Please Note: This is a guest post by Marcus Smith, read more of his posts at his blog.

If you would like to write a guest post, get extra traffic and exposure for your blog, click here.  Once again I would like to thank Marcus for submitting this great post.  Now on to the post…

First of all let’s get this out of the way.  I love to read.  I live to bounce ideas off other people. If I didn’t brainstorm I’d probably die.  I agree that process maps bring clarity to any endeavor.  I know that planned courses of action are absolutely necessary for extended success.

These things are all well and good.  They all have their place in a successful lifestyle.

All the planning, brainstorming, and process mapping in the world won’t amount to anything if you fail to get off your butt and take measurable action.

For the rest of this article I will open your eyes to what it takes to see a personal project/task/undertaking through to a successful end.  I’ve used these methods to shed 50 lbs of fat, create powerful business connections, attract clients into my business, and build traffic to my website.

Create Blocks of Time

Everybody wants to get in better shape.  Most people want to be millionaires/billionaires.  A select few want to be the rock, paper, scissors champion of the world.

It really doesn’t matter what you aspire to be.  If you don’t make the time to do so it will never ever happen.  Oftentimes we don’t get what we want because we haven’t set the time to do it.

For years I struggled with my weight.  I wasn’t morbidly obese but I was still overweight.  At my worst I tipped the scales at 252 lbs and I sported a 40” waist.  When I walked the friction of my thighs would create tear at my pants and underwear.  For years and years I whined and complained about the issue.  I’d get on a “health kick” and watch my weight go back and forth.   The weight would always came back.

One day in late 2006 I made a change.  I decided that Monday through Friday between  5:30 – 7:00 PM was my work out time. That hour and a half was non-negotiable.

If I was working I stopped and worked out.  If someone wanted to make plans, no matter who it was, they had to wait until 7:00 PM.  I drove to the gym during thunderstorms, hailstorms, and traffic jams.

As soon as I set that non negotiable 1.5 hour time period I noticed a change in my body.  Those unwanted pounds grew wings and flew away.

Setting non-negotiable times for action is the first step to getting off your butt.  Good habits (like bad ones) are incredibly hard to break.

Set Goals

A google search of the term “setting goals” returns 4.17 million results.  My personal favorite is the tried and true classic S.M.A.R.T. goals system.

Let’s use the goal “I want to speak to 4 unique audiences in 2008” to show how S.M.A.R.T. goals work.

Specific  – Being vague will absolutely kill you.  I want to improve in public speaking is a vague goal.  I want to speak to 4 different audiences in 2008 is a specific goal.

Measurable – If you say you want to speak to 4 different audiences then you can measure your success or failure.  It’s an easy thing to do.  If you manage to get in front of 4 audiences you’ve succeeded.  If you don’t then you haven’t.

Attainable – I agree that we should all aim for the stars.  However, you can’t go to outer space if you don’t have a spaceship.  When setting goals do yourself a favor and set reasonable ones.  There is nothing more deflating than setting a goal and failing because your goal wasn’t realistic.  There’s a big difference between speaking to 4 unique audiences in2008 and speaking to 50.

Realistic – Setting a goal that you can meet is a good idea.  You have to take an inventory of your skills, available time, and motivation to achieve the goal in order to be realistic.  If you have the requisite skills, time, and motivation then the goal is realistic.  Setting goals that are outside of these constraints set you up for an unnecessary downfall (think 4 audiences in a year versus 50).

Timely – Providing a time frame gives your goal life.  A time frame adds the elements of urgency and closure.  There’s nothing more concise and motivating than a crystal clear drop dead date.

Take Action

The last section of this article is without a doubt the most important piece.  Taking action is essential to getting off your butt and making things happen.  Creating time and setting goals are both important but they mean nothing if no action follows them.

Right after I finished losing weight a close friend of mine asked me how I did it.  I looked him squarely in the eye and said “I went to the gym and worked out”.  He thought I was trying to be smart, but I was giving him the absolute truth.  I wouldn’t have lost a pound had I not done the work.

It’s a simple yet important piece of advice.  If you want to lose weight you need to eat right and workout.  If you want to be the top salesman you need to sell the most product.  If you want to get more dates with women you need to talk to more women.  If you want to attract customers into your business then create a marketing plan and implement it.  If you absolutely hate your job then find a new one.

Get it?

Got it?

Good.

Taking action is really the easiest part of the equation.  Setting time and creating goals are tedious (yet necessary) activities.  Putting your nose to the grind stone and reaping the benefits is the fun part.

Remember the Nike slogan (Just Do It!) and you can’t go wrong.

Conclusion

Getting off your butt and breaking the shackles of procrastination can be challenging.  Many people struggle with this.  I used to be a part of that crowd until I began following the steps outlined in this article.

Here’s a quick recap:

1. Create non-negotiable blocks of productive time
2. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals
3. Take Action!

Sitting on your hands watching the world spin is an incredible waste of your time and talent.  Use these tips to get off your butt and start using what you have!

Please Note: This was a guest post by Marcus Smith. Here is some more of his posts: The Audience Wants You to Be a Star and You Speak To the Public Each Day

If you would like to write a guest post, get extra traffic and exposure for your blog, click here.

In this video I show you how to use blog carnival and get tons of free targeted traffic along with higher search engine rankings.

Try my blog carnival submission service today free for 30 days.

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After my How To Become Great article got a lot of interest I decided to explore the concept of success some more.  Consider the following:

• Most of us are born with similar financial resources (most of a countrie’s population falls into the poor or lower-middle class)
• Most of us are born with a similar amount of time (70 years is the average life-span the last I checked)
• Most of us have access to all the information and learning resources we’ll ever need.  This was first started by public libraries where anyone could read a book and learn basically anything.  And more recently has exploded through the internet where you can do a quick search and in seconds find the info you are looking for

So why do a few of us become great while most are just average? There are many factors which I highlight in several of my posts:

• 7 Roadblock to Success
• Hard Work or a Secret Formula

However the biggest most common roadblock to success is FEAR. Yes the big “F” word ;)  Fear is such a roadblock to success on so many levels that an article such as this one couldn’t possibly cover it all.

Our fears are often a freak show.  We hide them, we work around them and we never really wanna face them.  Yet they are often what holds us back in life.  And no I’m not talking about your fear of snakes or spiders.  Although that does remind me of a funny prank I played on a friend once with a leather snake

I’m talking about fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of social settings, fear of success, fear of fame, fear of attention, and so on.  I’m sure you can at least relate to a couple of those fears and would agree that they have sabotaged your life in many ways.

For example, fear of rejection can really sabotage your dating life, whether you are a man or a woman.  If you are a man and you are scared of rejection you will never really ask out any women you find attractive.  If you are a woman and you are scared from a man rejecting you, you will never really be able to trust men in the first place.

So how do you go from lame or average to fame or greatness, well you need to conquer your fears, and here are 5 steps that will help you tremendously:

1. Be FearlessDo it, don’t just think it. Instead of saying “I’m not scared” or “I wanna get over my fear of…” just do it.  You might need to take small steps at first but you need to do it.  One thing I always wanted to do was skydive.  When the opportunity came up I decided to just do it.  Now of course this might sound a bit extreme, however it was a blast.  In most cases though I notice I have taken gradual steps to get over my fear.A big fear for me was fear of rejection especially around strangers in social settings.  And it still is to a lesser degree.  To get over that I started by first learning everything about social skills I could find. I then went out and would make eye contact with strangers on the street.  Then I would try smiling.  Then I actually started saying “hi how are you” to strangers.  Now I’m at the point where I can comfortably walk up to any stranger and probably have a fun 10-15 minute conversation.The key is getting out of your comfort zone and taking gradual scary steps.  You have to be fearless not to try.  You have to fake it until you make it.  Start doing scary things and your body will gradually find them less scary.
2. Don’t Care Most of the things we care about or worry about are very insignificant.  Most of our worries never become reality anyways.  Think about it when was the last time you actually worried about something and had it really happen? I would guess 1 out of your last 100 worries turned into reality.Often we care too much about pleasing others.  We care too much about how we come across. We care too much about our pride and ego.  We try to follow our parents guidance and advice, and we really do care about being good sons and daughters. Well I say forget that.I’m not saying become a jerk, I’m just saying that if you are always putting others and their needs before yours you are not being authentic.  You aren’t being real.  You are trying to live a pretend life and project a pretend lifestyle.

   Start being real.  If that means that you will offend some people so be it.  If that means that some of your current friends might dump you for it, then oh well you’ll make new ones.  If that actually happens it means that they are probably losers in the first place and aren’t good success models to start with.

   When you actually start being real and more authentic something amazing happens.  You notice that your relationships with others become a lot stronger.  Even people who don’t agree with you will start trusting you more, and be open around you.  Why?  Because they know the real you, they know you got boundaries, and people actually respect that.

3. Burn the Boats It’s a known fact that many successful tribes and warriors burned their boats right after they landed on their enemies grounds.  They burned their ships and basically made it impossible to flee the war that they are about to engage in other than victoriously.  They either fought and all died, or they were victorious and took over the land and everything in it.If you are trying to become successful in any area of your life you need to burn the boats.  You need to make it so that failure isn’t an option.  I know that sounds nice and all but I bet you are asking, “how the hack do I do that?”  Here is a practical example.Changing career paths.  You decide you want to change your career path.  So how do you burn the boats or cut off any hope of staying in your current job?  You first tell all of your friends and relatives about your decision. Because now if you wont follow through they’ll probably hassle you about it.  You get some guidance on how to start in your new career of choice.  If you already have some money saved up that you can live off for a few months, you might even consider quitting your job tomorrow. Because once you quit there is no going back. You start getting a resume ready and even maybe start applying to jobs in your new career path.
4. Nothing To Lose Everything To GainRemind yourself “I got nothing to lose and everything to gain”. How come?  Think about it. You created your current lifestyle, everything you have, all your accomplishment, financial wealth, relationships, connections and so on.  If all of those were to be taken away from you, using the same logic, you can get them all back in time.  So no matter what kind of risks you take you really have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  You can always come back to your little comfort zone.  However by stepping up, and taking risks you really do have everything to gain.  The world is yours for the taking.
5. Shatter Glass WallThe glass wall is the sum of all of our limiting beliefs and insecurities that hold us back in life.  When I was too shy to talk to strangers I had a very thick glass wall.  I thought strangers wouldn’t be nice to me.  I though they didn’t want to talk to me.  I thought they didn’t want anything I had to offer.  I thought I would annoy them. And so on.I had to shatter that glass wall which was mostly based on my own insecurities.  To shatter it I had to start acting in spite of my insecurities.  I had to feel the fear and do it anyways.

   You first step to shattering your glass wall is becoming more aware of it.  You have to start seeing it for what it is, a bunch of insecurities and limiting beliefs.  It’s called a glass wall because it’s often invisible.  Often we assume that we are right, things are they way we’ve always been taught and we never question our beliefs and insecurities.

For more success tips to go from lame to fame subscribe to my success rss feed to stay up to date on future success tips

Here is this week’s selection of personal development articles from all over the web:

HighGrace presents The Power of 3: How to keep your relationship solid — Face to the Sun posted at Face to the Sun.

Jody T Fransch presents Increase your productivity; jody fransch posted at jody fransch.

David B Bohl presents Is Enough Ever Enough? posted at Slow Down Fast Today!, saying, “Slow Down Fast Life Coaching and Lifestyle Design”

Health - Fitness

Alex Smith presents 50 Ways to Keep Yourself Safe from Sexual Assault posted at TBO-TECH.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents De-Stress Or Distress? posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Stephen presents How to Skillfully Deal with Suffering in the World posted at Balanced Existence.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Teasers: Spot the Difference posted at SharpBrains, saying, “Want some brain exercise?”

Outsource the Boring Blog Carnival Submission Process - Explode Your Search Engine Rankings & Triple Your Traffic. Try my Blog Carnival Submission Service FREE for 30 days.

Money - Income

Ben Dinsmore presents 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Asking Your Boss for a Raise posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, “We all want to make more money. Some of us deserve to, while others may need to do a little more preparation. If you are prepared to take the next step and ask your boss for a raise, here are 5 question that I would ask myself first.”

maria gudelis presents Series II - Lessons learned from the Enlightened Wealth Institute posted at Maria Gudelis.

Wilfrid presents Making Money Online, Ten Things I Wish I Knew As A Beginner posted at Your Finish Rich Plan.

Random

Patrick A. Sizemore presents Working in a Crappy, Interrupting, Distracting Place - The Fifth Dimension posted at College Information for Smart Students.

Alaia Williams presents 10 Minute Tips posted at One Organized Life Blog, saying, “Getting organized doesn’t have to take a lot of time. There are plenty of things that can be done in a few minutes that help you get organized and save time in the long run.”

Peter presents Six Scientific Ways to Create True Happiness posted at The Change Blog.

Security - Comfort Zone - Challenge

Richard Johnson presents Face Your Frightening Questions posted at Reaching A Better Place, saying, “Hi there,
This article is about the benefits of facing frightening questions.”

Alex Smith presents Vacations and Home Security posted at TBO-TECH.

Social Skills

David presents Active Listening Tips posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, “A recent study by the Rand Corporation found that the overall care of the vulnerable elderly - those with chronic conditions that are not living in a nursing home or other skilled nursing facility - is inadequate.”

Peter Murphy presents Easy Ways To Overcome Self-Consciousness posted at Communication Skills Power.

Louise Manning presents Strength or weakness? posted at The Human Imprint.

Success - Failure

Dr Martin W. Russell presents Working Through A Problem posted at Dr Martin W. Russell.

Chris Edgar presents Dropping Your “Procrastination Persona” posted at Purpose Power Coaching, saying, “When we feel the need to adopt a contrived, artificial persona in our jobs — perhaps with the goal of looking tough, submissive, outgoing or something else — we create the kind of frustration that has us put off our work. Dispensing with our “work personality,” I suggest in this article, helps us avoid procrastination and improve our enjoyment of what we do.”

Neelakantha presents 100 Tips and Resources to be a Happy, Successful Lawyer posted at JobProfiles.org - Job Descriptions and Online Schools to Start Your Career.

Rigdha presents 8 “Must Use” Free Time Management Tools to Save Tons of Time posted at Get Your Success Now.

Richard Onebamoi presents The Three Ps of a Test posted at SELF-IMPROVE-BLOG.

Sid Savara presents Positive Talk Creates Positive Action - How to Stop Talking Like a Loser posted at Sid Savara . com - Personal Development, Maximizing Productivity and Life Hacking, saying, “Every day we make many tiny decisions that affect our lives. One of the decisions we make almost unconsciously is the way we talk to ourselves, and the way our words affect our attitude and our action.”

Azelma Petit presents The Chuck Norris Guide to Self Motivation posted at Biz.Edu, saying, “A guide that uses Chuck Norris examples to give good advice on ways to motivate yourself in all walks of life, including entrepreneurship.”

Vidyut presents Self awareness and the self-coached climber posted at Footprints on the Mountainside.

Mike King presents Making Small Yet Measurable Progress posted at Learn This, saying, “Measuring progress is a process aimed at determining whether goals are being achieved.”

Ben Shewmaker presents Just Say No To Self Help Books posted at Life Begins @ 26.

Money - Income

Jonathan presents 10 Essential Keys on Building a Monavie Business posted at Health And Wealth With Monavie, saying, “10 Important keys for multi level marketing”

Outsource the Boring Blog Carnival Submission Process - Explode Your Search Engine Rankings & Triple Your Traffic. Try my Blog Carnival Submission Service FREE for 30 days.

If you are a bloger or an online editor or content contributer I’m sure you had this dream.  You write a killer peice of content, or create a killer online video.  You submit your site’s link for the killer article or peice of video to Digg (or any other social news or sharing website) and poof, you hit the front page, your content is featured, your getting so much freaken traffic that your site goes down from all the traffic ;)  Oh and you get lots of new readers to your site of course, generate more income either from ads or whatever you are selling on your site, and live happily every after

Now back to reality, it probably hasn’t happened yet.  You have probably wrote many articles that you thought were killer peices of content, or made awesome kick-butt videos.  Yeh they never got the traffic you thought they deserved.  How come?

Well maybe your content is great but I’m guessing your Headline stinked.  Yes this is a problem I noticed even with my content.  Which is why as I’m learning about headlines from copyblogger I wanted to share my notes and findings with you.

Writing that Killer Headline, start taking mental notes, or even better bookmark this list and come back to review:

• Usually 8 out of 10 people will read your content’s headline first and if their attention isn’t hooked they are off to the next site.  This is especially true for Stumble upon users, and others on social news websites.
• Start with the headline first.  Your headline should attract the reader by communicating what they’ll get out of reading or viewing it.  Writing your headline first will also help you stay focused when you write your post or make your video.
• Target keywords in your headline and content.  Don’t target the most popular keywords, target the variations instead.  These don’t have as much competition and will get you ranking high on the search engine in different smaller niches.
• How To type of articles are the best for hitting digg’s and del.icio.us front pages.  People want useful information.  Start your headline with “How To”.
• Your headline should be all about the benefits.  Everyone is busy.  As they are browsing the net they want to know the short and sweet end result before investing any more time in your content.  If the benefits are attractive, the browser’s attention is hooked and he becomes a loyal reader.  After the “How To” you gotta focus on one or two benefits. If you can link the two benefits it’s even better. A famous headline is “How to win friends and influence people”.  A few more are….
  • How to Save Time and Get Things Done
  • How to Get a Better Job and Make More Money
  • How to Save Money and Retire Rich
• Quick way to come up with such a headline is to use this formula.  How to [some boring task] That [Rewarding attention hooking benefit]
• Another formula that works is leaving out the to portion.  How [I got or to get] [an awesome benefit the reader probably wants].  Like “How I ranked in Google’s top 10 results from Day 1″.  This actually is true, my latest niche blog ranked #9 out of 3.5 million related sites in Google search results the first day it was indexed by Google bot.  Leave me a comment if you’d like to find out how.  If there is enough interest I will share my secrets
• List posts get attention.  The bigger the list the better.  10 reasons… 20 tips to… 10 steps to …
  • check out copyblogger for examples
• Copy blogger also has some more good headline formulas