Success Rule #30
Maintain a Success Portfolio

 A success portfolio is simply a way to provide evidence of your productivity. Why is this important? First, it is a constant reminder of, and accountability to, your success. If you've followed these rules and tools, you will recall the first rule is, Success . . . it's everything you think it is. Success builds confidence, confidence leads to success, and success builds . . . well you get the picture.
 
Secondly it's a resource to refer back to, not only so as to improve on previous successes, but also to be able to refer back to when it's time for your review. Ideally one would expect an immediate supervisor to be aware and knowledgeable of what we've accomplished over the past year when it comes time for our annual review. The truth of the matter is they typically don't know what you've done for the past few months, much less for the past year. Instead your review becomes simply a snapshot of the past several weeks versus a compilation of the whole year .  .  .  unless you have a success portfolio.
 
With a well-constructed success portfolio you can either provide it to your supervisor, bring it with you for your review, or use it yourself and write an "executive" overview to give to your reviewer. I first learned this technique in its simplest form as a young Lieutenant in the Air Force. My supervisor called me in to go over my Officer Performance Report. I was totally taken aback by the lack of information he had written about me. It was at that moment I realized no one cares more about my career than I do. From that point forward I kept a log of all my projects, accomplishments, letters of appreciation and anything I felt important enough to record or keep. Never again did I receive a poorly written review.
 
It is said luck isn't anything more than when preparation meets opportunity. In other words, we create our own luck by being prepared. You're at a business card exchange, a cocktail party or industry conference and during conversations you meet someone who is interested in your work, your services, or can perhaps further your career. You arrive at a follow-up meeting with your success portfolio, or you send one via email, it may just get you that new job or client you were looking for. Click here for additional tips on creating a Success Portfolio that Rocks!!!  

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 Success Rule # 29
How to Form a Mastermind Alliance

 In previous rules I discussed the need to be self-aware of the seeds you sow - your goals, dreams, vision, New Year resolutions, etc. - and what it is you think about. To help, it’s important to have many different sources that continue to remind and reinforce those thoughts and hence your success. In Tool Number 28 I spoke about creating your own Vision/Dream Board with a picture and a link to examples. If you are looking for a way to take your thinking to the next level, becoming a member or starting your own mastermind alliance may be a solution worthy of your consideration. The benefits that a well-organized mastermind group can bring to your business and your life can be invaluable.
extraordinary success in your life consider starting your own master mind alliance.

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Success Rule # 28
Create a Vision / Dream Board

Success Rule # 27
Practice Gratitude

 The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude's effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.
 
But while we may acknowledge gratitude's many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. ... Click here to read more, download and print.

 
Success Rule # 26
Expect Adversity

 Look around you, there isn't a single person you know who hasn't faced some challenge(s) in their lifetime. It may be a bully at school or in the office. It may be someone badgering you because of your beliefs. It may be just the aches and pains of growing older. In today's economic crisis it may be unemployment, foreclosure, or the income isn't enough to cover the expenses. Whatever it is in your life, someone has got it just as bad - or worse. How do we face that something like that? How do we face that adversity in a way that can actually benefit us?   

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