Want to succeed? Her's a quick and guaranteed formula

Business success and life success go hand in hand. Succeed in one and you succeed in everything if you follow these suggestions.

No matter the industry, no matter whether you run your business from a corporate boardroom in a high rise or a spare bedroom at the back of your house, leadership brings lots of challenges.

We all get tired. Most leaders work longer hours than anyone else and yet have all the same family responsibilities that jam-pack our schedules. But whether a work-at-home entrepreneur or a board-of-directors hired CEO, leaders need one key trait: the ability to focus and stay on track . So, knowing that success demands efficiency, remember that failure is not an option.

That said, here are five practical suggestions - along with what we hope is some encouragement and inspirational wisdom - that will help you succeed.

Step #1: Pace yourself

It's human nature to wait to the last minute. Don't. Plan your time. Understand that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Identify your priorities, break them down into tasks and put them in your schedule. Review that schedule at the start and end of each day.

Similarly, be selective in accepting invitations to take on more work. Think carefully before saying yes. Your "down time" and sharpening-the-saw time is not a luxury. It's critically important to your physical and mental health. But some time for solitude, medication, prayer, thinking time into your schedule. Think of it as a recharging period, as critical to your energy levels as plugging your laptop into a wall is to its power supply.

Step #2: Know what your job is... and what it isn't

One job all leaders have is to be an example to the people they lead, do business with and influence. Let your lifestyle be one of integrity. Know that people are watching. We teach by more than words so look at your life carefully. If you have employees, they will model their behavior after yours.

Leaders are also to be an encourager and a guide. Don't be a stern taskmaster. Let your words build up and inspire.

You can’t fix everything. You also can’t do everything. Real leaders know how to delegate. Leaders are facilitators, teachers, mentors. If you are a one person operation, see what tasks you can outsource. See what tasks you have that take away from your most important functions. Concentrate on the most important and be ruthless in letting the trivial pull you away.

Step #3: Recognize your limitations

You will make mistakes. Understand that. Learn from them. If you have hurt others, apologize promptly and seek to make things right. Don't let mistakes bring you down. Use them to build you up. Experience is a great teacher and we learn more from failure than success. Similarly, be quick to forgive coworkers, clients or others when they make mistakes or hurt you.

Set goals. Work to learn more, gain wisdom and experience. Write down those goals. Identify your weaknesses and then figure out how to turn them to strengths. Spend some time every day learning new things about your business and about leadership. Practice patience.

Step #4: Realize there is a cost

Leadership indeed does have its perks. But realize that leadership is work. It requires lots of time. Something will have to go. Weed out from your life the distractions and pursuits that needlessly drain your energy and steal your time like too much TV watching or Internet surfing.

Also know that whenever a person steps up to leadership, you have have a target on your back. You will be criticized, sometimes with cause, often with out. Realize it just goes with the territory. Develop a thick skin. Leaders see things others don’t. They dream dreams others don’t have. They work towards a future others can’t imagine yet.

That means that leaders can get lonely. Network with other leaders. You need to be mentored, too.

Step #5: Realize you will succeed

Leaders are confident of success. We may not see how or understand exactly how that will happen but you need to be absolutely, 100% certain that you will succeed. .

That means that the people you lead should see that confidence in you. So should your clients and customers. So should your family. Confidence breeds success.

Go… be confident… succeed!

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