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Business success
begins in the brain

Who has the best chance to become successful? Many people would answer that it's someone who comes from a wealthy home, is intelligent and knows the right people. But the facts show us something quite different.

Most "net-worth" millionaires are the exact opposite of popular stereotypes held for the rich and famous. In fact, many American success stories reveal strategies that go against conventional wisdom.

Take the trite saying, "It's not what you know but who you know." If you're saying this, you're programming yourself to remain in a box.

Do you think Sylvester Stallone would've ever reached his level of success if he had believed that saying? He was turned down by over 1,000 agents before getting someone to even consider his script for Rocky.

Look at Oprah Winfrey for another example. From an abusive childhood to the first black woman in America to become a billionaire, she certainly didn't get any breaks by "knowing the right people." She made her own breaks with her focus, charisma, and determination.

Even if you're in an industry that's ruled by the "old boys network," keep in mind, there's always a way. You must continually ask yourself how you can go around, over, under the wall that's currently blocking you from the other side. You may even need to reinvent the existing system (like William Porter did in the financial industry with E*Trade.)

Is there anyone you know in your industry who became successful because of their charisma, determination and attitude? These visionary leaders pop up in every industry imaginable. How can you model their approach for success in your industry?

Begin by thinking innovatively by asking productive questions like, "How can I get to know the people who have influence with my target market?" Then follow up by taking more action than ever before.

Your level of success is determined first by the quality of your thoughts and the types of questions you continually ask yourself.

Everything we do begins first with a thought. Unfortunately, for most of us, we do many things out of habits we've formed at a very young age. And then, we never give our actions any additional thought; instead we go on auto-pilot.

Just like walking, swimming or driving a car, our actions become part of the routine for our everyday lives. We don't think about how we walk across the room, we just automatically do it. Yet, your brain continues to send over a million separate messages to your body in order for you to perform this simple action.

It's the same thing with success. It begins in your brain.

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