We know many of the things we should be doing to be happier, to be more physically fit and to be more financially secure. We know we should set our goals, manage our time, and spend more time with our families, exercise, eat right, work hard, sleep more and have a positive mental attitude. We want to accomplish great feats and to be the best at what we do. And we want it all now.

Why are some people super-successful, while others dwell in mediocrity? Ask almost anyone out there, and I bet they'll say they want more out of life. They want to be better, to accomplish more or to pursue those buried and forgotten goals. So, why do so many of us fall short of achieving our dreams? We all want success. We all want to be happy. We all want to be self-disciplined and fulfill our wildest dreams. In fact, we don't just want success; we want massive success.

So, why aren't we doing these things? The desire is there, right? Does it ever seem beyond your reach? The good news is that if you really want success, you can have it. Success is an open book test in which the answers are right in front of you if you know where to look for them. Everyone has enormous potential. You were designed for greatness. There is something you are predestined to accomplish. Let's start on your success today. Don't procrastinate any longer. When you take a look at your life, know that there are no do-overs, reset buttons or mulligans. This is it, so it's time to make it happen. No longer will you stick your big toe in the pool of success; it's time to jump in.

We all deserve and desire to be happy, to be truly successful and to have an enjoyable life. We were put on this Earth to be happy. Rather than fretting over the future, you need to enjoy life's journey and know what it takes to achieve success and happiness. Things will not change with hope and desire alone, although they are great starting points. You also need to take action. You need to have a plan in mind and take control of your life. We all have to find that winning edge that will propel us to the top and help us achieve the things we know we are capable of accomplishing. In this chapter, we are going to take your dreams and desires and turn them into reality.

Remember the open book tests in school and how we could look up the answers?
The answers were there, right in front of us; we just had to be willing to go to the source to find the answer. Metaphorically speaking, all of the amazingly successful people in the world are constantly leaving behind clues or answers-like an open book-that can help anyone become extremely successful. I refer to the polished mastery of these combined skills as the "Exponential Factor." When you have the Exponential Factor, your potential for success skyrockets to unlimited heights. As the name suggests, your possibilities for success and greatness become exponential.

Life is a fantastic game. We can spend our time either training and winning or waiting in the bleachers of life, watching and wishing we were on the field doing the things we really know we can and want to do. You are in charge of your life. How you live is your decision and yours alone. You can make excuses and rationalize all day why you are not on the field, but until you decide you want to be in the game, that you want to enjoy the victories as well as suffer the bruises and defeats, you will not be happy or reach the success you know you deserve or are capable of achieving.

THE PROBLEMS AND PITFALLS

There are many quick fixes that create excitement and motivation, ones that work for a few days or even months, but eventually after that initial euphoric feeling wears off, we are back to square one. We are back to wanting and wishing, but with no results. Why, after all the flashy seminars and conferences and CDs, are we still only temporarily motivated? Why have we still not arrived at the destination we call success? What is taking us so long? Motivation and personal development is a billion-dollar industry, and it only continues to grow each year. Thousands of books and lectures exist on the topics of success and personal development. They're all telling us what we want to hear, but where are the lasting long-term results? Why, after so much invested time, is it always back to our warm comfort zone?

I have often wondered why, even in the midst of best intentions, excitement declines and persistence deteriorates. Even the endeavors that are most meaningful to us seem to get lost in the distance when we are confronted by life's daily setbacks, hassles and frustrations. All too often, the path to success, at times so clearly defined, begins to get blurry again. But lack of long-term success goes much deeper than daily setbacks, hassles and frustrations. Take time to examine where all the detours come from: the self-doubt, the self-sabotage, the nagging, the negative inner voice and the inability to stick to the things you know you should be doing. Sometimes, our lack of persistence stems from the fact that the required behavior is not part of our customary pattern. Other times, it's because we're not doing it for the right reasons or in the right way. Sometimes, it's because we're trying to treat the surface problem or behavior rather than the underlying issue it stems from. That is, we're treating the symptoms instead of the disease. It is like trying to get off a car stuck on cruise control.

Whatever the reasons may be, you can't keep waiting around Are you waiting for a terrible experience to make you change your ways? Are you hoping for a miracle, the lottery or Publisher's Clearinghouse to change your life? I want to show you how to get started now. This is not just another motivational attempt. These concepts will change your life, will supercharge your success and will bring you happiness. Now it is time to give yourself permission to win.