Today's Action Plan By Michael Masterson

Make a list of everything you have done in the last month to achieve your goals. Next to each item, make a mark. Write "A" if it is an action. Write "T" if it is a thought.

If you don't end up with at least 80% of your time spent on positive actions, promise yourself that you will make a change. Don't think about making a change. Do it.

A reminder. My basic recommendation for being successful goes something like this:

• Take responsibility for the current condition of your life. If you don't have what you want, it's nobody's fault but yours.
• Figure out what you want and set specific goals.
• Write them down.
• Write a long- and a short-term plan to develop the skills you need and achieve those goals.
• Work at least 50 hours a week following your plans.
• Spend the first few hours of every day completing the Important-but-Not-Urgent tasks on your to-do list.
• Develop a network to help you. Do this via phone calls, e-mails, and personal notes. Use that network whenever you can.
• If and when you feel like giving up, persist.
• (Please notice that most of these tasks involve actions, not thoughts.)