However, if your reading this article, then chances are you probably know it as an ideal reality hovering beyond reach. So how, then, do we reach it? The bottom line is this: there are a lot of “successful” people in the world, but there are far more unsuccessful people. If you want to become one of the few who achieves success, then you must first understand the true scope of the definition. So what exactly is success?
1. Success is Creating the Life You Want to Live
No one’s life is predetermined, nor is their ability to succeed. You forge the pathway to your own success. We habitually make the mistake of identifying ourselves according to our given circumstances, making the assumption that these circumstances will determine where we end up in life. They do not. They merely determine where we start. While some may appear to have an easier run than others, we are all fundamentally the creators of our own destiny. Thus, that for which we are prepared to settle as opposed to that which we are willing to cultivate, will dictate who we are and what we are capable of achieving. The choice is yours.
2. Success is Getting Stuff Done
Roosevelt summed it up in a nutshell. If your not kicking goals on a regular basis, then you’re not on the road to success. You’re just standing on the side of the road, hitchhiking. Bad news: you have to walk. There is nothing more gratifying than the sense of accomplishment that comes from being at the peak of one’s professional existence, for that is true satisfaction. So make it happen.
3. Success is Dedication to One’s Work
“Success” as you know it, will not come without your adamant and uncompromising persistence. It is the product of many sleepless nights and the consequential outcome of the hours in which we push ourselves to the edge of intellectual fatigue, sometimes with the assistance of coffee, but always with the power of an unbreakable will.
4. Success Is Doing What You Love And Being Your Own Person
Everyone has a passion…don’t be afraid to fight for it. Find out what it is you love. Discover your instinctual expertise and understand your natural strengths and inclinations. Learn what you have that makes you unique, and then it’s just a matter of packaging and communicating that uniqueness to the unsuspecting world. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you love.
5. Success is Publicity
There is a saying: “no publicity is bad publicity.” In my books that saying reads true. When you invest in publicity, you invest in the opportunity to share your personal expertise with the world around you and effectively open up the lines of communication. If you can bring your own unique potential to the forefront of your life, then public recognition will only do you good.
6. Success is Action
If you spend too much time thinking about something, you will never get it done. The power of imaginative speculation and desire is a great starting point, but only action will allow you to fulfill your idealized potential. Don’t wait for things to happen. If good things come to those who wait, then better things come to those who take the initiative and go out and make it happen.
7. Success is Financial Freedom
Happiness can’t be purchased … but a comfortable lifestyle can, and that’s pretty close. No one likes being a slave to debt and financial obligation, yet many find that to be case. In the words of Kim Garst: “Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know, and start charging for it.” The moment you start making a profit doing what you love, is the moment you know you have achieved success.
8. Success is Reaching the Highest Step
Life is a staircase. You have to move from one tedious step to the next, over and over again, in order to eventually reach to the top. You’ll encounter a few stumbles along the way. You’ll also find that the steps at the bottom are very steep and difficult to climb, but as you near the top, they become smaller and closer together. As you’re climbing, it’s important to remember that each new step will take you closer to the point of self actualization, so don’t give up.
9. Success is Looking Beyond Failure
Don’t give up. It’s an epic cliche, but perhaps one that resonates with the most importance. If your willing to pursue your passions then sometimes you have to be prepared to take criticism with a smile on your face. You must be ready to accept the fact that not everything you do will result in triumph, and not everything you contribute will necessarily be valued by others. People will tell you to stop, and others will simply laugh. Redirect the negative energy of your frustration and turn it into a positive, effective and unstoppable determination and then see who’s laughing in a few years time.
10. Success is Living In The Now
As you read these words, someone half your age with twice your energy and determination is working their backside off, so that they can live the life you dream of. So stop dreaming and start living. Turn your dreams into a tangible reality by taking action. We are all creatures of habit, and procrastination is by far the hardest habit to break. So get up off your butt, right now, and do some work. Now. Featured photo credit: home office workstation office business notebook via pixabay.com
