(ThyBlackMan.com) One of the things that people want out of life is to be successful. This looks different from person to person. What works for one does not always work for someone else. We all have to define what it looks for each of us. But when it comes down to it, success is determined by a set of behaviors. Productive people, for the most part, get more things done.
It is a simple notion but not so easy to execute all the time. It calls for discipline, it calls for purpose and it calls for consistency. All of this and so much more play a major role in productivity, which when concentrated effectively, leads to success. Some folks consider the 
accumulation of a lot of money as a measure of success. Others use fulfillment in their job or the building of a family as their measures. No matter what it is for you, having the tools and knowing the way to achieve success is paramount.
So here are some tips on how to be productive so you can be successful.
Set Goals
If you don’t operate from a set of well-defined goals, how do you know where you are going? To be productive it is important to know what it is that you want to reach. Writing things down works very well when it comes to seeing your vision. Vision is the thing that inspires you and it is the thing from which your goals are birthed. Get a vision and set some goals.
Set Measures
It is one thing to be productive for the sake of being busy, it is another thing to do it with a purpose. You know your vision, you set your goals, now you have to set measurable milestones. This helps you stay on track to what it is you want to accomplish. They can be weekly, monthly or quarterly measures. The idea here is to see the big picture and know that you are headed in the right direction.
Use Time Wisely
This can be a tough one for people. I encourage folks who have lofty, inspiring dreams to get up as early as they can within reason. This will allow you to set the tone for the rest of your day. Using your time wisely starts from the moment you wake up to the time you go to sleep. I mentioned purpose earlier and the reason I did is because you have to do things on purpose. It can be tiring and daunting at times, but if you have to be on a strict schedule for a few months or years to see your dream come true, then that’s what needs to be done.
Stay In It
You know how these things go. You are excited and even start off strong, but then life happens and you slowly get away from what you set for yourself. Along the same lines, sometimes things just get too tough and you want to give up. But in those moments, you have to stay with it. If it is really important to you and something you really want to do, you have to believe in yourself enough to work through it.
Life is a race, but it is not always a sprint. You have to stay in stride and don’t ever forget the big picture.
Staff Writer; Rasheda Abdullah
