"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory!" General George S. Patton

When choosing a senior quote, this one jumped right at me. I was ready to conquer the world, but then reality slapped me in the face...

College. 4 more years of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and encourage anyone who has the opportunity to give it a go.

Plus, I learned one of the most valuable lessons in my life while attending college:

*We're not taught to make it on our own!

It's kind of like what the singer Bruce Springsteen once said in a 60 minutes interview, "I wanted to be a singer. Do my own thing. Otherwise, they build you up and put you right back into the machine."

Yes, society certainly has a way of teaching you what it wants to, and then directing your every move like a puppet on a string.

So how does one make it as an entrepreneur?

Let's face it, inspirational quotes only go so far. It's imperative that you take action! But what action? You've been following someone else's directions for so long that you've forgotten how to put your pants on by yourself!

First, make a plan. For example, most of my day consists of internet marketing so here's some of what I do for the first hour:

*Write an article - Part of my daily plan is writing articles that are related to marketing on the internet.

*Submit an article - A great way to get your name and your website out to other people is by submitting articles to ezines. I do this a few times a week.

Ezine owners are always looking for fresh content. You can find these ezine owners at sites like http://www.ezinelocater.com and http://www.freezineweb.com

Plus, there are websites where you can submit your article right there on the spot. Places like http://www.marketing-seek.com and http://www.vectorcentral.com are great resources.

*Follow up with customers - Just a quick hello and offering assistance goes an awfully long way!

These are just a few action steps that I take on a daily basis and they are the difference between success and failure in my life.

In conclusion, I would love to give you some uplifting inspirational quote but I'm not going to do it. I am just going to reiterate these words - Make a Plan!

We all lead different lives so I can't give you a step-by- step guide. Your goals, dreams, and financial desires are unique. Just think about what you do, what you can do, and how you're going to do it.

Write it down and go for it!