“The key to success is to focus on goals, not obstacles.”

You’ve heard it before…you haven’t heard a hundred times or more I’m sure, that success does not happen overnight. The other common factoid is that every day as an opportunity to improve, to get better, to get closer to reaching your goals. The more that you apply that focus, that want, that desire, the greater your chance of achieving the success you wish to achieve. But what does success mean to you? Success is different to everyone and the clearer you are on what that is, the harder you will work to make it become your reality. So much about success is about learning and yearning, it’s about pain and growth, it’s about being very clear about what it is that you want to achieve. Success can make you feel very vulnerable and you often need to be willing to feel as though you are the lowest rung on the proverbial totem pole. Most people aren’t willing to choose to put themselves in that place, even if it it’s for a much higher place on that same pole in the future. We all have the choice to choose success, but we must believe in ourselves, we must be clear about what success means to us, and we must stay the course to achieve that success. So what IS success to you? Here are a few questions to start with:

  • Do you want to make the world a better place?
  • Do you want to make a lot of money?
  • Do you want to pursue goals that you’re passionate about?
  • Do you want to make a difference in other people’s lives?
  • Do you want to be recognized by others as a celebrity in your field?
  • Do you want to accelerate the realm of knowledge in your chosen field?
  • Do you want to secure wealth, awards, status, and power?
  • Do you want to feel love and understood?
  • Do you want the love and respect of your family and friends?
  • You love work and finding work that’s best for you?
  • To be able to laugh often?
  • Having excellent health and great energy?
  • Having lots of time for leisure activities?
  • Living in the present?
  • Raising a happy and healthy child?
  • Living an exciting life, full of adventure?
  • Achieving the right balance between work and family?
  • Feeling good about yourself?
  • Obtaining enlightenment?
  • Achieving inner peace?
  • Being able to quit your day job and live off an investment income-to have financial independence?
  • Adequate shelter, food on the table, and a happy home?
  • Going out in the world every day, doing the best you can?
  • Going to sleep each night knowing you gave it your all?
  • Helping others with your unique abilities?
  • Coming up with an original idea and seeing it through to its execution?

When you ask yourself these questions, are you surprised by some of the answers? What does success mean to you now? Success is being able to do what you want to do to achieve what it is that you want to achieve. This may sound simple, but what it is you love to do if life changes over time and have the ability to change what you’re doing to match your passion, is true success. This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with money, status, awards, or power, as each one of us has different passions and desires. These are a couple of books that have the power to bring the success you’re looking for into your life; reading is an activity shared by most successful people in the world. This book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, is a classic approach to finding your move out of inertia, and accomplishing your goals. Another good read is Start With Why by Simon Sinek, which explores how having a clear purpose and mission can propel you to the success you want, both in life and in your business.

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