Secrets of my Success

What are the secrets of my success?
First and foremost is my phone - iPhone to be exact. My whole life is tied up in this phone. Calendar, shopping list, ipod (for exercising), multiple notes, and 100 apps. I have immediate access to the Internet at anytime. I wonder how did I exist before the phone was created.

Secondly my secret is checklists. I have checklists for practically everything. A packing checklist for when I travel. I have not forgotten my underwear since. A checklist for the office and the multiple tasks that I have delegated to my employees. It is a recordable, repeatable and consistent form of communication among my staff and I. I have checklists for my kids and their chores around the house. The most important checklist is the one I create on my iPhone every night before bed. It is a checklist of the tasks I need to accomplish the next day. I even have a checklist to check all my checklists. I know that sounds anal but it works.

Third is my business coach. Cindy Morus has been my business coach for the last three years. If you think you don't need a coach think again. Even Tiger Woods has a coach. Together Cindy and I have traveled on a path that helped me achieve my goals quicker than I had ever expected. Everyone needs a person in their corner, rooting them on or kicking them in the butt - whichever is necessary at the time.

The fourth secret is a backup plan. I always preach to my kids: Always have a backup plan. This can be as simple as thinking through the possiblities and asking yourself 'What will I do if this doesn't work'. This has made me feel more secure about achieving my goals because I have figured out there is more than one way to get a job done.

The fifth secret is to find the negativity in your life and use it to your benefit. Almost everything I have achieved in life today was due to some form of negativity. I found that I did not like working for other people especially if I felt the system was inefficient. Therefore I went to school and became a dentist so I could be my own boss. Another example was Carpel Tunnel Syndrome due to working long hours. This forced me to figure out a way to work less hours but be more efficient. Now I actually welcome 'problems' or when a situation makes me feel uncomfortable because I know that soon I will find a way to turn the negativity into a postive influence and improve my life.

Lastly my secret is to listen to my 'older, wiser voice'. You know that little voice inside your head. The one that tells you when you are making the wrong choice or that something doesn't feel right. I used to ignore that voice - suppress it. Now I listen to it and heed what it says. I call it my 'older, wiser voice' because I used to ask myself what I would do in certain circumstances if I were 'older' and 'wiser'. It has never lead me wrong. Now that I have tapped into that voice it talks to me all the time. It tells me when I have worked long enough, when I need to exercise and when I need to get off my butt. Right now that voice is telling me it is time to quit writing and go to sleep. It is older and wiser so I will respect it and listen.