A political career isn't something that a person takes on lightly. However, it can be a very rewarding career path with the potential to influence the world in a way that few other positions can allow you to.
If you want to be successful in politics, there are a few steps you definitely will want to take. This Instructable will give you the basics, but make sure to do more research on each before you try and make waves in our political world.

This Instructable is based on this article from GoingPolitical.com: http://goingpolitical.com/how-to-become-a-politician

Step 1: Decide If It's for You

Before anything else, you should ask yourself a few key questions to decide if you really do want this type of career. This is a huge decision, and one that more than a few people have regretted making in their time. Here are some of the most important questions you absolutely need to be able to answer yes to:

Are you alright with living a very public life?
Can you stick to your opinions in the face of opposition?
Are you passionate about making decisions?
Are you prepared for an unstable employment path?

Once you've made your decision, make sure that you fully commit. Politics isn't the type of gig you can do halfway. If you want this, you have to go full in from the get go.

Step 2: Get Things in Order

Running for political office, or even just helping someone else do so, is going to have an effect on some key areas of your life. Make sure you have everything in order and prepped well before it is election season. The most important things to take care of are:

Talk it over with your friends and family.
Make sure your finances are all okay and you'll be able to eat for a while without much income.
Talk things over with your employer and let them know of your plans.

Step 3: Build Your Political Resume

There are a few key things that nearly all successful politicians have on their resumes. Here they are:

Education
Work Experience
Volunteering
Leadership Experience
Notable Accomplishments
Published Writing

There are also some skills that you have to master before you make your first run:

Public Speaking
Managing Finances
Impeccable Social Skills
Debating

Step 4: Start Small

No matter how big your ambitions are, you won't simply be able to become President of the United States without holding a few lower offices first. Starting small allows you to get your foot in the door and make connections. Here are the best first offices to run for:

School Board
City Council
City Mayor
State Legislature