There are many reasons why most businesses fail and only a small percentage take-off. I would like to concentrate today on what I believe is the most important attribute that I have used in pursuit of my online success. Actually what I'm going to say is nothing new, not earth shattering and it's no "secret" either (shhh!). Nevertheless it's the basis for anyone to succeed in any business, any sport - anything at all!!!

From my main income stream I offer a 12 month business coaching package to all my clients with continual ongoing support. Even though I offer a very professional programme with equal support only one in three really get past the starting point. There are many reasons for this but many of the two-thirds majority have not:

1) Visualized a plan for themselves and

2) Developed a plan of action and

3) Do not have the persistency to make points one and two work.

We've all heard it before. Everything starts with a dream. Without a dream nothing really seems to happen. However there is a monstrous difference between dreaming and visualizing. We need to visualize ourselves succeeding. We need to see the light at the end of the tunnel before we start. We need to solidify our goals into our thoughts so as to indicate the true worth of their achievement. We need to visualize the feeling we will experience when coming into the finishing line. The power of visualization is so underestimated. Sight is a very powerful sense that can work for you incredibly if you use it correctly. Take this following example:

A few years ago I read a story about an Army officer who was captured during non-peacetime by the particular enemy of the time. He had a love for golf. It was an avid desire he had for the game; with an equally wicked average of about 80 or so. Due to the fact he was behind enemy lines as a prisoner he didn't stumble across the opportunity all that often to do a quick nine holes before lunch! Or did he???

Most days he was there he played a full round using the power of visualization. He did the rounds, checked the wind, chose his club accordingly and went through the physical action to stay in tip top condition for the sport he dearly loved. Each day he lined up and underwent this exercise. He saw himself playing at least as good as he always did. Sometimes he'd crack 80 and was beside himself with joy. All this as a P.O.W!!! He knew the first thing he would do when he was back home was to play a good game of golf. After all he'd been practicing every day, and most times to his proven average so why not.

Eventually politics turned and he was released. Straight to the golf course he went. He played a round and performed to his ridiculously good average after so long without playing the game physically. True story!!!

Point is: visualization really does put you in the picture. Oxford English definition: "To bring something as a picture before the mind". If you can see it then it becomes more credible.

When you were at university the lecturer quite often would use a blackboard/whiteboard, hand circulars around, use the overhead projector; almost anything to further illustrate his point. The word illustrate is just as powerful. It's simply a way of making things clearer and more understandable through visualization.

If you are looking for a Mixmaster for your kitchen. It is highly unlikely that you'll buy something you haven't seen operate and function unless it's already known to you. If the salesperson pulls it out of its box and mixes up your scrambled eggs so that they are light and fluffy; exactly the way you like them then chances are much higher after you've seen it, after you've had the visual experience that you will purchase this product instead of your old faithful brand that you've been using for last number of years.

Are you starting to see how powerful visualization is and how it can work for you? If you can really see where it is you want to be all you have to do is design the course to get there. If you can't grasp the power of control that visualization offers you then you will find it tremendously difficult to succeed at what you're doing. Very often our visualizations are carried out sub-consciously. This is the advanced stage as when we've trained our minds to aim for something then sleep, rest or are perhaps thinking about something else your sub-conscious continues to work for you as you've trained it to do.

It matters not if you are trying to break the 10 secs/100 meter record, ballooning around the world (recently been done) or succeeding at building your business online from scratch - you need to visualize yourself succeeding. It is here you will realize how important your challenge really is to you.

If you get bogged down by negative thoughts such as "oh I can't possibly do that" then either change your goal or your attitude! Perhaps both! An action is required or you will stifle your developments. You will need to fuel your visualization with positive thoughts and realistic results.

As you gain a successful grasp of:

• Visualizing
• Understanding 
• Accepting and 
• Targeting

Your ultimate desire it will become more real to you the more you focus on it.

Twelve months ago I visualized myself as being financially independent from my online business. It happened a little earlier than I first expected due to my vision. If you opt to make the power of visualization work for you then you'll be giving yourself a mighty head start on the rest.

At the beginning of this article I mentioned that only one in three clients got passed the start point. Sad fact is many do give up. Many will give up. They will chase other dreams - perhaps parked cars, perhaps other golden opportunities. The fact is that every golden opportunity has the same statistics as the one before it. As time goes by they will filter out those people who constantly change...

Dreaming is very visual and requires constant nurturing to bring it to fruition. If you want to optimize the chances of reaching your target then you need to grasp the power of visualization. Put yourself in the picture. Paint a portrait of yourself succeeding in the future...