As a writing coach, my job is to help people develop successful freelance writing careers. Often that means helping them change the way they think about themselves, their work, and their ultimate goals.

As I coach clients, I offer them three tips for success. Interestingly enough, these tips can be applied to most anything in life - not just freelance writing.

Three Tips for Success:

1) Know what you really want, not just what you THINK you want. That is, be sure you are dreaming the right dream for yourself.

Here's an example. Many people come to me THINKING they want a career as a successful freelance writer. But, when it gets right down to it, it isn't writing that they love. It's the IDEA of writing. The idea of having their byline on magazine articles and maybe even a book.

But they don't really enjoy sitting alone at a computer, writing something. And they certainly don't enjoy writing and rewriting according to the strict guidelines of editors. In fact, many potential clients tell me, "too many guidelines stifle my creativity."

When I hear that I KNOW they are dreaming the wrong dream for themselves. They might write as a hobby, or publish their own work. But fulltime freelance writing is NOT going to be the dream life they think it will be.

So, first you have to thoroughly examine what it is you THINK you want, to find out if that is what you REALLY want.

2.) Develop a few key goals and stay focused on them. Successful people are not distracted by the newest "bright and shiny object" that comes their way each day. They remain focused on their ultimate goals. In fact, everything they do each day is in alignment with those goals, so each and every day they evaluate their actions and make changes in their behavior if needed. They ask themselves, "Does this have any part in my ultimate goal? Or is this just something I'm doing because I think I should do it?"

3) Think positively. Successful people don't think about failure. They think about success. They realize there will be problems or obstacles along the way. But they realize this is just part of the road to success.

People who are not as successful tend to see obstacles differently. They view them as reasons or "signs" that they should give up on their dreams. Don't fall into that trap.

Expect to be successful at whatever it is you are attempting to do. Don't say things to yourself and others like, "Gee. I hope I can do this, " or "I'm probably not going to be able to live my dreams."

Instead, develop the following mantra or affirmation and repeat it to yourself whenever things get tough:

"Failure is NOT an option!"

I think you'll find that when you no longer give yourself the option of failing, you'll feel much freer, as if something has been lifted from your shoulders. You'll realize that there really is no reason to fail. If something doesn't work, you just try something else until you reach your goal.

Follow these three simple tips consistently and you'll find that you really will be able to live the life of your dreams someday.

Suzanne Lieurance
http://www.workingwriterscoach.com