21 pathways to success in the New Year

Action is the final element of success. Your destiny is determined by your daily actions. It is not what you know, but what you do that counts.

Here is a list of 21 habits for success to employ in 2011:

1. Be punctual. Tardiness communicates a loud message. Are you late to scheduled meetings or on projects due? Do you pay your vendors and creditors on time? Some of the biggest gains in life can be achieved by simply being on time. Be on time if you want to increase credibility and opportunity.

2. Listen with your eyes. Do you listen to what people say or watch what people do? Behavior speaks louder than words. Be convinced by deeds not words. On the flip-side, get in the habit of showing what you mean instead of saying what you intend to happen.

3. Live your life on purpose. A life without purpose is a spasm. Get clear about what you want to create in the areas of health, relationship, recreation, financial and spiritual. What is your goal today? Tomorrow? Let your daily actions move you toward your highest goals and values today, and tomorrow.

4. Minimize distractions. Turn the TV off. Shut the door in your room or office. Find a place that can guard you from the unlimited distractions that will inevitably call for your attention. Focus on the important or be snared by trivial matters.

5. Avoid the blame game. Excessive blaming is a mental disease. No one can live your life for you. You are responsible. Your life will flourish as soon as you take accountability.

6. Say "Thank you." We were taught this at an early age, but many adults have not learned it. Let your actions with others be marked by appreciation.

7. Practice daily gratitude. OK, maybe you got fired, a loved one died or your house was foreclosed. Grieving is expected; be grateful, too. Remind yourself of all the blessings you experience. Life is guaranteed to deliver adversity. Gratitude has the power to overcome adversity. Take a few seconds each day to acknowledge your blessings.

8. Pay your bills. When you buy something, you have to pay for it. If you can't pay for it, don't buy it.

9. Eliminate non-essentials. Burnout's main precursor is taking on too many responsibilities. Trying to pour water into an already full glass only makes a mess. Sorry, you're not Super Man or Wonder Woman, you're human. Focus on the most important and let go of the rest.

10. Clarify communications. The point is to avoid walking away from a conversation with uncertainties. If you are not sure, then ask until you are clear. All of us have walked away from a conversation thinking we knew exactly what the other person's message was. Avoid the backtracking, the clean-ups, the hurt feelings and the wasted time by clarifying.

11. Demonstrate equality. People who treat others as inferior imply that they themselves are superior. Everybody wants to feel valued, which means nobody likes to feel less important than another person. Treat people as though they are less than you, and people will think less of you.

12. Go the extra mile. Find out how you can exceed expectations. What is the little extra you can add to your interaction? Avoid the mediocre status quo. Set yourself apart by giving a little extra.

13. Face your fears. Try to run away from fear and it will chase you. The way to break through fear is to look it straight in the face. Freedom or fear, you choose!

14. Be pleasant to work with. Do you ever cringe when you have deal with a person who is difficult? If you are being difficult it might be tough to build positive relationships. Be pleasant to work with and it will work in your favor.

15. Shake hands with failure. No, failure is not the enemy. Failure is a true friend that honestly tells you when you are off course or when you need to work a little harder. Failure wants you to succeed.

16. Contain your negativity. Keep it to yourself. Just because you are having a bad day does not mean that other people need to have a bad day. Keep your head up and avoid allowing your disposition to negatively affect others.

17. Continue your education. Take a class or two, or three. Make the effort to develop and hone your education and skill sets. You can take a traditional class at your local university or online or self-study. Applied education is the key to life-long success.

18. Make the choice to be happy. No one can choose your destiny. You can certainly be influenced by outside sources, yet you have the ultimate power to interpret what positive perspective you adopt from your experiences.

19. Embrace reciprocity. Reciprocation makes the world go around. If you ask for help be prepared to give help in return. People are more likely to honor your requests for help if they know you will help them when they are in need.

20. Engage in art. Paint a canvas, record a song, act in a play, write a poem or story, dance, weave, sculpt. Use the power of art to move your body, mind and soul. Use it to incite relaxation, inspiration and action.

21. Leverage your strengths. Yes, you can improve on some of your weaknesses. And you should. But you can also spend time on improving your strengths. Get better at what you are great at.

Sounds basic, right? It is! No one can do this for you, though. You are in control. Grab on to at least one of these habits for success to get a result in your personal and professional life.

Best of success to you!

Jeffrey Benjamin is the co-author of Real Life Habits for Success and the founder of Breakthrough Training. He hosts Breakthrough Radio every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on 99.1 FM Talk. Contact him through www.breakthroughtraining.com.