Success comes to those who prepare for it. I am a firm believer that if you truly want something, and are willing to work hard to get it, then you will eventually realize your goals.

So how exactly do you prepare for success? Well, this may sound a bit strange, but I believe that to prepare for success, you must prepare for failure. Yup, prepare to fail!

To succeed, you must first realize that you will fail at something. Long ago, I’ve accepted the fact that failure is inevitable; it is unavoidable.

To determine what it means to fail, I suggest establishing clear goals at the beginning of a project. These goals should be incremental (one month, three months, 6 months, one year) and will allow you to track your project’s progress. If after 6 months you still have not achieved what you set out to do in the first month, then obviously it’s time to reconsider your project. Of course, all of this is dependent on you establishing reachable goals, not some lofty dream of success.

Another thing you can do is to develop a tolerance for failure. It’s almost like developing a tolerance for alcohol, the more you drink, the more you can hold… haha (just kidding). Really though, tolerating a failure involves recognizing the benefits you can gain from failing. You shouldn’t view failure as the end of a particular project. Rather use it as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and avoid making them again.

It’s simple: Failure provides you with the opportunity to succeed. That’s my motto.

Personally, I have failed several times in my attempts to make money online. I’ve started blogs, forums, wikis and e-commerce sites that have done nothing but consume my precious time. Yet despite these failures, I still continue to start new projects and test my ideas. If I gave up long ago, One Greek Store and Pro Money Blog would have never existed.

I came across a very interesting article entitled Barrier to success: one weak spot.

The article talks about how highly qualified individuals can derail their careers from a single character flaw; an Achilles’ heel of sorts. You may have all the talent and knowledge in the world, but one little mistake can tarnish your overall image.

I highly encourage you to read this article, especially if you’re a young professional like me. At this point in my life, I have serious aspirations for advancement in my company. Within my first month on the job, I researched everything I could about my company, it’s culture, and it’s potential for growth. Additionally, I’m doing my best to become a highly reliable employee in hopes that my superiors will recognize my performance.

What disturbs me about this article is that you (and I), may have an Achilles’ heel and might not even know it! People are creating an opinion of you, whether good or bad… which sticks with you for a long time. I guess first impressions really do matter!

But have no fear, I think people can change. With proper guidance, and some determination, I think you can overcome any character flaw. The first, and perhaps most obvious step is to be open for improvement. This is more difficult than it sounds. To be truly open for improvement, you must accept…and even invite constructive criticism. You won’t know what to fix if you don’t know what needs fixing.

What may also help is to establish a mentor within your company. This person should be someone who can assist you with your career development. A superior would be your best bet. I think that by showing a sincere interest to improve yourself, you will resolve any character flaws you have and show that you are serious about taking a leadership role in your company.