Three
Powerful Principles for Success
By: Brian Tracy
Be
Clear About Your Goals
There are many similarities between business and work. In both cases, the victor
is the one who uses superior strategy against his or her competition.
There are three principles of military strategy you can apply to your work every
single day. The first idea from the military is called the Principle of
Maneuver. The principle of maneuver says that you should be clear about the
goal, but be flexible about the process of achieving it. According to the
Menninger Institute, this quality of flexibility is the most important single
quality that you will require for success in times of rapid change.
Be Open to Continuous Feedback
A key peak performance quality for you is to �accept feedback and self-correct.�
Peak performers are those who can take information from their environment and
even if the information is contrary to all of their planning, they can accept
the information, modify their plans, and continue moving forward. They are
always open to new ideas and insights.
Learn
What You Need To Know
The second military principle you can use is the Principle of Intelligence. This
principle of intelligence means simply, �get the facts!�
The most important thing in business decision making is for you to get accurate
information. Facts don�t lie. It is important that you get the real facts, not
the assumed facts or the apparent facts or the obvious facts, or the hoped for
facts, but the real, provable facts.
Make Better Decisions
Perhaps the key job of the executive is decision making. The quality of the
decisions that you make will be in direct proportion to the amount of time that
you take to gather timely and accurate information. The very best thing that you
can do, if you have insufficient information, is to delay making a decision at
all.
Invest Your Resources Wisely
The third military principle applied to strategic planning is the Principle of
Economy of Force. Economy of force means that you expend only the resources
necessary to achieve the objective and not more. It also means that you commit
sufficient resources to achieve the objective once you have decided upon it.
Since your own personal energy is all you really have to invest over the course
of your lifetime, the military principle of economy says that you should be very
selfish when deciding how you are going to use yourself. Keep asking yourself,
�How important is this?� and more important, �How important is this to me?�
Action Exercises
Here are two ideas that you can apply immediately to be more strategic in your
work and personal life.
First, remain flexible when you are working towards your goal. In times of rapid
change, all of your best ideas can be contradicted by new information. Be
willing to try different things. Be open to new inputs and ideas.
Second, get the facts! The more and better information you can acquire before
you make a decision, the better your decision will be. The very best managers
spend a good deal of time getting the real, provable facts before they take
action.
About
Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy is a leading authority on personal and business success. As Chairman
and CEO of
Brian Tracy International,
he is the best-selling author of 17 books and over 300 audio and video learning
programs. Copyright � 2001 Brian Tracy International. All Rights Reserved.
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