Copyright 2006 Chris Zavadowski

Recently, I was asked to speak for a group of hand-picked entrepreneurs in a special apprenticeship program (some of them paying up to $7,000.00 to be part of the year-long home business program).

And in preparing for that talk, I was forced to look at my daily success activities that allow me to play games, travel and keep the alarm clock turned off.

Now, fortunately for you - you don't have to pay $7,000.00 to hear what I came up with. You're going to get my top 3 "secrets" for FREE right here!

(Note: I sure as heck didn't invent any of these secrets, but instead picked them up from MY mentors over the years. Just because they may seem simple, don't mistake the fatal mistake of discounting their power. Use them and profit from them.)

In the last article, I wrote about doing one pro-active thing a day to improve yourself and your business. Not only did I talk about it, but I gave you a 30-day action plan that you can easily implement in your business life to see great results.

So lets get on to my second success secret...

Success Secret #2: Get Yourself a Mentor

What do all the "super successful" people in life have in common? A mentor. (Or what my friend Stephen Pierce would call the "power of the third influence".)

Looking back over whats helped catapult me to achieve some amazing things...Id say this is definitely one of the KEY components to my success.

You probably hear about mentors all the time - but let me clarify what I mean. A mentor to me can easily be a person, but it can also be a book or CD where I can get "live" access to an expert in some topic.

Now, some of my real-life friends didnt start out that way. In fact, I found out about them through their tapes, CDs and books. I latched on to their teachings and followed in their footsteps. Only then, almost if by magic (and without fail), down the road - either months or years - I came face-to-face with them and had the opportunity to learn from them in person.

For example, Stephen Pierce.

I first "met" him when I purchased "The Whole Truth" (www.the-whole-truth.com). I had no clue who he was before I read his ebook. But then, I started to email him to ask a few questions. And it turned out he was also going to be part of an apprenticeship program I signed up for.

Next thing you know, we got to hang out in person. Then eat together. Then play video games together. And before I knew it...a year or two later///we were friends...and he was freely sharing some of his amazing wisdom with me. Ive definitely come to trust and rely on his brilliant "big picture" advice.

And more recently, Ive been mentored by Yanik Silver and Jim Edwards (I went from just being a customer of theirs to having them as two of the most important mentors Ive encountered in my life...and then to becoming their business partner in projects).

So have you noticed the one crucial element in all my examples?

Are you ready?

You have to actively pursue your mentor. (Write that down in your notebook. Print it out. Circle it!). A mentor does NOT...I repeat...does NOT choose you. You choose him or her.

And something important to note: This process takes time. Dont expect a mentor to come to your side overnight. The universe is funny about that. You have to "prove" yourself ready and serious. In all of the examples above - I had to pay my dues first. I had to invest in the books, in the tapes, the classes. And then over a period of time, the mentors appeared in the flesh.

The same goes for you. Think about your best friend. Did you get your best friend overnight? Or did he/she become your best friend over weeks, months, years?

Probably the latter. The same goes for the process of having a mentor.

So why even have a mentor?

Simply, to become mega-successful.

You have to first decide "Hey, I want to become better in health/religion/finances/MLM/online marketing/relationships/etc. Who do I click with? Who do I agree with? Who challenges me to go outside my comfort zone to become a better person?" And then latch onto them. YOU have to make the DECISION to grow.

And be sure to choose someone who is MORE successful then you.

A perfect example is MLM. If you want to reach the next rank in your company, dont look to the people who are the same rank as you. Go to the people who are where YOU want to be...and follow their advice. They are the only ones who really know what it takes to get there.

And one final tip about mentors: LISTEN to them. Yes, you may not like their advice. Trust me, Ive heard many things from my mentors that I didnt want to hear or do. But in the end, they have our best interests in mind.

So this time of year pick an area of your life you want to take to the next level. Then decide who you would like to follow - and go for it. Get the books and tapes. Go to the classes. Do what is required to gain their knowledge and wisdom.

And then get ready to take your business and bank account to the next level!