Below is outlined the formula or secret to success; and yet, it is no secret at all because these laws of success have been understood and implemented by all the great philosophers, artists, religious leaders, military commanders, and political leaders of every age. It is these same principles that reveal and explain why today’s greatest athletes, performers, businessmen, scientists, and politicians have achieved and become what they have. Understand, however, that these laws are simple in theory, and yet extremely difficult in practicality. Far too often people mistakenly disregard the basic simplicity of these attributes and practices and wrongfully assume that the ‘how-to’ advice from books, seminars, and even mentors will reveal and teach them the necessary knowledge and specifics of how to be successful. And yet, even an understanding of and belief in these principles is not enough; success will only be accomplished and dreams can only be achieved when knowledge of these laws is combined with persistent action and daily implementation.

These secrets for success apply to everyone, and to any goal, dream, or success!

1) Put God & Family First: Regardless of what your dreams and goals are, never forget what success in life is all about. True success is not realized in the accomplishment of the goal, but in the person we become along the journey towards the goal. If in pursuit of our dream we fail to put God first, and do not make time for family, then all other successes will be failures. And when all is said and done, dealing with the disappointment of certain failures will be far easier than dealing with the disappointment that accompanies some successes because they were not the right successes. Putting God and family first will not only eventuate into the ‘real’ successes of life, but ironically, having these as your priorities will actually contribute to and be the reason for all other successes you achieve.

2) Desire Success: A strong desire to achieve a goal or dream is the fundamental starting point for all successes and accomplishments in life. Do not be confused however, because desire is not the same thing as hope, wish, or interest. Desire is synonymous with motivation, commitment, determination, and a willingness to do whatever is necessary to accomplish the goal or dream.

3) Dream Big, Think Big, & Think Differently: You may have a desire, but do you actually have a dream or a goal? Do you fall victim to the dominating culture of mediocrity and feel limited by circumstance, or do you actually think big and dream big? Until you do, average you will remain. We literally are what we think – so think big to be big! And be forewarned that when you find yourself thinking, speaking, and acting like the majority (in regards to dreams, goals, and ‘success’ in life) – you are in terrible company. Dare to dream. Dare to be and think different. And think big always. Then, with enough mental conditioning, belief, and persistent action, your dreams and big thinking will translate into actions that eventuate into big results.

4) Believe in Yourself & Believe Your Dreams Are Possible: We can become and accomplish anything! And yet, nothing great has ever been accomplished until there was first belief in self – and then faith and belief that the idea, goal, or dream was possible. We each spend too much time focusing on our own weaknesses and failures, the lack of knowledge or money, fears and doubts, the abilities and talents of others, or on limitations and circumstances that really only exist in our own minds. Our potential is actually what frightens us; and more often than not, mediocrity and being average is desirable because it justifies us not having to put in the work necessary to be successful. Truthfully, the heart of the problem and the number one reason why most people fail to accomplish their dreams, goals, and potential in life is a lack of belief in themselves and their dreams.

5) Eliminate the Voices of Fear & Doubt … Continually: The only limitations in life are the ones we create, believe, and nourish within our own minds. People everywhere have great ideas, reachable dreams, and unlimited potential, but they spend too much time listening to the voices of fear, doubt, and failure that they never take action. Fear and doubt are unnecessary worry and evidence of a lack of self-confidence. They demonstrate one’s inability to control their thoughts and are the underlying reason for most failures. Fear and doubt breed inaction and procrastination, and ironically, these common thoughts are found in everyone. Thankfully, fear and doubt can be controlled and overcome by anyone – but this requires consistent daily effort because these voices never go away. We must discipline our thoughts constantly and remove from our vocabulary such words as: can’t, quit, unable, impossible, etc. Living our dreams requires killing our fears and doubts.

6) Completely Commit & Be Totally Determined: Most times, success results not from one’s ability or talent, knowledge or money, or even circumstance or luck; it comes from their zeal, drive, and determination to reach a goal or dream. The journey to success will inevitably be difficult, and it is in these trying moments that desire and belief are not enough; it is only a complete commitment and a determination to do whatever is takes to be successful that will get you through when fears and doubts come, failures arise, an easier path is presented, or others mock. When you completely commit to your goal and the accomplishment of your dream, you accept no excuses, you get up after temporary failures, and you persist in action until your desire and dream have been achieved.

7) Establish an Organized Plan & Goals: A cheap pen is perhaps just as important as a big dream! If our ideas, goals, and dreams are not written down, reviewed often, and specifically organized, then we risk becoming like the majority of dreamers who later in their life look back at missed opportunities and failed potential and regretfully say “I wish I would have.” Our plan and goals must not only be written but also reviewed often, revised occasionally, and be totally committed to. Specific, measurable, reachable and challenging actions must also accompany the goals; but never forget that the long term plan will win despite the short term failures. Challenges, obstacles, and failures are those things that only become reality when we take our focus off our goals. And while our goals literally can be achieved, remember that when setting and seeking to achieve our goals, it is better to aim high and miss than to actually aim low and achieve.

Take Action Now & Work Hard: Opportunities in life always come before we are prepared and are gone before we realize it. Success comes, dreams are realized, and potential is reached only by those who have the faith to take a risk and are willing to act. In fact, our dreams, ideas, goals, and even desires and beliefs are nothing unless followed by action. So, make a decision and do it now – regardless of whether you have the time, feel unprepared, or lack knowledge. You may not know what you are doing at first – but the key is to keep doing. Stephen King said it perfectly when he said: “what separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” Mistakes will be made, but ensure they are not mistakes of idleness, inability to decide, and unwillingness to act.

9) Learn From & Get Up After Failures: For whatever reason, in the moment of failure, we often wrongfully assume that we personally are failures, and we thus quit. Failure is not a person; it is an event that is absolutely necessary to achieve success. Failures are detours, not dead-end streets. And when such discouraging streets come, as they inevitably will, we should view them as roadblocks that cause others to quit and us to try harder. Has history itself not taught us this important lesson – from the American Revolutionary War to every World War, from the Mahatma Gandhi’s to the Martin Luther King’s, from the Abraham Lincoln’s to the Nelson Mandela’s, to even Thomas Edison whose invention still gives light to the entire globe, despite the fact that it took thousands of failures to achieve the success. The greatest athletes and performers, the brightest scientists and inventors, the most successful politicians and parents are those who experienced discouraging set backs, disappointments, and even failures before they ever succeeded. Refusing to quit or be discouraged was the secret to their incredible achievements.

10) Persist Always & Never Quit: Successful people make mistakes and experience failure, but they do not give excuses and absolutely never quit. Thomas Edison, of all people, had every right to say that “many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Goals and dreams are accomplished, success is achieved, and our full potential is realized only after consistent daily effort and work over a long period of time. Persist and persevere until you succeed, and determine right now that you will never quit, regardless of what happens along the journey.

You can become and accomplish anything – and the formula above is the law for success to achieve your goals and dreams in life. However, in pursuit of your dreams, you must ensure that the priorities of life are not jeopardized and the necessary characteristics that determine true success are developed. Real success in life is not necessarily in the accomplishment of the goal or dream, it is determined by who we eventually become, the attributes we develop, and the people we help along the way. We need to give when we receive, put God and family first, and realize that developing a character of integrity, values, and unselfishness are why we are here; and thankfully, when these same attributes are combined with the laws of success, we will accomplish our goals and dreams and experience true success in life.

Both paths of these diverging forks bring with them certain appeal, rewards, risks, drawbacks, as well as consequences. The fork on the left, for example, is often much more appealing because the path is usually paved, it is always full of fellow travelers, and looks a whole lot easier than the fork on the right. In fact, sometimes it actually appears that the fork on the left is heading in the right direction while the fork on the right is veering away from the eventual destination’s end.

Comparatively, the fork on the right usually seems much more difficult to journey on initially, and it is always less traveled because of the unknown risks, the inevitable potholes, and the effort required.

Interestingly enough, some who choose to go right at these pivotal and occasional forks along the ‘path to success,’ will eventually decide to go left somewhere down the road. Why? The fork on the right usually is unpaved, deserted and lonely in many places, and the decision to go right at the next fork often never gets easier.

However, those travelers who have made the long and difficult journey and chosen to go right at the majority of forks will collectively agree that their path may have been initially daunting, lonely at times, and extremely hard, but they will also undoubtedly agree that the journey was certainly worth both the effort as well as the reward at the end of their chosen path.

Their fellow travelers who usually chose the fork on the left along this ‘path to success,’ most certainly enjoyed the paved roads, ease of the journey, and signs that clearly marked their path for a time; however, the majority who went left will also collectively agree that the success, happiness, and freedom they sought from the journey’s end was not only forfeited along the journey – but often not found at the eventual path’s destination.

And so yours and my journey on this ‘path to success’ continues. Inevitably, we will soon be faced with another fork in the road – which way will we choose to go? Remember that the occasional paths that veer right often come before we’re ready and leave before we realize it. Most importantly, will we have the faith, determination, effort, and persistence required to walk the difficult ‘path to success’ and obtain the reward at the journey’s destination? The journey’s path does have a reward – call it whatever you may: personal achievement, goals reached, dreams realized, risks rewarded, talents obtained, wealth acquired, happiness enjoyed, freedom achieved, character developed, or success won. This reward can come, but it only comes from continually choosing the fork less traveled.

Each principle described below explains an attribute, mentality, or action that must be implemented – or prevented. Being aware of, being able to recognize, being able to avoid, being able to learn from, and being able to put into practice each of the principles below is necessary to achieve any goal or dream:

• Dream
  • Dream big! Envision your accomplishment constantly. Recognize that your dreams are completely possible, and the end success is always the result of the initial dream. Ensure your dreams are your dreams, and not the desires or expectations of others; and then believe in them and do whatever necessary to achieve them.
• Desire
  • If desire is lacking, the motivation to act and the determination to persist will be absent, and the result is always failure. Understand, however, that interest and strong desire are completely different – interest produces action when it is convenient, and strong desire persists in action despite challenges and failures. And real desire is much more than hope or a wish; it is a mentality that translates into power to accomplish incredible things.
• Disbelief
  • Dreaming big is important, but it is also useless if you don’t truly believe your dreams are possible and believe that you are capable of accomplishing those dreams. Belief is not a sure knowledge, it does not eliminate risk, nor does it produce results – but it is absolutely necessary in order to produce the actions that Do produce the results that eventuate into success. You can become and accomplish anything, but you must first believe so.
• Decide
  • Perhaps one of the greatest secrets necessary for success is the ability to decide, and then stick to that decision. Often, however, people make and act upon decisions that would result in success if pursued, but those decisions unfortunately get rescinded when things start to become difficult. Those who are unassertive, idle, unconfident, and uncommitted must develop the ability to make decisions quickly and confidently, and stick to them.
• Determined
  • Anything is possible to the individual who is absolutely determined to accomplish their goal. Much more powerful than desire for and belief in a goal, completely committing to that goal will ensure that excuses are eliminated, challenges do not defeat, and persistence is the only alternative. Zeal and determination have always contributed to success far more than brains and talent have.
• Dare
  • To dare is to have courage, to be bold, and to take risks. In order for the majority of successes and goals to be achieved, one must be willing to take that risk, go out of their comfort zone, Do what they don’t want to do or don’t feel comfortable doing, and even be willing to fail in the process. And therein is another secret – that when those inevitable failures do happen, one must be willing to dare again by persisting in the risk rather than retreating to security and mediocrity.
• Dangers
  • Nobody is ignorant of the fact that taking such risks includes various dangers, necessary sacrifices, and potential failures. Be it money wasted, time lost, effort exuded, embarrassment faced, goals not reached, or failure experienced – it can (and probably will) happen. Recognizing these dangers and trying to avoid them is wise, but facing them is often assured. The challenge lies in learning from and persisting Despite them.
• Doubts
  • The only limitations in life are the ones we create, believe, and nourish within our own minds. Doubts and fears, if heeded, result in a lack of attempt; and it is the ability to attempt and act that produces the confidence needed to overcome our doubts and fears and accomplish any goal. It is vital to remember that doubts and fears reside in everyone; and yet, they can be controlled by anyone. Ironically, they are never fully overcome, which suggests the importance of constantly controlling our minds, overcoming our fears, believing in ourselves, and being willing to attempt and act always.
• Declare
  • Tell yourself you will be successful. Vocalize your goals Daily. Talk big to yourself and to everyone. Declare to others what your goals and dreams are. Then, shut up and get to work!
• Do
  • Our dreams, our plans, our thoughts, our knowledge, and our very words are of no value and produce no accomplishment until accompanied with actions – Daily actions. Too often, people mistakenly think that success is a result of talent, knowledge, money, connections, characteristics, or inheritance; truthfully, at the foundation of every success, accomplishment, or goal achieved is one common and necessary principle – hard work!
• Discipline
  • Discipline is an action that combines commitment and consistency; for one without the other fails to produce the desired attainment. The ability to refrain from or take action in something once requires effort, but the ability to consistently put forth the same effort until the goal has been realized requires discipline. Discipline is doing what is desired when feeling less inclined, making time at the most inconvenient of times, refraining from things regardless of what others think or say, and persisting in actions despite the difficulty. Success Demands continual discipline.
• Disorganized
  • Failures often result not from a lack of ability, effort, or knowledge, but from the inability to set goals, establish a plan, become organized, and prioritize daily actions. We’ve all heard the cliché of ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.’ However, effective planning is more than just putting pen to paper, it entails specific short and long term goals, daily actions that are reviewed and committed to, and back up plans because of the inevitable detours. Perhaps even more importantly, the goals and plans must be written, viewed daily, revised often, organized coherently, completely committed to, and Daily worked on.
• Distractions
  • Distractions are inescapable. Along the journey to success, we will experience various and numerous distractions, most often coming in the form of: fears or family priorities, work responsibilities or church and community involvement, hobbies or entertainment, health problems or vacations, or perhaps even other goals and worthwhile pursuits. Unfortunately, far too often people mistakenly blame the distraction for their resultant failure, rather than recognizing that the excuse is but a cover up of their poor response to the distraction. Persisting Despite the distractions is absolutely necessary.
• Detours
  • It is vitally important to understand that things never seem to work out as originally planned. You’ll often find that the initial path, plan, requirements, and time frame you were expecting were miscalculated. Take comfort in the fact that all those who have accomplished their goals and successes have likewise miscalculated. The challenge lies in ensuring those detours do not turn into dead-end streets, but that they become merely road blocks that cause you to persist and others to quit.
• Disappointments
  • Failures happen, Difficulties arise, and plans do fail. It is only those who are willing to fail that are truly willing to succeed. But, for whatever reason, in the moment of failure we often wrongfully assume that we personally are failures, and we thus quit. Failure is not a person; it is an event that is absolutely necessary to achieve success.
• Discouragements
  • The great Thomas Edison, perhaps the one person who had every reason to become discouraged after thousands of failed attempts to produce the light bulb, he perfectly described what our response should be whenever failure is experienced and discouragement is felt when he said: “I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt Discarded is another step forward.”
• Diligence
  • Diligence is continually exerting ourselves mentally and physically, persistently recommitting ourselves, and willingly and constantly putting forth the necessary action required to accomplish our goals. Diligence is persistence and endurance – the key to any success.
• Don’t Quit
  • Decide now to never give up, regardless of how difficult it may become. When those personal defeats, failures, or challenges arise, the natural tendency is to do what the majority of people do – quit, give an excuse, choose another goal, or give up on the dream altogether. Rather, you must learn from and get up after any temporary defeat or failure. The majority of personal successes in life are usually accomplished after an individual determines to not give up when they experience a failure.
• Disperse
  • Give of your resources, knowledge, and time. Notice, however, that I did not say give if you have – I said give, regardless of what you have. Give now, and give always! Do not assume that later in life when you have acquired excess wealth, knowledge, and time that you will then freely give of it – Develop the habit of giving now (the amount is irrelevant compared to the intent). And never forget the unexplainable, yet true principle that when you give, you always receive (often, much more abundantly).
• Duty
  • Far more important than any other ‘D’ described in this list is that of our duty to God and our family. When all is said and done, I think each of us would much rather deal with the disappointments of certain failures than the disappointment of certain successes, if those certain successes were achieved at the expense of the much more important priorities. God and our family must absolutely be our first priority. Thus, no goal or accomplishment in life is as important as becoming a person of integrity, character, and morality. Being a good parent, spouse, friend, or neighbor is far more important than becoming a great businessman, politician, doctor, attorney, or achieving any other accomplishment, title, certificate, position, or even dream in life.

All of your Desires and Dreams are possible! However, your challenge today – and continually – will be to Dare to think big, Develop the ability to believe more, and Decide to act now. It is extremely Difficult, but completely Doable!

• Put God & Family First
• Desire Success
• Dream Big, Think Big, & Think Differently
• Believe in Yourself & Believe Your Dreams Are Possible
• Eliminate the Voices of Fear & Doubt … Continually
• Completely Commit & Be Totally Determined
• Establish an Organized Plan & Goals
• Take Action Now & Work Hard
• Learn From & Get Up After Failures
• Persist Always & Never Quit

These principles are the requirements, attributes, and actions necessary in order to accomplish success in life. They apply to any situation, and to every individual! However, learning about and understanding these secrets is relatively simple; the difficulty is implementing them. And yet, when they are understood and applied, they literally are the formula to accomplish any of our goals, pursuits, or dreams.

Below I have listed several goals, situations, and pursuits from various categories and areas of life that are applicable to everyone. As you will see, your potential and success in any endeavor is determined by you alone. The realization of your goals is not solely determined by circumstance or location, ability or knowledge, money or family heritage, others, or even race or gender. The secrets of success are attributes and actions that can be learned and implemented by everyone and are applicable to any goal or pursuit; thus, you literally can become and accomplish anything in life – it is up to you!

1) Eat Healthy & Exercise: How much longer will we as a culture continue to believe that the latest diet, surgery, gym membership, or pill is the solution to our poor nutritional choices and lack of exercise routine? Eating healthy and exercising regularly is and always has been the answer, and all the other fake substitutes are no more then a temporary solution to a lazy habit. The reality is that the secrets of success are actually the formula for losing weight and staying in shape. For example, if one truly desires to lose weight and believes it is possible (and believes in themselves), they will commit and do whatever action and effort necessary to accomplish their goal. Will it be hard? Of course. But the committed individual doesn’t set a goal and stick to it for a week, they stick to it forever! Will fear, doubts, criticisms, and possible failures occur? Always. But the individual who persists and does not quit in their daily healthy eating habits and exercising routine – whether it takes two months or two years – they will succeed!

2) Career Growth: Advancement within a job, company, or career is based much more upon the secrets of success than it is the traditional route our culture commonly and mistakenly believes. For example, how often have you personally been guilty of thinking that your potential and advancement is determined by networking or connections, the perfect opportunity at the right time, a better prepared resume, unethical practices in order to get recognized, becoming ‘buds’ with the boss, advanced degrees or certificates earned, or even years on the job? Each of these certainly is important and has its place (excluding the unethical practices); however, what people often fail to realize is that these situations are secondary to one’s desire, belief, and work ethic.

3) Academic Pursuits: First of all, never fall victim to the fallacy that your GPA, major or emphasis studied, standardized test scores, name of the institution attended, or even the degrees you earned (or did not earn) somehow dictate or determine your potential. If the accomplishment of any goal is based upon these foundational principles that entail the secrets of success, then certainly developing the ability to read, write, study, memorize, retain, present, test well, and intellectually and academically excel must be based upon the same foundational success principles.

4) Spiritual Development: Do not ignorantly assume that these principles apply only to matters of physical or temporal conditions. In order to develop character, pray effectively, worship meaningfully, endure faithfully, and progress spiritually – we absolutely must apply these same principles. Scripturally, belief is faith, action is works, and persistence is enduring to the end.

5) Entrepreneurial Ventures: Often what holds people back from taking risks is not necessarily fear – it is the excuse that they do not have the time, knowledge, or money to pursue their goal or dream. Anybody who is truly desirous for and committed to accomplishing their goal will make time, obtain the necessary knowledge, and will realize that acquiring wealth does not always require having money initially. Successful entrepreneurs are not born with increased talent or brains, they succeed because they are willing to take risks, they learn from and persist after failures, the overcome the voices of fear and doubt in their mind, they take daily action and they never quit.

6) Social Abilities: If these principles apply to anything, then why would they not apply to even the development and improvement of our social abilities? Thus, the ability to make friends can be developed, the fear of public speaking can be overcome, relationships that have been ruined can be fixed, a lack of self esteem can be improved, feeling comfortable in social settings can be learned, interacting with and approaching others can be done confidently, and a deficiency in verbal and non-verbal communication skills can be mastered. Will developing these abilities be hard? Extremely. Will it take time to learn, improve, and change? Of course. Is it possible? Absolutely!

7) Quitting Addictions & Habits: Are you addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, tobacco, video games, etc? Do you have any bad habits that you are desirous to be rid of, or even trying to break currently? Don’t get me wrong, the various addiction recovery groups, cigarette patches, community programs, and self-help books are extremely helpful; but by themselves, they can not produce the necessary change unless they are combined with an individual’s strong desire, belief that it is possible, faith in oneself, daily action, overcoming doubts, and persisting and never quitting until the goal has been accomplished. Let’s take pornography as an example – this addiction and selfish practice makes a few rich in the process of destroying lives and families (and our very society, for that matter). How is pornography overcome? By applying the these fundamental laws of success! While books may help, addiction recovery groups may assist, and pop-up blockers may be useful, they alone can not break the addiction. It is only when a person truly desires to never again look at, feel, or experience the damaging effects of pornography that the road to recovery can begin. Then, this person must believe in themselves and that overcoming the addiction is possible. In addition, they must overcome the constant doubts in their mind, completely commit to never look again (and stick to it), have a plan and goals, take daily action, learn from failures and mistakes, and never quit until the addiction is overcome. Is it difficult? Absolutely! Is it possible? Of course. But like overcoming any addiction or developing any good habit, it is only possible if and when the laws of success are applied!

Financial Management & Wealth Accumulation: Decide now to forever rid yourself of excuses. Your poor financial situation is not the result of family upbringing, lack of education, high interest rates, dishonest brokers or companies, or inability to access funds. Most likely it is the result of terrible budgeting, an inability to save, a lack of discipline to go without, poor judgment in determining needs vs. wants, and a lack of effort to change your situation. In addition, your financial future is not determined by an accountant, 401(k) account, the stock market, rich uncle, wise broker, or success on the job. You determine and create your potential – and wealth! The ability to develop financial discipline is more important than budgets or accounting software. Your potential to become wealthy is based upon desire, belief, and work ethic – not an industry, company, or position. Your own drive and initiative is of far greater value than the advice given by a greedy broker. Your financial situation and future is created and determined by you, and is enhanced by applying the very secrets of success!

9) Overcoming Challenges: Hospitals are filled, pharmacies are stocked, bookstores are loaded, clinics are full, stores are overflowing, and websites are abundant with information and products that supposedly have the solution to every problem we encounter in life. Whether it is dealing with depression, sickness or injury, disability, lack of self-esteem, marriage or relationship problems, loneliness, minority set-backs, financial hardships, or even stress – the solution always seems to be in some new product, pill, book, program, doctor’s advice, or latest research. Don’t get me wrong, each of these institutions and sources provide tremendous value and certainly have their place; but they fail to educate and provide their consumers with the necessary knowledge, attributes, and actions required to overcome any of the aforementioned challenges we all face. The ability to control one’s thoughts is just as important as the pill used to cure depression. The ability to think big is far more liberating and empowering to one with a disability than any wheelchair or crutch. Dealing with stress or a lack of self-esteem requires belief and consistent action – much more than popping a pill. And the list could go on and on. Is it not obvious that the secrets of success apply even to the ability to deal with and overcome the challenges of life?

Above are listed only 9 examples of the hundreds of situations, pursuits, and goals we each face and have in our lives. The reality is that the secrets of success apply to any situation and pursuit in life – whether it is breaking the chains of poverty, to becoming a professional athlete, to developing a talent, to learning how to sing or play an instrument, to dealing with death or difficulties – these foundational elements that form the secrets of success are the necessary attributes and actions required to accomplish any of our goals, pursuits, challenges, and dreams in life. And they apply to everyone, to every situation, and to every goal!

Our potential in life is not determined by uncontrollable circumstances, racial characteristics, economic conditions, family dynamics, schools attended, or social connections – our potential is made or unmade by ourselves. In life, there really are no such things as circumstances – we create them. Do you actually believe William Henley when he said “I am the captain of my fate, I am the master of my soul”? In order to take control of our fate, souls, and our very lives, we must first learn how to control our thoughts, eliminate fear and doubt, have a pure and clean mind, and ensure that every thought we think is positive, believing, and disciplined.

We are what we think! Thoughts and results are the exact same thing. Do you believe that? Do you realize that the most talented athletes are those who train their minds to focus, believe, and think big? Successful musicians, actors, and politicians have achieved greatness because they had faith and literally thought anything was possible. The wealthiest individuals who have ever lived have learned how to eliminate the thoughts of fear, doubt, and failure. Likewise, the hardened criminal or the sexual predators are simply living a life that is being dictated by the thoughts they entertain in their own minds.

The vast majority of people everywhere live far below their potential, not because of a lack of ability, talent, knowledge, or work ethic; but because they have not developed the ability to control and convert their thoughts into actions that lead to success. You can become and accomplish anything in life. Your goals and dreams are absolutely possible. Yes, it will require great effort and work on your part to achieve your dreams and realize success; however, most often people fail to put forth the work necessary because they don’t believe in themselves and that their dreams are even possible. As long as you believe and think that, your actions will reflect that mentality and success will never be accomplished. “Whether you think you can or you can’t – you are right” – and Henry Ford not only penned that, but he believed it and lived it; and ironically, after much failure and criticism from others, his company and charitable foundation (of billions of dollars) is still benefiting people across the globe.

So, what are your goals or dreams? What successes do you desire to achieve? Do you realize that you are capable of doing and accomplishing far more than you even think you can? We alone determine and create our own potential – and potential, greatness, and success not only start, but are achieved in the mind. This is the great challenge on our pursuit to accomplish success – learning how to control our thoughts, eliminating the voices of fear and doubt, believing in ourselves and our dreams, thinking positively and thinking big. And yet ironically, controlling our thoughts requires daily effort. But thankfully, if we put forth this daily effort, we literally can become and accomplish anything if we not only realize the power of our thoughts, but ensure that our thoughts convert to actions that lead to success.

However, having said that, I also do not apologize in any way of the belief that I personally have of the reality and divinity of Christ, that the Bible does contain truth, and of the witness I have obtained that His gospel is ‘the way, the truth,’ * and the path that leads us all back to our loving God and Father. Because of this fact, I have written this article from my perspective and belief; and again, acknowledge and respect the fact that not everyone will share this same outlook and belief. And yet, the principles taught by Christ and the Prophets and Apostles, are nonetheless still applicable to anyone, in any situation. Thus, regardless of your dream or goal – applying these principles will inevitably result in your success in anything in life!

More than a religious leader, historical figure, revered Jew, or inspiring philosopher, Christ was and is literally the Son of God. The truth, doctrine, and gospel that He established is in reality the very plan of the Father – a plan that outlines what we need to know, do, and become in order to return to His presence. To simplify and summarize the entirety of this gospel and plan that Christ taught – we need to know and do certain things and become a certain type of person in order to obtain the ‘reward’ – eternal life with God. In essence, those ‘certain things’ can be boiled down to three simple categories: the mental, physical, and spiritual – or perhaps as the Bible phrases it: faith, works, and character.

Christ taught us to have faith in Him and His gospel, to put forth the necessary actions He required, and to ‘become’ – or in other words, to develop a Christ-like character. For example, do not God and the Bible tell us that if we believe in Christ, we could have ‘everlasting life?’* Likewise, they teach us that ‘faith without works is dead,”* thus placing greater significance on the commandments to ‘love thy neighbor’* and to ‘keep my commandments.’* And lastly, the 10 commandments He gave to us through Moses were not recommendations or suggestions, but the very recipe we must follow – not only to become like Him, but to also return to live with Him, God, and our families forever!

Wouldn’t you agree that another way of phrasing the very same scriptural and spiritual principles would be: Think Big, Believe More, Act Now! Eternal life requires us to believe or hope in a dream, to have faith in the reality that it is possible (not to mention faith and belief in ourselves), a commitment to follow that path and hope (dream) regardless of what happens, a resolve to repent and get up after sins and failures, a determination to withstand temptation and put forth action daily, and persistence in developing habits of keeping the commandments and never giving up – enduring to the end. Ironically, the very same mentality, actions, and attributes necessary to obtain eternal life are the exact characteristics and elements to be successful in anything.

Below I have listed many of the elements of the law of success – the very mentality, actions, and attributes necessary to be successful in anything in life. I have also included a few of the many scriptural passages that prove not only that Christ and the Bible did actually teach the law of success, but that the law of success is in reality the very Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Desire: Mark 11:24; Prov. 10:24; 1^st Cor. 14:1; Psalms 37:4; Prov. 21:25; Deut. 4:29;

Thoughts (Dream Big): Prov. 23:7; Phillip. 4:8; Gen. 24:63; Matt 9:4

Believe: Heb. 11:6; Matt 8:13; Matt 9:28; Matt 21:22; Mark 5:36; John 3:16, 36; John 11:25-27; John 20:27-29

Faith: Matt 9:22, 29; Matt 15:28; 2^nd Cor. 5:7; Hebrews Ch. 11; James 2:17-22; Prov. 3:5

Commitment: Psalms 37:5; Prov. 16:3; Psalms 119:10; Joel 2:12; Luke 9:62; Psalms 112:7;

Dedication: Matt 22:37; 2 Tim. 4:7; Prov. 10:4; 2^nd Peter 3:14, 17; 1^st Cor. 15:58; Heb. 3:14; Phillip. 3:14

Self-Mastery: Prov. 25:28; Matt 16:24; James 4:7, 8; Exodus 20:3-17

Actions: James 2:17-22; James 1:22; Matt 7:24-29; John 14:15; Prov. 24:12

Persistence: John 8:31; Matt 10:22; James 1:12; Job 27:5; Col. 1:23; Heb. 12:1-7

Priorities: Matt 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Matt 10:39; Matt 22:37-40; Joshua 24:15; Prov. 22:6; Eph. 6:1-4; Gen. 18:19; Exodus 20:12;

Integrity: Job 2:3; Phillip. 4:8; Psalms 24:3-4; 1^st Kings 9:4-5; Romans 12:17; 2^nd Cor. 4:2; Job 27:5; ; Exodus 20:3-17; 2^nd Cor. 13:7;

Give & Serve to Receive: Matt 25:35-40; Luke 6:38; Prov. 28:27; Luke 12:48; Prov. 21:26; Deut. 16:17;

Potential: Matt 5:48; Matt 19:26; Mark 9:23; Deut. 18:13; 2^nd Cor. 13:11; Mark 14: 26; Gen. 17:1; Gen 6:9

Thus, do Christ and the Bible teach the law of success? The answer to that important question is a resounding YES! The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us the very mentality, actions, and attributes we must possess – which He exemplified and commanded we should ultimately develop. It is actually the Law of the Gospel, or law of success, that we must follow in order to achieve our goals and dreams, obtain wealth or talents, and to develop the necessary spiritual character to obtain the real success and reward in life, which is eternal life with Him who is the Author of this law of success!

* (First scriptural reference: John 14:6; 2^nd: John 3:16; 3^rd: Matt 22:39; 4^th: John 14:15)