire and determination, will determine whether or not you reach your target and achieve your goals.

4.) Debrief. This is perhaps one of the most crucial steps in the success process. At least once a week, take an honest assessment of your progress and make a list of where you have succeeded and where you have come up short. Pay close attention to both lists, but focus on the lessons of your failures, and find the repeatable steps in your success. If you are honest with yourself and pay close enough attention, you will usually find the secret to success in simply analyzing your procedures. This one step has saved me thousands in marketing money, and even saved my bacon over enemy territory.

5.) Share. I cannot tell you how important this step is! Once you have accomplished your objectives, whether they are intermediate or ultimate goals, share your story with others. Blog about it. Write articles, conduct coaching calls and share your wisdom. In so doing you will be reinforcing the information in your own mind as you give back and help other entrepreneurs to be successful.

My LifePath Unlimited business has grown as a result of blending my entrepreneurial drive with my military leadership and discipline. These 5 steps will assist you in creating a clear-cut path to your dreams and assist you to achieve all you want in life.

In my next post, I will examine the importance of building a strong team. This is not only a key component of leadership, but a critical ingredient in home business success. See you in the next post!

To our Success,
~JT