I know this year will be great for me. As I mentioned above, I now have such clarity regarding my personal vision and mission, and I know that my business interests are perfectly aligned. Here’s how this year can be great for you, too – I outline 7 steps for you to follow.

Yes, there are some interesting dynamics in the global economy right now, but how can you change that into a positive? How can you guarantee that you will have a great year? Answer: Simply follow these 7 steps.

First, decide. It starts with a decision. You simply decide that it will be a great year for you. While many people have decided to be in a contraction mode and focus their energy on worrying about what bad things might happen to them, you can decide to have an abundance perspective.

For example, I know that there are an unlimited number of companies who need help with their businesses, or individuals who want to learn to get results in this environment. I can assist all of them to get the systems in place that will make achieving their goals easy.

Second, stay positive. It’s about maintaining a positive attitude in all situations. I’ve had my share of challenges in the recent past, but learning to keep stress and my attitude in check allowed me to have an optimistic outlook about tomorrow.

Start each day with some encouraging thoughts about what good you will create. Hopefully, you have goals that you review daily and visualize as complete, and you have affirmations that you repeat regularly for each of your goals. That is a step that you can begin today, which will help reprogram your brain to be on alert for opportunities that can accelerate your goal achievement.

Third, learn to manage your stress levels. There are a number of proven techniques to help reduce stress, and I’ve incorporated many of them into my regular routines. I have always exercised, but I’ve recently added meditation and journaling, which are proven to reduce the cortisol (stress hormone) levels in our bodies to help us manage stress. I recommend that you incorporate these things into your routines, as well.

Fourth, stay focused on your Action Plan. If you have a clear set of goals that you want to achieve during 2009, then have them act as a “North Star” for you. Remember, goals are not worth much unless you also get into action.

Many people set goals but don’t have the foggiest idea what to do next. Don’t get caught in the trap of confusion over too many choices. Instead, consider your most important goals for this year, and create an action plan of what you need to do to get there.

Fifth, work your plan. Your plan does not need to be perfect. You just have to take the first step and then respond to feedback. Think of getting into action similar to using the GPS in your car. You need to be in motion to get feedback. Once you’re in motion (taking action), you will eventually get to your destination (your goal).

Sixth, use proven tools and approaches. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. With a steady focus on your goals and the action plan you’ve created, you are now taking steps toward achieving them. While you’re in action, you can also do some research to see what other successful people have done and follow their examples.

This is one of the greatest benefits of being part of the i-saga community. You have access each week to some fantastic interviews with successful people. Listen to them over and over, review your notes, and mark up the transcripts (which are part of the upcoming membership).

Seventh, enjoy the process! Life is meant to be a fun adventure, so enjoy it while you live it. If you’re taking some of the steps above to keep your stress level manageable, then you can use the positive stress – eustress – to your advantage while keeping the levels of negative stress – distress – to a minimum.

Remember, winning is fun. Achieving your goals is fun, too. If you believe you’re well on your way to the success levels you have dreamed about, then you will indeed enjoy the process.

* * *

I know that if you follow the steps I’ve outlined above, you will have an amazing year!

To your highest success,

Pete Winiarski

Note: This article is published concurrent to the newsletter as a blog posting on the i-saga.net blog, SuccessStoriesBlog.net. Please visit the blog, and post a comment to let us know your thoughts about this article.