So far this year we’re on a mission to make 2010 your best year ever. In the January and February articles we have shared valuable information to make productive changes using intention, written goals and a commitment to constant improvement.

This month we learn another key to success – Making and Keeping Commitments. How do you do it? You form good habits. Good habits are the key to success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure. How many of the Olympic athletes who competed in Vancouver 2010 earned global position as top athletes in their sport without creating the habit of practice? None. How can you expect to perform at your best, without the discipline of practicing the tasks you need to do in order to achieve your goals?

Try this 5 minute activity. Make a list of all the good habits you need to form to achieve your goals for this year, then make a list of all the bad habits you need to leave behind.

Once you have your list, take action on one habit you need to form to achieve your goals. Even if it’s something minuscule, such as getting up in the morning at a specified time. Make a commitment to yourself, that you will do this one new thing, consistently for 30 days.

Why does this work? Actions become easier with repetition. When an act becomes easy to perform, it is a pleasure to perform it, and when we are pleased to perform it, we have the desire to perform it often, thus creating a new and good habit. If you fall off the wagon, pick yourself up and get back on track. The Olympians don’t let a fall or a bad run end their game. Don’t let one slip stand in your way of success. Celebrate and focus on the days that you have performed the habit well, and not the days you missed. Try and try again, you’ll get there. You have my promise.

You can learn more about getting clear on that which you desire, creating habits and making and keeping commitments in the first track of my recent audio program, The Greatest You, available on CD or DVD.

By working on your list of good habits, and leaving the bad ones behind, you will be creating powerful momentum toward making and keeping commitments, resulting in the life that you deserve.

Keep me posted with your progress.

Penny