In today’s 7 Steps to Finding Your Own Success post, I’ll be sharing some of the steps that have helped me. Most people want to be successful in life, don’t they? We all strive for it and if we say we don’t… well… maybe we’re being dishonest with ourselves!
We set ourselves goals and then the hard work begins to reach those goals. These goals can be easily achievable or much more challenging. But what does success actually mean? It’s clear that success can mean different things to different people.
Success is often defined by status and wealth, but success doesn’t always have to involve money. Success could be getting a good result in a difficult exam or learning how to bake the perfect chocolate cake (I’m still trying to achieve this one!).
I define my own success in the relationships I nurture both on a personal level and in business and in my contribution to my family and my wider community. Of course, I also strive to achieve my business goals and to provide my clients with excellent products and services.
Success comes in contrasting shapes and sizes with one common denominator. Success is important and it takes work to achieve it.
I just wanted to share a few steps that have helped me on the path to my own success. I must admit it’s sometimes a very rocky path but it’s ever evolving and throws up unexpected surprises at every turn. Along the way I’ve met so many amazing people who’ve supported, encouraged, and inspired me to make the most of life and everything it has to offer.
1. Dare to Dream
To succeed, you need to have dreams and aspirations. I can’t imagine a life where I didn’t dream and think big. Life is one giant adventure and I want to relish every moment. It’s essential to be honest with yourself about what you want out of life and what you want to contribute.
I find it’s helpful to construct a plan to include your goals, milestones, outcomes and accomplishments. This will provide you with a visual aid so that you can see at a glance what you’re working towards, what challenges you have successfully overcome and in what areas you need to improve.
2. Never Give Up
Be tenacious! This is one of my strengths. I NEVER give up. I have the drive and commitment to bring things to fruition. To reach success, you have to persevere and be resilient. It’s not always easy! I’ve had plenty of knock backs.
Thomas Edison learnt this when he was creating the incandescent light bulb. It took him more than 10,000 attempts to perfect it. Now that’s a prime example of perseverance. Did he get incandescent with rage? No, he simply re-framed the failures as successful ways not to reach his outcome!
Have you got the Edison mindset that would allow you to keep striving even when that elusive breakthrough looks light years away?
3. Stay Motivated
When striving for the big goal of success (however you define it), it’s critical to stay motivated. Some of the things that help me stay motivated and focused include listening to inspiring stories of successful people, reading motivational books, connecting, or meeting up with like-minded people to share thoughts and ideas and helping others achieve their potential and move towards their goals.
I always start my day with reading motivational and inspiring quotes or I plug into some words of wisdom from some of my top influencers. Always believe in yourself and your capabilities. Don’t let anyone put you down. Cultivating your confidence will help you negotiate the challenging times. If you ever start to feel a little discouraged and doubt starts to rear its ugly head, turn to these motivational tools to help you keep on track.
4. Dealing With Fear of Failure
Being afraid of failure is a concept that we’re all familiar with. It’s part of being human. If we’re honest with ourselves we’ll agree that fear is a frequent visitor in our lives. How you deal with that fear is the determining factor between failing and succeeding.
You can do that by setting yourself realistic goals and then reviewing those goals regularly in order to make any necessary alterations. Don’t allow negative thoughts about past failures to impact on your future successes.
Learn from your past, make more informed choices and move forward towards reaching your potential.
5. Set Daily Goals
It’s helpful to set daily goals in order to visualize your accomplishments and stay motivated. These goals can be simple and easily achievable but whatever the task is, get it done. Always take immediate action, don’t put things off.
Procrastination is indeed the thief of time so manage your time wisely and limit your distractions. It’s also an idea to set aside time each day to reflect on what you’ve achieved and congratulate yourself before moving onto the next task.
6. Collaborate with Others
This has been one of my favourite and most fulfilling areas of my own journey. I love to collaborate and network with others and find it valuable and hugely enriching.
There are times when you don’t have the appropriate expertise to accomplish something and you’ll need to seek out experts in order to move forward. Investing in these relationships will ensure your questions are answered. In addition, you’ll receive vital guidance, support, and encouragement.
It’s also important to give back and there will be times when you will be called upon to share your knowledge and expertise with others. See this as an opportunity and a learning experience for everyone.
7. Have Fun
In my opinion if you’re not having fun you’re not going to achieve everything you want to. This is one element that is often forgotten in the busyness of life. Surround yourself with positive, passionate, and energetic people. Enjoy life and the people around you. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Laugh, and I mean, out loud every day!
It’s even possible to find enjoyment in challenges. That’s not to say that there won’t be difficult and overwhelming times but try to keep your sense of humour when all else fails.
I hope you found some useful information in the steps laid out in my 7 Steps to Finding Your Own Success post.
Please feel free to share your success stories with me. I love hearing about others’ success and always find it inspires and motivates me.
To Your Success!
