Long before the success gurus
Or life coaches or motivational speakers and movers that we know now, there was Og Mandino and his legendary books on how to achieve success.
Og Mandino was a prolific inspirational writer and is responsible for a good number of books outlining the secrets to one’s personal and financial success. His famous books were “The Greatest Salesman in the World” and “The Greatest Secret in the World.”
I am fortunate to have these books in my collection. Funny that after all these years, his book still wields magic.
And so it can be told that on one evening, I was feeling lackluster, lethargic, and yes, oh so lazy, that as I was skimming for a book to re-read at home, Og Mandino’s “The Greatest Secret in the World,” fell on the floor. What was so uncanny was when I leafed through the pages; I came upon The Scroll Marked IX.
“My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible.
All are of no value unless they are followed by action.
I will act now.”
Wow!
Never before was I so struck by the clarity of the message given to me just at the right time and just when I needed to hear it most, that it literally moved me into action. (Yes, this being the blog post that you are reading now.)
Still holding the book in my hands, I sat down, and pondered.
The Greatest Secret In The World Is The Greatest Secret To Success.
And it’s all just contained in four little words!
How To Achieve Success Through These 4 Power Words
I.Will.Act.Now.
#1. It Starts with I
No one is responsible for our own success. Not your parents, not your spouse, not your children, not your friends. They’re there to support us in all our endeavors but we are the ones who decide what to do with our life and how to do things. We hold the key.
#2. Will
Will is a verb but it can also be a noun. It stems from our desire or resolve to do something. It comes from the gut. It’s that unsinkable feeling of wanting to do something; of rising above.
#3. Act
To act means to do something. To move. To perform. To take that step to making things. To step out from just mere thinking. To produce results. To be dynamic; not static.
#4. Now
Not later, not tomorrow, not next week. Not a second later. Not a moment longer. Today, here, now.
It’s an unmistakable truth: if we want to succeed in life, we cannot afford to be lazy. When we talk of success, we talk of grabbing opportunities when it is presented before us and not let it just pass us by. When we talk of success, we talk of how time is gold and not a minute is wasted doing nothing.
Stop Dreaming And Start Doing!
That pretty sums up how to achieve success.
Let me just end with Og Mandino’s words as a fitting tribute to a man who continues to be an inspiration:
“I will act now.
Success will not wait.
If I delay she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever.
This is the time.
This is the place.
I am the man.
I will act now.”
Who inspires you to succeed? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to share, retweet, or bookmark! Thank you!
To Your Success,
Elmar Sandyck
November 26th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Hi Elmar,
Great post, and so timely! There’s something I wanted to do all week, but haven’t. It’s something I really have to work at because it doesn’t come naturally to me. It also involves a new skill I have to learn first. Reading your post prompted me to “act now.” At the very least to get it started. Thanks for the push!
Ilka
[Reply]
admin Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 4:44 am
Hi Ilka,
I agree, It is quite tempting to succumb to the idea of doing things tomorrow and then realize that you’ve actually wasted a lot of time by not doing it immediately. I believe all of us, at one point or another, are guilty of this (even I myself). The good thing though is that we have the power to change our mindset
. I’m glad that this post has inspired you to get things started with what you needed to do.
Thanks for stopping by!
Elmar
[Reply]
November 29th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Hi Elmar,
I WILL ACT NOW! What a powerful sequence of words.
As we know inertia is a powerful force in keeping us firmly in our comfort zones, but that’s not where success lies.
Once we get into action towards the attainment of our goals, the easier it is to stay in action.
Have a great day,
Wayne
[Reply]
admin Reply:
November 30th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Hi Wayne,
Some of us are very much resistant to changes (well most of us, for that matter), that’s why we prefer to stay in our own comfort zones. You’re absolutely right when you said that once we start moving towards our goal, taking action will be much easier.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your views
!
Elmar
[Reply]
December 10th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Elmar, what a great and classic book! It is so applicable to those who operate home businesses. For years I have told friends that it is easy to work at home. The problem is that it is even easier to not work at home. The Scroll marked IX sure does address that. We need to act. A body in motion tends to stay in motion until acted upon. We need to plan, prepare, and plan. Ultimately we need to act. Great Post. Thanks!
[Reply]
January 23rd, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Hi Elmar,
Og Mandino’s book are really great and I agree on everything you said in this post. Procrastinating is not a good attitude, in order for us to reach for our dreams we must know how to ACT NOW because chance only knocks once. We must always grab every opportunities that will come in our life. We cannot afford to be lazy if we want to have a bright future.
[Reply]