OCTOBER 23, 2020
We have often talked about what success is and what is success isn’t. Success to others, should not be YOUR success. (But continue to ROOT for them anyway!) Success is something that YOU have to define for yourself and no one can do it for you. Success can mean a lot of things. Success could mean a sense of giving back to the world (are you a giver or a taker?), a sense of accomplishment and career progression or doing the things that you love in life. Failure is the opposite of success and none of us succeed all of the time. Keep trying! I want you to think about what success is in your own mind (write it down) and not something you watch on TV or see in other people. Remember, they have their own skills, talents, ego and thoughts. They also have their own problems.
In order to fully live a life of prosperity and peace, it is up to us to have our own definition of success. This plays into our theme to; Life, Love, Laugh, Lead, Listen, Learn, and Leave a Legacy. To find and fully live your purpose in life and to leave an enduring legacy of having made a difference in the world, it will be important for you to have a positive impact on the lives of people around you. People that are friends and family. People that you love and that inspire you. This takes practice in being intentional every day. While you are planning and carrying out your plan, you just might find that you have had that same impact on yourself.
I think of success as something that can be achieved when you try your best in all aspects of everything you do even if that doesn’t lead to big results. If you have done your best, you should feel proud of your efforts. Teaching a young child to see the wonder and joy in accomplishing a simple task like riding a bike or throwing a ball is just the best feeling in the world. Success is also setting realistic and concrete goals in life. Success doesn’t come form setting abstract goals. (Don’t just think about them) Success might be having a place to call home, understanding the difference between NEEDS and WANTS. Just meeting your monthly obligations and fulfilling your basic needs is being successful. Success is also believing YOU CAN DO IT. If you believe you can, you will succeed. Self-belief doesn’t come naturally to everyone. When other people don’t believe in you, you still need to work on your own courage and confidence.
Here is a way you might look at defining your own success:
- S= See your goal
- U= Understand the obstacles you need to overcome to succeed
- C= Create a positive mental picture of what you want to accomplish
- C= Clear your mind of self-doubt
- E= Energize yourself to accomplish your task
- S= Stay on track
- S= Show the world you can do it
Success is also remembering to balance work with passion. This will help create undue stress and empty achievements. In other words, focus on what excites you. If you are happy at your job, that’s GREAT. However, if you aren’t, you can balance your formal job with hobbies or volunteer work that you are passionate about. Make sure you are taking care of your basic needs so that you can spend more time on your goal of being successful at something. Success only comes with a balanced life. That means you may have to say “NO” once in a while. That doesn’t mean you are selfish. It simply means you have priorities and know what you need (knowing yourself) to give your attention to at any given time. Success is also understanding you cannot keep what you don’t give away. You will only succeed if you help others succeed. That is true leadership and will fill your bucket. When you help others, you will also create an environment where others want to help you because it makes you more approachable and will give you that undeniable feeling of belonging.
Success is overcoming our fears. Once you conquer your fears it will make you feel invincible. Practice overcoming one small fear every week for six weeks. Once you do, it will bring a sense of pride. Bigger fears may take more time but any work you do to overcome fear will lead to success. Remember to learn something new each day. Learning is a life long endeavor. Read more. Watch self-improvement podcasts. Just get started NOW!
In closing, success can only be reached if you don’t give up. Celebrate the small victories. Stand your ground if you truly believe you are on the right path. Check in with God often, because he can help you understand that YOU control your destiny.
Elevator Guy