Success, simply defined, means getting whatever you want. However simplistic that definition may be, most people would agree that a person who is successful in a certain field or area is so because he or she has managed to achieve something specific, and that something specific is a target or object which he or she had been wanting or desiring for prior to his or her attaining it.

Before we find out how to get anything you want in life, we must first get realistic.

What are some of the things which we may want but we truly and honestly know that we will never, ever get? Once you’ve got that list of impossible, unachievable things in your head and eliminate them, we may proceed.

Some examples may include: flying in the air by flapping your arms, make a pink mammoth materialise out of thin air, breathing in outer space, squaring a circle, etc.

Now what are those things which you’ve always desired yet have never come around to try to attain? These are things which you know are achievable for you, with a fair amount of effort on your part, yet something is holding you back from achieving them, either consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or not.

In order for you to get anything you want in life, you must make the rational decision to concretely define what you truly want and need. It is futile in the long run if you keep getting things out of your whims and impulsive desires rather than out of what you truly need to move you forward in life, in whatever context and whatever way you define that for yourself.

You can begin by asking yourself a few hard-hitting, honest questions about the direction your life is headed and your true motivations for desiring what you seek to have.
What do I truly want?

Why do I want it?

What are my true motivations for wanting it?

What are the real reasons for needing it?

What will I see after I’ve gotten it?

What will I experience after I’ve attained it?

What will change after I’ve achieved it? What will not change?

Who or what will I become after I’ve acquired it?

How will it affect the others around me?

The truth is this: getting what you want is extremely easy. It is already happening to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. But it is the decision to truly define what you actually want that is hard for most people.

That excludes the actual process of going about attaining what you want, the prevention, evasion or overcoming of obstacles that hinder you from getting what you want and then keeping what you want once you’ve gotten it. Some things which you work for will simply slip away from your grasp if you don’t do certain things to make sure they stay with you.

This is called maintenance.

Now that I’ve given you a harsh and much-needed reality check on what you truly want to get, let me address the basic elements or ingredients that go into making up the process of getting what you want.

1. A clear mental impression of your target. You already have this, hopefully, if you’ve asked yourself those questions suggested above effectively and ruthlessly. It is much better if your mental impression is materialised in the form of a written paper stating your goal or an actual visual image of your target (photographs, pictures, drawings, etc).

2. A concrete step-by-step plan of action to get towards your target. This action plan must have been used by someone else to attain the same or similar thing to what you now want, meaning, it must have been proven to work. It must be duplicable, i.e. anyone on Earth with the same resources available must be able to achieve the same thing.

3. Action. Things won’t move by themselves to work for you until you move them yourself, unless they are moved by someone else. Most people fail at this stage either due to a lack of motivation to move on after encountering a minor or mediocre setback. Or they fail to start at all – the problem of procrastination.

That’s all there is to it – Target, Plan, Action. We need not go into the minuscule technical details of each and every element in this recipe for success as they are all just that – technicalities – which you will be able to find in more thorough goal setting textbooks, courses and materials.

SELF-CONFIDENCE is a very big word. It spells the difference between getting that highly-coveted job, that much-awaited promotion (and consequent salary increase), drawing the right friends and yes, even in attracting – and maintaining – that elusive romantic relationship. Self-assurance is so important that many How to Gain Self-Confidence books, courses and seminars have been launched just so you can tap that ‘hidden power’ that is the key to life, love and happiness.

How to Gain Self-Confidence – Simple Ways to Unleash the Power Within You

Anybody can start gaining self-confidence and the great part is… even just simple changes can bring about monumental effects in your life. So check out our How to Gain Self-Confidence tips and start looking at yourself – and life – differently.

How to Gain Self-Confidence Tip #1: First impressions always last.

In just about every aspect of our lives, first impressions are really THAT important so learning how to gain self-confidence is paramount. So how do you go about improving the first impression vibe that you give off? Take a good, long, hard look at the person staring back at you from the mirror. Is it time for a make-over? This does NOT have to be expensive or drastic (like getting a facelift!). You’ll really be amazed at how a simple, new haircut can change your looks, improve the way you feel inside and thus enable you to exude self-confidence.

While still staring at the mirror, smile at yourself. Do you see self-confidence or insecurity because your smile is showing of chipped, gapped and/or stained or discolored teeth? Studies show that a person’s smile plays a major role in one’s self-confidence! So if you’re not happy with your smile, do something about it. If you have stained teeth, lucky you; an at-home tooth whitening kit is all you need to perk up your smile and it’s inexpensive too! If your needs are more drastic, then consider tooth bonding or having porcelain veneers made to boost your self-confidence.

How to Gain Self-Confidence Tip #2: To be successful you must portray an image of success.

We often hear the phrase dress for success but what does it really mean? You see, life is one big cause and effect. If you give out the ‘wrong vibes’, then you can expect nothing but the same in return. For instance, say you are after a promotion. The job entails that you meet with the company’s clients often. If you don’t ‘dress the part’, then your boss will not consider you because meeting clients automatically means you must be presentable at all times.

Dressing for success need not mean a complete wardrobe change. Instead, learn how to buy pieces of clothing that you can easily mix and match to create other ensembles that boost self-confidence. Just always remember the ‘image’ you want to convey and buy accordingly. If you’re in a complete loss, you can ask store representatives to help you or ask a fashion-conscious relative or friend to go shopping with you. Here’s another how to gain self-confidence tip – browsing fashion mags also help!

How to Gain Self-Confidence Tip #3: Speak with confidence… achieve self-confidence by improving your vocal power.

If you communicate with confidence, then the whole room will sit up and listen. Self-confidence needs to be a complete package. It’s not just about the clothes and the smile; you need to project a winning attitude and you must convey your self-confidence by the ‘power’ that should be heard in your voice. Seriously, have you ever heard a company CEO speak timidly? Don’t think so…

If you don’t have a voice that conveys self-assurance, here’s an inexpensive how to gain self-confidence tip for you: start recording your own voice. Do this in numerous scenarios such as when you’re talking to family and friends; talking on the phone; discussing with colleagues; and when conducting meetings or speaking in public. Listen to your voice and identify problems (e.g., mumbling episodes, dropping syllables, how do you sound? caring? in a hurry? disoriented?). Then, start collecting recordings of people you do admire (e.g., an interview by Donald Trump, news anchor tapes, etc.) and start modeling they way they talk!

The steps to how to gain self-confidence need not cost an arm and a leg. By paying more attention to your own actions and image, you can easily adapt small changes that can boost your self-confidence to a whole new level. Good luck!

Life can sometimes be overwhelming. Without a clear direction, you will most likely wander around the planet in a helpless state. You will not know what to do or when to do it. You will almost get that promotion. You’ll almost follow through with a million dollar idea. You’ll almost do everything you ever wanted to do. However, this is definitely no way to live. Luckily there is another way. A much better way, in fact.

In order to live the life you choose, there must be structure. Your life must have order if you want to succeed. The best way that has been proven to work is through the use of goal setting. Without a goal, you will be unhappy and live an unfulfilled life. With a goal, you will zero in on exactly what you want. You will be happier and more fulfilled.

Did you know that only about three out of every 100 people ever actually decide on their goal? Many people go through life without any clear direction and they get exactly what they prepare for. They may say, “I wish I could buy that car.” This is quite different than setting a goal to by the car by a certain date. One method will get you the car and the other one will leave you standing outside the dealership window crying. Which one would you rather use? Is it any wonder that such a small percentage of the world’s population controls a vast majority of the wealth? This minority is the goal-setters of the world. They ask for what they want and then they receive it.

How can you begin to set a goal? There are a few criteria that must be followed. First of all the goal must be clearly defined. You can’t say, “I want a new car”. You must say “I want a brand new black Mercedes with tinted windows and chrome 20″ rims.” The picture must be absolutely crystal clear in your mind. Next, you must give yourself a time limit. If you never nail yourself down to a time limit, you will probably never achieve the goal. You must be held accountable. You must also believe that you can get it. Without belief, nothing is possible. Lastly, you must make an irrevocable commitment that you will achieve the goal. There is no turning back. If you change your mind at every obstacle, you will never get what you want. Make up your mind and go for it. What have you got to lose?