At one time I lived in what could be described kindly as, “Not a very nice place to live.” Let me give you a better visual. It was a $400 a month, one bedroom apartment. The location according to most was described as “a bad area”.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but living there was a huge blessing for me. I wasn't poor, but I was broke. I had no money and no means of making any. But more importantly, I absolutely hated my situation.

I would go for a run every morning on the railroad tracks nearby. Interesting thing about railroad tracks, they lead from one place to another. As I ran, I would see prostitutes and drug dealers. I would pass the homeless. As I ran farther, the scenery started to improve. I started passing nicer neighborhoods until I finally arrived at “the elite” areas of town. I would look up at the houses and the cars and imagine the lifestyle the people lived there. Then I would ask myself everyday, “What do I need to do to get to that place?"

That was many years ago. My life has been somewhat like those railroad tracks. I started in one place and slowly moved to a much better place. And much like those tracks, the journey was not always easy. At times the journey has seemed long, but worth it. Along the way I have discovered some secrets to finding success. I want to share those with you.

You see, there are two ways to learn something:
1) by our own experience, or
2) by the experiences of others.

Learning from others' mistakes is a lot less painful.

There are three steps to accomplishing anything, including improving your financial situation. These steps are something you probably already know, but my guess is you are not focusing on them.

Step 1: Total and Absolute Focus
In order for you to get somewhere in life, you must figure out EXACTLY what it is you want. Then you laser your focus in on it and imagine it as if it has already happened. Elite athletes do this. Before any competition, they imagine they have already won it. You need to do this too. You need to know every detail it will take to get to your goal.

I recently sat with Steve Wynn and listened as he described building his amazing resorts and casinos. He knows to the detail exactly how the place will look, feel, smell and work long before the first cement truck pulls up. He has total absolute focus and so should you.

Step 2: Take Massive Action
After you have your focus, go out and work your ass off. Work harder than your competition. Work harder than any one else. There is no such thing as a 4 hour work week unless your competition is only working 2, and that ain't happening.

Working hard also means working in the right areas. This means unfocused random answering of e-mails and surfing the internet is not the best use of your time. Your time needs to be hard core focused work towards obtaining your goal. If you don't know how to do it, find a mentor. Find someone who has been there and model them. Hire a coach, it’s worth it. The greatest athletes and businessmen in the world have coaches. So should you.

Step 3: Grace
Finally, after you have worked as hard as you can work, after you have put your soul on the line, grace steps in. There are different names for it. Some call it God, or the force of the Universe, or Grace. It is not so important what you call it so long as you understand how it works.

If you have not read the book or seen the movie The Secret, I recommend it. Grace is what steps in as a coincidence. You start attracting people and resources and teachers to you right at the time you need them most. But this only happens after step one and two are complete. Most people want it first. They sit around praying for something to happen and forget that faith without works is dead.

So go make it happen. Get focused on what it is you really want. Take massive action to make it happen. Find a mentor. Be grateful for what you have and allow grace to step in. Recognize it when it does. You might be amazed at what you can do.

[Ed. Note: Would you like to hear more advice on how to find your focus? Hear more from Dr. Tim in his Living Every Minute Audio Program. Order it today.]

Author's Bio: 

Dr. Tim Reynolds founded Living Every Minute in 2009 to allow him to share his passion for finding success in every minute with others. He dedicates countless hours each week to helping other people change their lives through mentoring, life building, giving inspirational talks and writing for his free weekly newsletter.

Life wasn't always the picture of perfection it is now for Dr. Tim. In fact, he was the first member of his family to graduate high school. He joined the military shortly after graduation, where he graduated from the Special Forces Q-course in July of 1982. He served as a Green Beret medic on an A-Team, as the Battalion medic and eventually as a Special Forces Battalion Surgeon for the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He served both enlisted and as an officer for 17 years.

After getting out of the military, Dr. Tim decided he wanted to go to college to be a doctor. His guidance counselor told him he was too old. He would be 32 before he finished his degree. He told her, "I'm going to be 32 either way." He went on to graduate college with honors.

It was his passion for helping people that inspired him to become a medical doctor, and in 1993 he graduated Summa Cum Laude with an MD degree from the University of Utah. He completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Texas A&M Scott and White in 1996 and is board certified in emergency medicine. He is the managing partner for HealthCARE Express, a group of urgent care clinics rapidly expanding across the United States.

Prior to starting HealthCARE Express in 2006, Dr. Tim held numerous positions across the medical field, including: medical director of the Wadley Regional Medical Center Emergency Department and level II trauma center; president of E-Med Services, LLP and of E-Med Billing Solutions, LLP; associate clinical professor for the Area Health Education Center at the University of Arkansas; and founding member of the Greater People’s Clinic of Texarkana Board of Directors.

In addition to his medical experience, Dr. Tim is also an entrepreneur and successful businessman. He is currently the chief executive officer of TL Reynolds Properties, LLP, a real estate investment company; and he is a managing partner of JJET Developments Ltd., a real estate development company.

Dr. Tim has served on numerous other committees and boards throughout both the medical and business communities and is published in various journals and publications. He is sought after as a presenter at many national conferences.

In his leisure time, Dr. Tim enjoys spending time on his Ranch in Atlanta, Texas, where he lives with his beautiful wife, Pam, and their five amazing children. He holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, is a SCUBA rescue diver, and a pilot. He also enjoys body building, golf, and hiking.

Dr. Tim is a world traveler, having visited over 40 countries on six of the seven continents. He is a firm believer in Living Every Minute of life and teaching others to do the same.

Learn more at www.LivingEveryMinute.com