The Journey Of Success

Obviously one of the key elements in what you are doing is working towards your own success. If you've been at this for a while you will have discovered that success is a journey, not a destination. And you've learned there are really no short-cuts. Get-rich-quick schemes are just that: schemes. They don't work. At least they won't get YOU rich. You have to commit yourself to hard work over time in order to walk that journey of success. It is the only way.

Another truism is that along the way you will experience failure. We all do. The key, however, is that when successful people get knocked down they pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and continue on their way. That's a big part of what being successful is all about: never giving up!

Sometimes you will feel that you are staning alone, facing the difficulties by yourself. others have let you down, left you to carry the load on your own. It's easy, at that point, to fall into despair, to compromise your values, to set aside your goals. It has been said that you need to set your goals in cement and your plans in sand. What that means is you don't change your goals. When you run into difficulties -- and you will! -- you should re-evaluate your plans and change them, as necessary, in order to continue on the path to those goals. If you do, those who abandoned you will be left behind in your wake.

There are going to be times when key meetings will not take place, deals, about to be signed, will fall through, the person you felt you needed to meet will not show up. These things happen. And sure, they lead us to deep disappointment. We have to understand that the failure wasn't ours. In fact, it wasn't a failure at all. It was just the wrong time. If nothing else I have learned that the Universe tends to unfold exactly as it should. When we think something is supposed to happen -- must happen! -- it may not be the right time for the Universe. We must accept the process and look for the silver lining in the dark cloud, and be there, ready and willing, when the next door opens.

I read this cute word play recently: "A friend of mine used to be miserable and depressed, but now he's completely turned his life around. He is now depressed and miserable instead!"

It gives us a chuckle but it is really what we often do to ourselves. Instead of rising above out circumstances, we continue to splash about in them. You become bogged down. What we need to do is move on. Move forward. Continue the journey and leave the dispair behind us. Make a commitment to success and you will find it.

Of course, we don't often actually commit ourselves, even when we think we do. One definition of commitment might be "hard work and determination whatever the circumstances."

Ken Blanchard, a primary voice in leadership development, management training, strategic management, organizational development, and employee motivation distinguishes between being interested in something and commitment to something. He says, "When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."

A very successful business associate, and friend, of mine tells the story of a chicken and a pig walking together down the road. They pass by an ophanage and the chicken says to the pig, "Let's go in and give all those wonderful young kids a bacon and egg breakfast!" The pig pauses a moment to think it over and then replies, "Well, that's easy for you to say because, after all, for you it's just a donation but for me it's a commitment!"

Another cute story but there is meaning beneath the smile. We need to consider seriously just how much we are willing to commit to our success. And then we need to do it.