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Make Big Things Happen
Interview with Don Gabor

Don Gabor, author of "Big Things Happen When You Do the Little Things Right : A 5-Step Program to Turn Your Dreams into Reality," and the best seller "How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends," has identified a five-step process for achieving big goals. These steps work because they help people assess what they do well and want to accomplish. They also help people avoid some of the obstacles that keep others from achieving these goals.

Here are Don's five steps:
1. Commit to a big goal.
Where do you want to be and why? The why is often forgotten. The why gives us the motivation for what we want to do Is it the money? Will that be enough? Or is there something else that will motivate you toward the goal?

Get your dream machine going - what have you always wanted to do? Given enough time, money and resources, what would you do? A lot of people have no idea why they are doing what they are doing.

2. Plan your actions
Instead of getting bogged down in all the details, set up a "big step" approach. Determine the major steps you will take. It is like building a house - you design the house, put the foundation in, do the framing, etc. Then within those big steps you can organize the smaller steps. People get bogged down in the details too soon. There is time for attention to the details. Stay with the big picture and then fill in the details as you go along.

3. Act on your plans
Tap into your creativity, get help to get through all the steps. Set things in motion to move yourself along for the short and long term. For example, in writing a book, my framework is one year. What I've devised is a pacing strategy, similar to what marathon runners use. If you come out full speed ahead and don't have the stamina to maintain and build endurance, you won't last. For example, one pacing strategy is to warm up with the easy things first, then go to the hard things and finish with the easy. Runners use this hard-easy training strategy. You build strength without getting tired.

4. Persevere
You will succeed based on your ability to sustain motivation and effort. If you go back to the original question of why you are doing this, it helps you through the hard times. For example, criticism plays a big role. When we tell others who nay say what we are doing, that can affect us negatively. Dealing with procrastination and perfectionism are also factors. To overcome these things, find people who can help you get over the hurdles. Learn how to delegate some of those tasks.

5. Build on your success
Once you have accomplished the goal, then what? Go back to the beginning. Everything we accomplish is based on previous goals being completed. Your accomplishment becomes a stepping stone. Find another challenge. The most successful people never rest on their laurels.

You can use these techniques to achieve any goal. So take on a big goal. You are more capable than you might give yourself credit for.
For more information about Don Gabor, call salesleaders.com on 800 4321-WIN or e-mail us at information@salesleaders.com.
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