Success and wealth don’t happen by themselves.  You have to want them and develop the skills to possess them.  Even people who win the lottery often lose the money quickly because they don’t have the skills to keep it.

Most of us learned about the natural law of ‘cause and effect’ in school.  For every action there is a reaction.  Very simply, if you forget your umbrella and it rains (cause), you’ll get wet (effect).

When you learn to control causes and take responsibility, you will reach your desired effect.  The 5 causes outlined here are learnable skills.  They are not inborn talents, but skills, that can become habits.

Practice these skills for the next month since studies have shown that it takes between 30 and 40 days to develop a new emotional or physical habit.  Don’t be overwhelmed by this task.  Break down each skill and achieve one at a time.

Time Management
We all have the same 24 hours, yet how is it that some people manage to get so much more accomplished than others?   Successful time managers know what they can realistically achieve; plan to make the best use of time available; leave enough time for things they absolutely must do; and conserve contingency time to handle the unexpected.   They also minimize stress by not over committing.

Organization
Your most valuable real estate is your desk.  If you find concentration on a task is difficult then a disorganized desk will compound the problem.  Moving from task to task as projects come into your line of vision will decrease your productivity and adversely affect the bottom line. The average businessperson wastes 150 hours a year looking for things.  That’s almost an entire month.

Communication Skills
It doesn’t matter what business you’re in or how many people you work with – effective oral and written communication skills are essential.  The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others as clearly as possible.  This is vital to career progression. To do this, you must understand your message, your audience, and how it will be perceived.

Goal Setting
Goal setting gives you both long-term vision and short-term motivation.  The process of setting written goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also quickly spot distractions.  Well-set goals can be incredibly motivating, and as you get into the habit of setting and achieving goals, you’ll find that your self-confidence builds quickly.

Focused Action
Action sets everything in motion. Focused action gives direction.  Consistent, focused action can facilitate goal achievement better than anything else.  The fastest way to get from Point A to Point B is by a straight line.  Yet so often we get distracted and we veer off track, making it much harder to reach our desired goal.  When our actions are focused, we have clarity, a feasible plan and a passion for achievement.

Spend some time each day practicing these five skills, and after 30 days, they’ll become habit!