It is a well established fact that success in life goes most frequently not to the most deserving, the best looking or even the most intelligent. Instead, it tends to go to the person with the greatest amount of drive or motivation. Motivation is that intangible something which makes you get up early in the morning, full of energy and ready to accomplish tasks and attack obstacles because you "want to." You have passion. You are driven.

But in today's complicated, competitive and often cut-throat world how does the success-oriented person maintain consistently high levels of motivation to get the job done and achieve the stated goal? How is it possible when there are so many negative and retarding forces arrayed against you sapping your energy and causing you mental fatigue?

Well, here are six powerful steps which will help you through and beyond the trials and tribulations.

#1 - You must be driven by an overwhelming desire to achieve a specific goal. Goals give purpose to life. Without them, you will find yourself meandering through life being controlled by events and the actions (or inactions) of others. You might get lucky and accomplish a little something. But that which you achieve will be the result of just that - luck - or put another way "mediocre, accidental success."

#2 - Each goal must be clear and specific. They should be written down. And you should be able to write them down in 15 words or less so clearly that a 10-year-old can understand them. Statements such as "I want to be happy" or "I want to be rich" are not goals; they are daydreams. Wake up! Goals must be rational, have a timeline for achieving them and be concrete such that you can actually measure whether or not the goal is being achieved.

#3 - Nourish your goals. Feed them with thought and effort. Smart thinking and specific actions are the nutrients which feed goals and enable them to grow into strong realities. You should have a "daily things to do list" which includes specific tasks aimed at bringing you closer to your specific, clear and concrete goals.

#4 - Adopt the following mantra: "I get the most out of life by endeavoring to get the most out of each day." This mantra is to be repeated in the morning shortly after getting out of bed; once in the evening shortly before going to bed and each and every time you feel yourself wavering or slacking off.

#5 - Consistently rest and relax. Nothing which has been said above implies that you must run through life frantic and at breakneck speed. In fact, your actions will be smooth, efficient and effective because you will be working according to a plan and because you know what you are doing. Since your goals are concrete and not daydreams or fantasies, you will be able to see and measure your progress. And next to a good sexual experience, nothing enables you to rest like being able to honestly say at night "This was a good day."

#6 - Meditate to the point of self-hypnosis. Daily meditation (or prayer for those of you who are more religious) need not take more than 15 minutes to one-half hour of your time. Go to a comfortable, quiet place, sit down, lean back, close your eyes and gradually relax your entire body. Then program positive, constructive thoughts into your mind. This can be a self-hypnotizing experience in which you render your mind relaxed, clear, sharp and happy. Try it. It can truly be a powerful and freeing experience.

P.S. - If you can get another person or a team of friends to engage in some of the above practices with you on a regular basis, the experience will be even more powerful, liberating and motivational. This group or "family" can also act as a protective shield helping one another to ward off and combat some of those retarding forces and obstacles which are bound to occur.

Robert N. Taylor is a researcher and newsletter editor. For more information about this article and other Taylor writings, visit http://www.freewebs.com/wealthgazette