“People are basically the same the world over. Everybody wants the same things — to be happy, to be healthy, to be at least reasonably prosperous, and to be secure. They want friends, peace of mind, good family relationships, and hope that tomorrow is going to be even better than today.” — Zig Ziglar

Here is a common question I get from the community, and it’s a great question so thank you all who have asked, “Why do you quote Zig Ziglar so often?” The answer is really simple, Zig’s teachings and motivation have inspired millions of people all over the world to meet and exceed their goals and dreams. Zig Ziglar’s material is timeless, what he shared years ago, still applies today, and I promise will continue to work in our future.

Let’s take a look more closely at five strategies that I have personally used to accelerate and sustain my own success.

The first is the importance of having a healthy self-image. The way we see ourselves will dictate how we perform in our role, how others see and perceive us, and it greatly impacts our self-worth and our ability to communicate. By working on believing in and being a better “us,” we will gain the confidence to be a better anything as we look to growing both personally and professionally.

The second is developing and maintaining a positive attitude. And the thinking here is that a positive mental attitude may not allow us to do everything, however a positive mental attitude will allow us to do everything, and I do mean everything, better than a negative attitude will. Developing the ability to recognize negativity and escaping its path is part of the strategy for success. There will be people who help launch you to greatness and come alongside of you, providing encouragement to help you maintain that positive and winning attitude.

The third strategy for greater success is building winning relationships at home and at work. In a “me” centered world we have to recognize and harness the beauty and power of a “we” centered world. Studies show that we can only go so far in our professional life if our personal life is out of balance. And the number one area that impacts this is found in our relationships. The stronger relationships we have at home, the stronger relationships we can build at work and in our chosen profession.

The fourth part of our strategy in pursuing success is setting and achieving goals. Many could argue that this is the number one factor or strategy, however, I believe it is rightly placed here in the number four spot because if we can take care of steps one, two, and three in our strategy, goal setting will come much easier. When we look at the success rate of people who take the time to identify, set, and work towards the achievement of their goals, we see a massive difference in the level of personal and professional success. A goal setting program can truly change our lives.

Lastly, the number five strategy for achieving greater success can be found in hope. Every one of us reading this column has hope for something and in someone. It’s been said that hope is not a strategy, but hope is an activator. When we feel hopeful, we are more likely to try new things, pushing ourselves to achieve greater success. We don’t focus on what can go wrong, we live for what will go right. And just remember this gem from Mr. Ziglar as well, “The doors of hope swing widest on the hinges of encouragement.”

How about you? Could you benefit from a healthier self-image, developing and maintaining a positive attitude, building winning relationships at home and at work, setting and achieving your goals and dreams, and living with hope? I would love to hear your success stories at mnorton@tramazing.com, and when we apply these five key strategies for success, it really will be a better than good year.

Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.