Defining and Achieving Personal Success

What is success? Is there a definitive answer to that question? How do YOU define success? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as a noun that describes a "favorable or desired outcome" also "the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence." Success can be defined in a dictionary, but it will never feel, look or be experienced exactly the same way for any of us. It's personal. What one person may see as success, another may see as nothing special.

Corporate advertising, especially in western culture is very good at indoctrinating the masses to see the same types of things as benchmarks or symbols of "success." Some people buy into those concepts of success, others reject them – it usually depends on the already existing perceptions and ideals of the individual.

So the question should be re-phrased. Not what is success, but rather what is success to me? It's an important question, and one that deserves close attention. That question is a starting point. The answer to it may very well morph and change over the course of time, but you must begin there.

- What is success to you?
- What do you really want in your life?
- What will make you happy?

It's a simple enough question but one that people just forget to ask themselves as they race through their hectic days. So do yourself a wonderful favor. Find the precious clarity that asking yourself that question will give you. Roll it around in your mind and then tune into your heart for some guidance if not the answers. Write everything that comes into your mind, put it aside, and look at it a little later. Then think about it some more. Here’s one important hint as you go through this exercise: don't think about what you "don't want" think about what you do want.

As a sales trainer and coach, I have seen firsthand the yearning that every person has for "success." One thing I realized long ago is that success is not a commodity; it is not a generic "one size fits all" sort of thing. It’s absolutely different for everyone.

I know I’m being repetitive, but I want to get the point across. What is success for you? What will bring you happiness? The satisfaction of success takes many forms. Not only are people seeking financial fortunes, but also the ancient goal of peace of mind. Maybe you'd like to run your own business, go back to school and get a degree, become a well known actor, or succeed in some other area of the arts such as music or painting. Maybe you’d like to start an internet business that becomes profitable.

It's quite clear to me that success comes in many forms, but one thing appears certain if you examine those who have achieved their dreams – nothing is impossible. People do succeed and achieve their goals all the time. Some are well known, but most are not. However, when it comes to achieving success, they all seem to do some of the same things. There are always common threads to success.

The first and foremost common thread is just knowing where you want to go. That sounds incredibly obvious, but I constantly see people that have absolutely no idea where they’re going.

Don’t be one of those people. Once you have determined what you want and how you define success for yourself, then figure out how you will get there. Map out a plan. It sounds simple because...well.... it is! You only need to do it!

Get out a pad of paper and start writing your goals. Then develop action steps for each goal, in what order they must be tackled, and how you will incorporate those steps into your days. I will give you one piece of specific advice as you do this: attach a completion date for each step – commit to having them each done by a certain date.

I’ll conclude by giving you a guarantee: When you are truly ready to put your entire effort into realizing your goals, you will succeed. It simply can’t be any another way. It’s another common thread that all successful people share, and it's been proven over and over by multitudes of successful people. The vast majority of them didn't have anything that you don't have, just a burning desire to succeed and a plan to make it happen. You can do exactly the same thing, starting today. Isn't that wonderful to know?