This is an abbreviated version of an article from the success roadmap posted earlier to selfgrowth.com.

Just about everyone longs to create more success both in life and in business. The drive to be all we can be and feel fully alive is commendable. Unfortunately, in our passion to have an excellent life, many of us get sidetracked by inadvertently becoming the victims of some enticing formulas for failure instead of relying on tested keys for success.

The issue, then, is "How can you stay away from the plight of those who are unprepared?" By taking your future in your own hands, as you are doing right now. And the easiest path to follow is in the shadow of individuals who have achieved what you want to achieve.

Three Common Blueprints for Failure and Potent Secrets of Success

1. A strategy of working harder, rather than smarter.

This is part of seeking the safety of the crowd. Most of us were taught to set our sights on a steady job with health insurance and some kind of retirement package. It is becoming decreasingly likely that this will happen and even more unlikely to be satisfying. Most employees now find themselves working extra hours and extra jobs just to get by.

If you want to create a genuinely awesome life, you have to work smarter. Put an end to herd thinking. To create different results, you have to do things differently. And if you look for the truth, you’ll see that working smarter means you can earn more while working much less.

2. Waiting for the ideal opportunity.

If you ask people when they intend to start doing the things they truly desire with their lives, the typical response comes in the form of a hazy reference to that perfect time someplace in the future.

You might have noticed that the perfect time never comes. The only time you have is the present. Opportunity, as they say, may only knock once. The fact that you’re reading this indicates that opportunity is at your door now. The key is to grab it and don’t let it slip out of your hands.

3. Groping blindly in the dark.

You are the creator of your life. If you don’t have a clear vision of what you desire in life, how can you possibly create success?

So form a clear picture of where you are heading and what life is going to be like when you get there. Set your focus on your goals. Have a picture of your brightest possible future in the forefront of your awareness on a daily basis and see how your life begins to transform.

With this image of a bright future in your thoughts, you can venture forth and make it become a reality. If you are realizing your purpose in life, enjoying the things that create the greatest sense of aliveness and give life meaning, giving up is not an option. Many truly successful people point out that the primary key to their success is that they didn't stop moving forward even when everyone around them quit.

The ones who succeed are those who keep going. Continue to take steps in direction of your dreams. It makes no difference how small these steps may be if you’re continuing forward. You may be astonished to find that even a small adjustment in your course turns into a significant shift over time. And the time to commit to your dream is now.