Success and achievement are a science. They are the result
of specific methods and tools that anyone can learn, and in
fact, ARE mastered by most of us when we are adequately
motivated. (See last week's article.) Each of us have
achieved extraordinary success in our lives. We have set
goals that were important to us, developed plans and
budgets, learned the skills, devoted the time, energy and
discipline to achieve our goals, and ultimately passed the
test to get our driver's license. We even talked our parents
into letting us borrow the car -- and we did all that as
mere teenagers!

We've learned to ride a bike, date, get into school, perhaps
buy and sell stocks or real estate. We've learned to play
poker or bake a birthday cake for someone special. We've
learned to plan a vacation, mastered the obscure intricacies
of an iPod or assembled a swing set for the kids.

Each of us has a history of specific, methodical success. We
have achieved goals that were important to us, and mostly
we've done it on time and on budget.

And yet. And yet when it comes to the "big" goals or the
"big" transformations in life, many of us remain stuck and
frustrated.

We want to change our personality, save for the future,
start a business, go back to school or move to Australia and
we seem to make little or no progress. From year to year, our
weight, health and fitness levels remain about the same. We
want to up-grade our home, but we stay where we are. We want
more money or a promotion, but find it "hard." What's going on?

The New Science of Success says the likely culprit is an
inadequate plan.

The plan always comes first. Whether we are learning to walk
(the plan is to try and try again...until!) or sailing the
world after retiring at age 50, the key is a plan that has a
high likelihood of success. Adequate plans include a list of
skills to be mastered, and mentors to teach us. They include
a budget for time, energy, money and extra time to recover
from "mid-course corrections."

A goal without a plan is just a pipedream! I recently talked
with a woman who lives in rural Wisconsin. For most of her
life she's dreamed of going to college to becoming a science
teacher, preferably on U.S. military bases overseas. She's
come to our World Class Life conference a couple of times,
invested in other workshops, listened to audio programs, and
even started a MasterMind group, "although it quickly became
just a ladies chat group." And little has changed.

What's going on? She has no plan! There's no budget. She
hasn't applied for scholarships or aid programs. She isn't
taking courses part-time, even though there's a branch of
the University of Wisconsin only a few minutes from her
home. She hasn't systematically borrowed books from the
library to prepare herself. Her husband supports her, but
there is no agreement for him to cook, clean, tend the kids
or allow time for her to study. In short, she's spent time
and money, effort and heartache on a dream, but has no
strategy for success.

No wonder it isn't happening for her! (We've talked and I
have permission to share her story without naming her.)

Compare that to a guy named Kheen, who knocked on my door
several years ago and announced he was going to build a sub-
division on 27 acres across the road. He pointed out where
the roads would be, knew the number of lots, the spec homes
he would build to get the neighborhood started, and how to
get the permits and funding he would need. He had a plan. He
KNEW the future in advance! (And, in about 18 months, he
pulled it off. I estimate he made about 3 million dollars,
although that's a guess.)

There's a wonderful quote from Walt Disney: "If you can
dream it, you can do it." I believe that, but with a vital
caveat -- you need a plan. You need a strategy, a system or
map or a recipe.

Every building project requires blueprints. Every cake
requires a recipe. Every business loan requires a business
plan. Every little kid has a plan to stay up late, even if
the plan is just to whine and argue until Mom or Dad gives
in.

The New Science of Success requires that you have a plan to
achieve your most important goals. Trump Tower is the result
of a goal, a high level of motivation, and a detailed plan.
Oprah and Bill Gates, and that successful cousin of yours,
all have plans, budgets, schedules and benchmarks for every
new project they take on. So should you.