Do you have what it takes to be successful?

One of my closest friends, Lou Holtz, the Hall of Fame college football coach, believes there are four things any person or organization needs to be No. 1.

Few people know more about success than Lou. He led six different programs to bowl games, and he was the only coach to take four different programs to the final top 20 rankings. Along the way, he guided Notre Dame to the 1988 national championship.

"First," he says, "you have to make a commitment to excellence."

Second is complete attention to detail. "It is the teams that pay strict attention to little things that win," says Holtz. The third thing is to have sound fundamentals. "You can't be bored with such basic things as blocking and tackling."

The fourth requirement is discipline. "Virtually nothing is impossible in this world if you just put your mind to it and maintain a positive attitude."

Let me give you my take on all four of these tips:

-- Commitment to excellence. When you are interested in doing something, you do it when circumstances permit. However, when you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.

Commitment is a prerequisite to success. Commitment is the state of being bound -- emotionally, intellectually or both -- to a course of action. Commitment starts with a choice and is sustained by dedication and perseverance. Actions speak louder than words.

Have you ever seen a team run on the field yelling, "We want to be No. 2!"? Of course not. Everyone wants to be No. 1. Those who actually achieve it are those who are willing to put the blood, sweat and tears into their effort.

-- Attention to detail. I like to add one word -- fanatical attention to detail. The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing it exactly right.

Having a fanatical attention to detail is a mindset. It must be an obsession. It has to be part of a company's culture or an individual's mindset. You can't just talk about it. You have to practice it every day for years.

It is not enough just to do the best you can. You also have to do everything you can. There are no shortcuts in the world of sports -- or life. If it were easy to become the best, everyone would do it.

-- Sound fundamentals. Look at the great athletes and musicians. There are no walk-ons at the Super Bowl or in Carnegie Hall -- or in corporate boardrooms, for that matter. The level of performance in those exalted places is only partially a reflection of talent. Practice sound fundamentals.

It's kind of like a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps 100 times without making a dent in it. And yet on the 101st blow, the rock splits in two. And it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before. If you're not willing to practice -- and practice until you get it right -- you will never make the 100 blows that make the breakthrough on the 101st.

Whatever it is you do, you can be better at it if you just keep on learning and practice. The minute I persuade myself that I have learned all there is to learn about a subject and can relax, my competition will hand me my head and slam me into the pavement.

-- Discipline. Most people aim to do right, but they fail to pull the trigger. For whatever reason, they just don't have the wherewithal to finish the job. They are lacking discipline.

It doesn't matter whether you are pursuing success in business, sports, the arts or life in general. Hope is not an option. The difference between wishing and accomplishing is discipline.

Discipline is all about setting goals, figuring out a schedule to achieve those goals, and then following your plan.

The formula is the same for athletes, business and professional people and students: Have a no-nonsense attitude, work hard and improve every day. Arrive early and stay late if that's what it takes to get the job done. Go the extra mile. It is one stretch of the highway where there are seldom any traffic jams.

It's the old adage: The more you put in, the more you get out. To me, it is better to prepare and prevent instead of repair and repent.

Mackay's Moral: There aren't any rules for success that work unless you do.

Look around you. What do you see? If you were asked to be a witness at a trial, would you be able to remember details and conditions?

One of the qualities successful people from all walks of life have is a keen sense of observation. They notice things about people, human nature and the general world around them. Many of us, unfortunately, go through life with our eyes half-closed.

Perhaps you remember the story of the two streakers who interrupted a New York Yankees baseball game when Yogi Berra was the catcher for the Yankees. In the bottom of the ninth inning, two young people suddenly ran onto the field stark naked, slid into home plate, and then ran off again.

Asked later if the streakers were boys or girls, Yogi replied, "I don't know. They were wearing bags over their heads."

Of course, Yogi also famously said, "You can observe a lot just by watching."

That's why we love Yogi, even though his observations are mind-boggling.

Most people are easily distracted and not aware of what is going on around them. Being a keen observer is very important in life.

Perhaps one of the most famous "observers" in history is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes character. Holmes' method of detection was "based on the observation of trifles." To him, absolutely nothing was insignificant. Clues and information were all around, if only people would take notice. Doyle's readers are challenged to recall and relate details of his stories to solve the mysteries.

Dr. Joseph Bell was the physician said to be the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Doyle was particularly interested in Bell's emphasis on the importance of close observation in making a diagnosis.

For example, Bell told the story of a famous surgeon who used to tell his students that a doctor needed two abilities: freedom from nausea and the power of keen observation. One day he poured kerosene, castor oil and mustard into a little cup. He dipped a finger into the foul liquid and then sucked his finger. He passed the cup around to every student in the class and asked them to do the same. Reluctantly, the students did as the professor requested.

After all the students had dipped into the vile liquid, the professor remarked to the class: "I am afraid that not one of you used your powers of observation. The finger I put into the cup was not the same one that I stuck in my mouth."

Observation has practical applications in business, according to a newsletter from the Royal Bank of Canada: a businessperson being able to "size up a situation accurately and quickly; an engineer who can scan a factory floor and notice key aspects of workflow; a sales representative who can tell how best to approach a person after a glance at the desk ... An effective businessperson sees what others overlook, whether in a production line, an administrative routine, or a balance sheet."

Good observers filter out preconceptions, prejudices and cultural biases so that they see things as they are, not just as they want them to be.

An old lion realized he'd have to give up the title of king of all beasts. With failing eyesight, he grew dizzy from hunger and couldn't even muster the energy to roar. So he devised a plan to fill his belly before the other animals could figure out his secret.

He limped back to his den where he collapsed, feigning grave injury and illness and announced that his time on the plains would soon fade into the sunset. One by one, the animals of the forest came to pay their respects. And one by one, they disappeared as the lazy lion licked away any evidence of their visits.

But when the fox came to visit, he maintained a cautious distance outside the lion's cave.

"Who is that I hear stirring about?" whispered the lion.

"It is I," said the fox.

"Come closer, friend, for I can barely see you."

"No," said the fox. "Some distance between us is best. I see many footprints leading into your den, but none leaving."

The lion roared in anger, causing the fox and other animals to scurry into the forest. The fox was hailed as a hero, and the animals of the forest learned a valuable lesson: Those who are wise and observant learn from the mistakes of others.

Mackay's Moral: If what you see is what you get, make sure you're looking closely.

A few weeks ago I wrote a column about what you can do to get better at your job. I have some additions to my original list, which included improving time management, getting organized, staying positive, writing goals, compromising, developing confidence, exercising mind and body, using mentors and coaches, practicing public speaking, improving your relationship with your boss and learning to love feedback.

Add these ideas to your list. Just remember, the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement.

-- Be more resourceful. Resourcefulness -- using your brain to think outside the box and get the information you need or the project accomplished -- is one of the traits that I really admire in people. Webster's dictionary defines resourceful as "... able to deal promptly and effectively with problems, difficulties, etc." Resourcefulness is a real asset for anyone trying to get the edge over the competition, whether it's finding a job, keeping a job, making customers happy or landing a new account.

-- Forge strong relationships. People aren't strangers if you've already met them. The trick is to meet them before you need their help. Every person you meet should go into your contact file. A well-developed network is essential for any job.

-- Anticipate needs. This includes those of your department and your boss. Be a reliable source for your supervisor and team and provide solutions. Do your research. Study the industry. Follow through and stay available. If you contribute to your supervisor's success, you will position yourself as a team player and a dependable, valuable employee.

-- Delegate to elevate. Delegating is a key management skill, but managers often mistake delegation for passing off work. Failing to effectively delegate wastes your time as well as the company's time and resources. The most successful managers aim to make themselves unnecessary to their staff.

-- Listen to learn. Listening is a critical skill in everyone's life. If you want to be heard, you must know how to listen. We spend 45 percent of our waking time listening, yet we forget 50 percent of what we hear. Being a good listener can make or break a career.

-- Be a better team player. Teamwork is consciously espoused but unwittingly shunned by most people in business because they are afraid that it will render them anonymous or invisible. Nothing could be further from the truth. Working together is critical for success. No one is more important than the team. The key is how to build the team and make it more successful.

-- Encourage co-workers. Tell someone that they are stupid or dumb or bad at something and you have destroyed almost every incentive to improve. However, encourage that person and he or she will work tirelessly to excel. Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. It gives people a natural high. A person may not be as good as you tell her she is, but she'll try harder thereafter and achieve even more.

-- Spread enthusiasm around. Encouraging words have tremendous power. Things you hear and read affect your actions. Don't let others take away your dreams and wishes.

-- Reap rewards from volunteering. People who do volunteer work and help other people on a regular basis have a healthier outlook on life. They are more inclined to be go-getters and consistently report being happier. They also develop new skills like raising money, dealing with rejection, communicating and negotiating.

-- Stay humble or stumble. Humility is becoming a lost art in an era of self-promotion and making sure you get all the credit you deserve. Humility is not difficult to practice. It doesn't involve downplaying your achievements. It does mean that you realize that others have been involved in your success and you are prepared to be involved in theirs. You start by giving credit where it is due. As humorist Will Rogers said, "Get someone else to blow your horn and the sound will carry twice as far."

-- Always be productive. Arrive to work on time or, better yet, early. Don't procrastinate. Don't let work sit on your desk for days on end. Let's face it ... given a choice, people will perform the least important task first, and the most important last -- if at all. That's why "one of these days" becomes none of these days.

Mackay's Moral: Most people strive to be better off, but few strive to be better.