So January was a huge month for me in terms of putting my BIG vision into action. Many of my top clients experienced major shifts last month too as they started to make huge leaps in getting closer to their goals for 2011.

I love January for that reason – it’s the month we get all fired up about what we want. The ones who are most likely to GET what they want are the ones who take a no-excuses approach to making their vision real. I hope you put yourself in that category. If you don’t, why not adopt this approach starting right now? It will change your life. Guaranteed.

So I started seeing a theme emerge as my clients and I were taking massive action on our grand plans.

Want to know the secret?

The key to success is that you MUST make quick decisions with the information you have. When making your vision come to life, you’re not always going to have EVERY piece of data you wish you had. The path won’t always be crystal clear. It’s downright muddy at times. That’s okay.

One way you can think about this process of creating your vision is like assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle. Did you like putting those together as much as I did as a kid? At the beginning, the project almost seemed impossible. So many pieces! They all practically look the same! Ack!

After you get your wits about you, you start developing a little strategy to the puzzle. Maybe it was creating the border first with the flat-edge pieces. From there, you start grouping some of the similarly designed pieces together. Eventually a picture starts emerging … and you certainly didn’t need to put all the pieces together to see what the puzzle truly depicted. You could see through the holes to “see” what you couldn’t really see yet.

It’s the same idea when you are making your vision and grand plan come to life. As you start collecting valuable information, you MUST be ready to recognize the tipping point of when it’s TIME to make a decision. Depending on the size and importance of the decision, this can feel really freakin’ scary. When you dive deeper into the fear, you can also choose to feel extreme excitement and butterflies in your stomach for getting one step closer to making your dream happen.

It’s all about your MINDSET around your choices. Can you enjoy the process of doing the research, analyzing your data, and then taking action (even if you are a bit scared)? Or are you completely paralyzed by a big whopping dose of fear and doubt? Are you confident that you’ll make the best choice with the information you have? Or are you worried that you’ll make a big, fat mistake and everything will fall apart?

Choose the positive approach … or the negative one. Just know that your thoughts dictate your reality. It’s that simple. What you believe to be true will be true.

=========>>3 tips for integrating this theme into your life:

Being scared goes with the territory: Ya, you heard this right. A little bit of fear is good for the soul. Reminds you that you’re still alive … and GROWING in the right direction. Years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Rudy Giuliani, the former Mayor of NYC, speak about leadership at a conference I produced. What I’ll always remember from his speech: if you’re NOT afraid when you do something new, you’re probably dead. So don’t let the fear stop you. Instead, use that jolt of energy to propel you forward to stepping into your greatness. Do it!

• Case in point: One of my clients dove into her dream (and the fear) when she got on the stage to sing and play guitar at an open-mic night at a lounge in her neighborhood. Since she was a little girl she’s loved music, but hasn’t had a lot of it in her life in the past decade … and she truly felt like a part of herself was missing. Although her day job is being a top sales rep in the medical world, through our work together she’s found a way to bring out this side of herself in a very powerful way. Was she scared when she got on stage? Yes! But did she do it anyway? Double yes!

Look for the tipping point: There comes a point in your exploration process where you’ll have “enough” information to make a decision and move to the next step. You’ll never have EVERY piece of data you wish you had. Don’t wait for the impossible. Sense when you’ve reached that tipping point and pull the trigger. This will require a leap of faith on your part. Use the words of Martin Luther King Jr. to give you strength here: “Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

Keep your eyes open for messengers and messages: There are signs EVERYWHERE when you are open to receiving them. When you’re making an important decision, let the universe know what your question is (be clear) and then trust that the answer is out there. Over the next few days, look for themes and signs from people, places and things. This will FLOOR YOU. The first few times I did this, I almost fell down from all of the valuable information I was getting. You MUST trust in the messages. See them as gifts. Think about the messengers as people who are offering to hold your hand on your journey. You’ll never feel “alone” again when you get your head around this life-changing concept.

Okay … no excuses now. Get clear on your vision, assemble the giant jigsaw puzzle, and take action. You have everything you need within you. Ask for help when you need it and be ready to see the signs illuminating the path that is yours and yours alone.

I’m pulling for you.

** Would love to hear your thoughts. What works for you? Share your tips, insights and questions in the comments section – can’t wait to hear what you have to say. **