Think big, commit it to paper, track the money

I work with an association of plumbing, heating and cooling contractors. It's a pretty elite group. The members pool lots of dues dollars and put their heads together to develop training programs and operational systems. The idea is to help each other make more sales and more money. They work together to become more successful.

And the program works great. For some of the members. But there are other members who, after many years invested, thousands of dollars expended and with the same information, are no better off than when they started.

Why? What separates the winners from the losers? What makes somebody successful?

Success is a relative term. Let's define success as making your dreams come true. Certainly, there are emotional and spiritual issues that can ball up our efforts to succeed. But, on a behavioral level, what do successful people do that losers do not?

I've noticed two things that all the successful people I know have in common. If you'd like to make your dreams come true, you would be wise to follow suit.

First, winners know what they want and write it down. They work a written plan. It can be a formal business plan or scribbles on a napkin, but it must be written to make it real.

Mark Victor Hansen, author of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, suggests writing down 101 goals. Include all kinds from easy, short-term goals to grand, ambitious fly-to-the-moon goals. Just by writing the list, some things will fall into place. Soon, you'll be able to say, "I did it!" to a dozen or more of your 101 goals.

Once you accomplish a goal, it fails to motivate you. Therefore, Hansen encourages writing lots of goals. As you achieve one, there will be others spurring you on.

People who write down their goals and dreams are much more likely to accomplish them.

Second, winners confront and handle the money. The successful people I know are comfortable with financial statements. They keep an eye on cash and expenses. They budget and plan and adjust their selling price to create deliberate profits.

Successful people don't toss out silly platitudes like, "Oh, I don't worry about the money. If I treat my customers right, the money will just take care of itself." They don't say, "I'm not in it for the money." They acknowledge the role money plays in our lives.

Successful people get a handle on money so they can spend their time on more important things. Ironically, many people say money isn't all that important. Then they spend most of every day in hot pursuit of it.

Want to be successful? Start tracking your money. If you have a computer, you probably have an accounting program on it already. Don't have a computer? Use a columnar pad and keep track of money in and money out. This seemingly small discipline will have a dramatic impact on your prosperity. By accounting for the money, you assume responsibility for it. And you can positively affect your financial position.

Write down your goals, and keep track of the money. These two behaviors are common to successful people. Simple, isn't it?

I'm a big fan of making dreams come true. At my company we thought we'd put this success theory to the test. So, we're sponsoring the Think Big contest. To enter, write down what you want to do, or be think big! Also, write down how you would spend $1,000 to get you closer to your goal. We'll deliver a brand-new personal computer and $1,000 cash to the writer of the most compelling entry. Visit us at

www.MAXROHR.com

and click on the Think Big button for details.

Even if you don't win the contest, you'll still win. You'll have your goal in writing and a plan for the money. That's a good way to make your dreams come true.

(Ellen Rohr helps folks make a living doing what they love. She's the author of business books and is a consultant. She may be contacted through the Business Journal, writing to PO Box 1365 65801 or by e-mail at sbj@sbj.net.)