For most of us, it’s a long and winding road to success. Are you a bit lost on your way to success? Are you feeling overwhelmed by challenges? Not feeling motivated enough? I’d like to share my 3 steps and 3 quotes that boost my motivation, make me feel inspired, and strengthen my resolve to power through the work on the road to reaching new horizons. There are three key elements to achieving long term career success:
Purpose: working for meaning
Approach: working smart
Attitude: trust that things will work out
First, you need a strong sense of purpose, a clear objective and focus. “Singleness of purpose is one of the chief essentials for success, no matter what may be one’s aim.” ~John D Rockefeller You need to believe in what you are doing, digging deep for your compelling purpose, to withstand all adversity and hurdles and to triumph over hard times. Without clarity about what you’re aiming for and the reason for striving for it, you may lose the energy to continue the course. I often find that behind a failure to achieve there’s a lack of that essential ingredient, purpose. There is a widespread belief, held to be common sense, that you need to work harder than anyone else if you want to achieve success. I like to remind myself of a different perspective: “I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job because he will find an easy way to do it.” ~ Bill Gates Working hard is important, but knowing where to make the effort will determine the ultimate success of your endeavors. As you set yourself up for success, be open to new ways of thinking and doing things to ensure you are working smart. You may recall the “too busy for round wheels” cartoon that has been making the rounds on LinkedIn. Don’t be the guy keeping busy pulling the cart all the while ignoring the opportunity to replace the square wheels. Make sure to step back from the wagon to discover opportunities for improvement. And most importantly, attitude is everything when it comes to success. Self-trust is the foundation of achievement. “Self-trust is the first secret of success, the belief that if you are here the authorities of the universe put you here, and for cause, or with some task strictly appointed you in your constitution, and as long as you work at that you are well and successful.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson The road to success is always under construction, and the path you walk may be rough going. The third element of success is crucial: trust that you can succeed, belief that you deserve it, and have faith that you will get it. Self-trust may not bring success, but it gives us the strength and driving power to face any challenges. Fear and doubt are par for the course. To succeed, our dreams must be bigger than any doubts and our self-trust bigger than our fears. When the going gets tough, dig deep for the courage to stay the course. Most people fail to reach their goals because they give up too easily or turn back too soon. Keep believing that your success is just around the corner. Put your self-limiting beliefs aside and engage in courageous self-talk. As long as you don’t truly believe that it’s possible for you to succeed, you are going to keep creating excuses and distractions. Like the little engine that could, believe you can, and you will. The bottom line: know what you want; believe that you can, make the effort, work smart, & repeat until you eventually reach success.
