THE SYSTEMS OF SUPER-ACHIEVERS

This week I read the amazing story of LuAn Mitchell, one of
Canada's great entrepreneurs. Her story will never be made
into a movie because no one would believe it. Pregnant at
16, later a beauty queen who married a man after they found
out he had a fatal disease, then a single mom and CEO of
one of Canada's largest meat packing companies, hers is an
astonishing story of perseverance and accomplishment.
How did she do it? And, what can we learn from people like
LuAn who over-come the odds and get results most of us only
dream of?
I think there are at least four basic principles that MUST
be kept in mind.
The basics are just that, the BASICS! Too often we get
caught up in the busy-ness of life and we either forget to
monitor the first principles of success, or we get so
impressed with ourselves that we think we can re-invent the
basics. But unfortunately, there are no "new fundamentals."
The fundamentals for achievement have not changed. We
either take care of business, or we struggle. (Or we count
on "luck" to save the day. . .never a smart plan.)
What are the basics?
1.  Use your HEAD. Success requires a great strategy. Too
often I see idealists trying to build something that just
doesn't make good sense. They don't have a budget, adequate
financing, an effective strategy or common sense. They have
a great idea and charge ahead, hoping that "somehow"
customers will find them. Or, that "somehow" things will
work out. Success requires a smart, logical, effective
strategy. Use your head!
2.  Follow your HEART. In addition to a good plan, success
requires passion! No matter how good your plan, there will
be challenges along the way and only passion,
determination, faith and "insane optimism" will carry you
through. If your heart isn't in it, don't even try! (I am
convinced that often "procrastination" is really a great
plan with no heat, no fire, behind it.) Super-achievers are
passionate people! Follow your heart.
3.  Create a TEAM. Even marathon runners have a team of
trainers, coaches, family and friends to encourage their
"solitary" run. Writing my book has brought home again that
writers need a TEAM of editors, publishers, publicists and
printers. You will need mentors (a coach), employees or
other "staff" to help you achieve your dream. Winners work
in teams and understand the strength in numbers. Create a
winning TEAM and trust them to help you.
4.  The joy of hard, hard WORK. Nothing happens until
someone, somewhere, rolls up their sleeves and gets to
work. In this "information age" we tend to forget that only
WORK makes stuff happen. Whether it's the daily discipline
of raising children, teaching school, ministering to your
flock, or the more traditional work of driving a truck or
making sales calls or working in the mill, human work is
the basis for all RESULTS, and only results count.
If possible, do work you love. And always look for ways to
make things easier, more fun and more productive, but in
the end, actual productivity is the basis for achievement.
Of course, there is more to life than achieving "success"
in one limited area, but creating or building something
worthwhile and leaving our mark in the world is a huge part
of "the good life." Whatever your dream, you can achieve
it! You can even climb Mt Everest--people with prosthetic
limbs and blind folks have done it. So can you! Or, you can
start a business, or retire young and rich, or mentor a
child or create music. Whatever your heart desires, you can
achieve it if you have a solid plan, tremendous passion, a
great team, and the willingness to work "until" it becomes
a reality.