You know all those things you want to accomplish, or that one big dream you are working toward seeing fulfilled? Whatever you want from life is not likely to just fall into your lap. You must prepare for it.

I am so inspired when I listen to encouraging information, such as what I hear on the many podcasts to which I subscribe. The Ziglar podcast is one of my favorites as his material has literally changed my life. (You can enjoy this podcast as well at ziglar.com.) Of all the things I have learned from Zig Ziglar, one of the most amazing is what he says about preparation. He spoke frequently for many years. Even though he used the same material in many of his talks, he still spent hours the day before a speaking engagement practicing his talk – even if he had just given it a day earlier!

This may seem like overkill to us, but his desire was to excel and do everything he did with excellence. That is how a truly successful person thinks.

Preparation is often not the most enjoyable part of a project, but is definitely a necessity. If you don’t believe it, try giving that talk or taking that examination without proper preparation. You might get through it, but you will not have done it as well or as comfortably as you could have.

What can you do today, right now, that will begin to prepare you for the fulfillment of your dream? It may be something you can get done quickly and achieve your goal, or it may be the first step in a longer process. Whichever is your situation, why not just go ahead and start now?

Prepare for the future you want to live and then live! . . . your life to the fullest!