The individual who wants to reach the top in business must… be quick to break those habits that can break him – and hasten to adopt those practices that will become
the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.
-- J. Paul Getty, Founder of Getty Oil Company, richest man in the world in 1950’s

Your current habits are producing your current results. Those habits include habits of feeling, habits of responding, habits of attitude, as well as the action habits of organization, follow-up, perseverance, systemizing, and many more.

Ninety percent of your behavior is habitual. The good news is that habits help free us up to go on automatic pilot when we need to. The bad news is that you can be locked in self-defeating behavior without realizing that you can take charge and change.

You will absolutely need to add new, powerful behaviors to yourself to become successful. If you focus on the actions of the “super-successful”, you will begin to intently place your attention on what works to the point that the undesirable habits fall away.

To train for success, your attention needs to be focused on how it would feel to be always on time, well prepared, to respond to emails and calls quickly and timely, to deliver promised documents and services, to stay on top of your marketing and selling, to follow through on each of your “micro-goals”.

To begin, choose one or two success actions you would like to grow into a personal habit. Create a mantra-like statement, using a description of how you would like to become. Then, repeat the words to yourself multiple times every day. For example, “On time and ahead of time.” Or “Super-organized and streamlined.” Or “Great communicator.” Think the words, say the words, write the words. As you do, you’ll imprint an image on your subconscious mind.

With each repetition, you’ll grow more and more familiar with the ideal image of the person you want to become. Almost immediately, you’ll start to notice that you’re doing things differently. By saturating you mind with images of what you want, rather than what you don’t want, your business-boosting habits become second nature.


-- Liah Kraft-Kristaine, J.D. is an award-winning international speaker, a real estate investor and investor coach, former practicing attorney, and best-selling author of nine books, including 30 Days to Happiness: Setting Yourself Up to Win in Life, which appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show. She is also a former television host appearing on CNN and PBS. See www.lifekraft.com and www.LifeTransformingWomen.com .