The first factor is "keep on trying". Some people do the same thing over and over again and never learn from the experience. It's like continually running into a brick wall in the hope of eventually breaking through. Alternatively, they constantly join new affiliate programs or network marketing companies in the belief that this is the magic one to bring them riches. However, they never devote enough effort or attention to any one program to succeed in it.

The second factor is "hope". For some people, they almost have a blind faith that they will succeed. Yet, they don't understand what is involved in being successful. It's almost as if they expect that one day circumstances will change and orders will flow in great abundance along with the profits.

For me, the key to "trying until I succeed" is based on testing and tracking. It is like a circular process whereby an idea is implemented, the results are tracked and then evaluated, the idea is refined or modified based on what has been learnt, and the process starts all over again.

If you aren't earning what you want from your business, you have nothing to lose by applying this concept. First, look at what you are doing to promote your business. Are you using the same advertising you have always used? Do you know if it is working? Test a new headline and track the results. Test a new offer and see what happens to your sales.

Only test one thing at a time so that you know what is causing any changes in your results. Once you have a good performing ad, use it as your benchmark against which all future tests are measured.

The same concept can be applied to all your processes and procedures within your business. Make some changes and test whether they enable you to perform more efficiently and have more time to do the really important activities that generate revenue.

Now let's look at the second factor, "hope". I once read that genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. The same can be said of success. The 1 percent is in setting the goal and the 99 percent is working hard to achieve it. Success doesn't just happen, it is created by sustained effort and continual learning.

Hope certainly helps to sustain the effort required to succeed, but hope without effort is wasted. Success is based on many small wins that eventually lead to the big win. This understanding of what success really is helps the achievers do what needs to be done.

It is applied to business through goal setting and planning. You set your goal and then determine what you need to do to achieve it. Most successful businesses utilize budgets and business plans as a formalized process of mapping out what is required to achieve the targets they have set.

They then measure their results against these plans so that they know how well they are doing. This enables them to fine tune their plans to take into account new things they have learnt about their market-place and business. It also enables them to take corrective action before it is too late.

To have the success you want in your business, plan how you are going to achieve it. Test the ideas you have and track the results. Use the knowledge gained to improve all aspects of your business. Be opening to learning opportunities so that you can adapt and modify your approach as circumstances change.