by Dr. Philip E. Humbert

As a coach and student of high performance winners, I'm often asked, "Why do some people win, time after time, while other people work just as hard but never seem to 'put it all together?'"

I believe the answer falls into two basic categories, one that makes a small contribution, and a second that makes (essentially) ALL the difference in the world.

The first category, which accounts for very little of the difference between winners and losers, is talent. Whether you call it talent or genius or aptitude, it's clear that inherent abilities do play a (small) role.

If I want to play basketball, being tall and quick does help. Chuck Yeager is said to have had extraordinary eye-sight, and as a test pilot that must have made a difference. For an engineer, a gift for numbers and math will obviously make things easier.

But last week I had a wonderful conversation with a man who studied under Albert Einstein at Princeton about 50 years ago and he noted that Einstein was NOT a very gifted mathematician! He even struggled to balance his checkbook, but he had a remarkable imagination and the ability to immerse himself single-mindedly in a problem until he found the answer. THAT made all the difference.

In my study of top performers, the difference that really matters time after time is that winners have a SYSTEM. Most people tackle problems in a haphazard way and they get haphazard results. Winners don't do that!

Here's the simple four-step process that winners use:

1. First, they get very (VERY!) clear about exactly what they want.

They picture their desired outcome in precise detail. They know exactly what they want in any given situation. They never set out to make "more" money. Instead, they set out to "make $25,000 this month." Some people refer to this as visualization, while others call it an "affirmation." All I know is that winners know what they want, and they picture it in detail, in advance.

2. Second, winners use precise "cognitive systems."

That means they have clear strategies, they think rationally and continuously about the problem and their desired solution. They are creative. They do careful research and ask experts for help. They invest in education, skills, tools and resources to put the odds in their favor. They are passionate and can be emotional, but when it comes to winning, they are calm, cool, and collected. They are good thinkers.

3. Third, winners use "environmental systems," or what I call "Personal Eco-Systems(tm)" to improve their chances for success.

There's a reason Thomas Edison virtually lived in his lab. There's a reason Martha Stewart is so elegant. There's a reason writers surround themselves with books and hang out with other writers. Winning athletes watch films, they study (and memorize) the stats of their heroes. Surround yourself with an environment that makes it hard to fail!

4. Fourth, winners work harder than losers.

You may not like this part, but winners work very, very hard. They practice. They study. They sacrifice and make hard choices. They are the first ones to work in the morning and the last ones to leave at night. Based on their visualizations, their carefully-thought-out strategies, and propelled by their environments, they take massive ACTION.

The truth is that while talent and genius are helpful, the winners in life simply have better systems. They study winners. As Tony Robbins says, "success leaves clues" and winners use strategies that have worked for other people. They surround themselves with a rich environment that inspires them, and they work very hard.

Copyright(c) 2005, all rights reserved. Dr. Philip E. Humbert, professional coach, author and popular speaker. He has an excellent weekly newsletter and I encourage you to subscribe at: http://www.philiphumbert.com

In a conversation with one of my clients last week, she said that she had the systems in place in her business to streamline her processes but people weren't using them. I wonder why. Do you have systems you developed that make your work easier for you but you've stopped using them. This week, look at the regular activities, actions and reports that you produce. Are you using systems? Do you want to add to your systems the use of cognitive and environmental systems? What will that do for you? This week spend 10 to 15 minutes pondering these areas and develop a plan that will enhance your probability of winning.

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