One of the biggest traps we get caught up in is that there is one standard of success for everyone. Trying to live up to someone else’s standard of success will keep you stuck and miserable. A successful life means something different to everyone because we all have different desires, values, and motives.
Some people define success at a financial level while some define success by the quality of their relationships. Others define success as the adventures they take and some by the work they do. While some define success by their personal well-being or by the contributions they make to society. Some aren’t satisfied until they go for it all.
Just what does a successful life mean to you? One of the best definitions of success I’ve come across is from The EQ Edge (Stein and Book):
“The ability to set and achieve your personal and professional goals”
This definition makes it clear that we are the masters of our own destiny and relieves the burden of trying to live up to other people’s standards. It reminds us that the only one we are in competition with is ourselves. Are we trying to better than we were yesterday?
Regardless of what success means to you, I’ve noticed that the people who are achieving success as defined above follow a pattern that includes the following three steps:
The first step is awareness. Awareness of who you are, what you want, and how you use your resources. Without awareness of your current situation there is no compelling reason to do anything different. Change is hard and is seldom done for the sake of it.
The second step is belief. Without a firm belief that you can change, that you do deserve better, that you are capable, there is little hope. If you don’t believe in yourself who will? Belief is the fuel that drives commitment.
The third step is commitment. Growth occurs in baby steps, not one giant leap. It requires a tremendous amount of self-control and self-discipline. Two words that are not very popular in our ‘I want what I want and I want it now with minimal effort’ society.
If you apply these three steps you will most certainly achieve the success in life you are searching for. If you want to know more about how to put these steps into place, join me for a free webinar where we will take a deeper dive into how to apply these steps to your life.