I love the reality TV show American Idol. And probably not for the reason you think. Yes, it's entertaining to watch all those very bad singers get up and act as if they're the next Kelly Clarkson.

But that's not why I love it.

I love it because it's a show about people who have a dream and are willing to do whatever it takes to make that dream come true.

Its about people who don't let anything get between themselves and success.

They're not afraid to take a risk.

And put themselves out there and possibly fail.

They're not afraid to work hard.

They know success isn't always about being good at what you do. How many great singers are out there who no one has ever heard of, and probably never will? Too many to count I'm sure.

But the ones who take a chance, do whatever it takes to get themselves to an American Idol audition where they're competing with hundreds of thousands of people and their odds of making it are next to nothing.

They know they could be made to look ridiculous on national TV.

(although I'm also convinced there are some people who audition who know they are terrible and just want their 15 minutes of fame, even if it does involve totally making a fool of themselves ... but that's another article!).

They know they're going to be scrutizined and will have to listen to harsh criticism and be willing to grow and change.

If they've watched previous seasons of the show they know they are going to be sleep-deprived and tested beyond anything they've ever done before if they make it to Hollywood.

They know they're going to have to give it everything they have, and leave behind their loved ones and their comfortable life for the duration of their run in the competition.

And they probably even know they're going to have to surrender a good percentage of their earnings if they do win, to the American Idol producers.

Yet, they do it anyway.

I truly admire these people. They have what it takes to be successful. They know it takes passion, hard work, sacrifice, and a whatever-it-takes attitude.

How about you?

How passionate are you about your work?

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be successful?

Are you willing to take risks and put yourself and your business out there?

Are you willing to accept criticism and critique in order to improve your product or service?

Are you willing to fail?

Are you willing to grow and change and adapt?

Are you willing to go find and meet the people who can help you succeed?

And really committed to giving everything you've got to get your business off the ground?

You have to be if you want to succeed.

Yes, there are those people who just seem to be lucky and fall into success. But that's not the road most take.

You have to be willing to do the hard stuff in the beginning.

But the wonderful thing is if you do, odds are you'll find success beyond your wildest dreams. And that success will begin to flow to you abundantly. And you will reap all the wonderful benefits.

So, whether or not you like American Idol, take a look at what you can learn from it to make your business succeed.

Debbie LaChusa

Debbie LaChusa is a marketing veteran with 20 years in the business. After 13 years in the advertising and marketing agency business, Debbie founded DLC Marketing, Inc., a marketing consulting and coaching business. Her goal? To give entrepreneurs and small business owners affordable access to the same high-level strategic marketing and advertising expertise that typically only large companies with big budgets can afford.

Debbie's commitment to making marketing expertise accessible to small business also led her to pursue speaking engagements and teaching. She has spoken at meetings and conventions across the United States and in Canada. She also is on the faculty of Wellcoaches Corporation, where she teaches wellness coach trainees around the world how to successfully market their new coaching practices.

Debbie has written and self-published two marketing workbooks, "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide" and "A Step-by-Step Marketing Guide for Your Fitness Business" which have sold copies worldwide. Her advice is also featured in Entrepreneur Magazine's "How to Start a Personal Training Business," part of the magazine's Business Start-Up Series. And she is a contributor to the San Diego Business Journal.

Debbie created The 10stepmarketing? System to provide small business owners, coaches, consultants and other independent professionals with all the tools they need to market themselves.

This simple, step-by-step system, features an easy-to-use question-and-answer format that walks business owners through every step they need to take to develop and implement their own marketing plan designed to achieve the success they desire and deserve.

On a more personal note, Debbie LaChusa is a fraternal twin. In 2004 she launched Twin Connections, a web site that celebrates the unique and mysterious bond shared by twins. She collects twin stories and hopes to compile them into a book.