You have goals and dreams. You know that writing those dreams and goals down increases your chance of success. Formalizing your goals and dreams increases your chances of success exponentially.

However, even the best-laid plans do not guarantee success. It still takes work and determination. Often it takes hard work and the perseverance of an oak tree, often with unanticipated obstacles and outcomes.

Five Ways to Kill Your Dreams

Bel Pesce, a Brazilian entrepreneur, in a wonderful TED Talk entitled “5 Ways to Kill Your Dreams” illuminates five keys to killing success that are worth repeating:

1. Believe in overnight success.
2. Believe someone else has the answers.
3. Settle down when success appears guaranteed.
4. Believe your lack of success is someone else’s fault.
5. Believe that the only thing that matters is your dream.

The Fallacy of Overnight Success

There are no overnight successes. Success takes time. Lots of time. Michael Hyatt, named one of the top business leaders and the creator of the #1 business blog, said in a recent Rainmakers podcast, “It took ten years for me to become an overnight success.” This is why most successful entrepreneurs are over forty.

No One Else Has the Answers

The only one who truly has the answers is you. Often your greatest critics, the people who say you can’t do something, are the ones who haven’t done it themselves. Look into your heart and your soul for what resonates. Ask for help, but ultimately only you have the answers.

Don’t Stop When Success is Guaranteed

When a sailor has the wind at his back, he doesn’t take the sails down. When you envision success is right around the corner, it’s time to push even harder.

No One Else Is at Fault

Be responsible for yourself; realize that fault finding is excuse making. Ultimately these are your goals, your dreams. No one else can make it happen; and, like rowing a boat, flying an aircraft, or driving a car, 90 percent of the time we are off course, constantly making minor course corrections.

The Dream Is the Journey

For many individuals, depression often occurs after successfully attaining a goal. There is let down after climbing a mountain, for you have to face the challenge of looking over the top and realizing you still have to climb down. Goals, dreams, and success are part of the larger picture of life. Enjoy the journey.

(Click on the link above for the TED Talk video. It is only six minutes long and could change your chances of success.)