by Rhoberta Shaler, PhD
If there were only six secrets and
they did ensure success,
would you want to know? It brings a responsibility with it.
Once you know the secrets, you will never be able to ignore
them, or, to complain about the lack of success in your life.
If these six secrets ensure success and you know them, will
you do what it takes to be successful?
Years ago, when I owned a health retreat center, I would give
seminars to large numbers of people. My assumption was that
they wanted to be healthy. Some did. Some didn't. But, they
all wanted to know how. How many success secrets do you
already know? You likely do know how to be successful. You
could give great advice to a friend, right? Now, are you
following your own advice?
I'm going to make an assumption once again. I am going to
assume that you to want to know the secrets... because you
want to be successful. Am I right? You know, it could be that
some folks want to know them so they can talk like a person
who is going to really do something, but, of course, that's
not you. You are ready! Good for you.
Napoleon Hill wrote an amazing book called Laws of Success.
After researching long and talking to hundreds of very
successful people, he narrowed it down to sixteen laws. It's
a very thick book and every page is gold. Think about these
things. Spend a half hour after reading this considering the
place of these six in your life. If they need to be
magnified, now is a good time for that.
ONE: HAVE A BURNING DESIRE
These days we call that 'passion'. When you look that word up
in the dictionary, it says, in part, 'an intense, driving or
overmastering feeling or conviction' and ' a strong liking
for, desire for or devotion to some activity, object or
concept'.
What is it that you can pursue tirelessly? What is it you do
that allows time to pass without notice? What absorbs you?
Fires your imagination and enthusiasm? Inspires you?
Lofty words. It is important, though, to wrestle that concept
to the ground and come up with one or two things. Until you
know your burning desire, you are may feel short of a starting
place for your success journey.
TWO: HAVE SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE
Everyone can be an expert at something. All you have to do is
decide to become one. My grandson went through an early
teenage phase of answering most questions with a shrug
accompanied by "I dunno". He seemed to be afraid to risk
committing to an opinion, an idea, or, even a preference.
Fortunately, that has passed.
How about you? Do you know what you know and what you want to
know? Specialized knowledge is a saleable commodity. In the
manufacturing world, I've read examples of line workers who
took their contributions so seriously that they made them an
art form. You can do the same. Acquire the specialized
knowledge that will fulfill your burning desire.
THREE: BE GOAL-ORIENTED
You would not likely walk into a travel agency to buy a
ticket, and, when the agent asks 'Where to?" say "Surprise
me!" There are many people who seem to live their lives that
way. And, most of them complain like crazy!
As it says in Alice in Wonderland, if you don't know where you
want to go, any path with take you there. On the contrary,
you can cut down on your travel time enormously by choosing
your destination and mapping out the shortest or most scenic
route.
Goal-achieving is one straight road to self-esteem. It
allows you to give up excuses and save that energy for new
goals. Take the time to think through and write out your
goals.
FOUR: BE DECISIVE
Oh, this is big! Successful people make up their minds
quickly and change them slowly. Others make up their minds
slowly and change them quickly.
Napoleon Hill says never trust a man who has enough the facts
and will not make a decision. I would add 'because he/she is
likely to be a perfectionist'. Perfectionists are not happy
decision- makers because they are so afraid of making a
mistake. They truly believe that, if they could just get a
little more information, they would make a better decision.
Problem is, they seldom think they have enough.
Make up your mind. Take action. Do-o-o-o something!
FIVE: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH A MASTERMIND TEAM
None of us is as smart as all of us! Open yourself to
supporting and learning from other like-minded, like-focused
folks. Join together with them regularly to move your life or
business forward consistently.
That's why I offer regular group coaching sessions. It gives
people an opportunity to meet regularly by phone with five
other people over several months. The advice, experience and
expertise that is available in those sessions is invaluable.
Everyone wants everyone to achieve what they most want... and
they help them get there!
SIX: BE PERSISTENT AND CONSISTENT
Ever been around a person who always has a new good idea.
That's wonderful, but, do they follow through on their ideas?
One way of avoiding success is to just keep thinking and never
acting. Makes great conversation but very little is ever
accomplished.
When you get a new good idea, create yourself a safe parking
lot for it. Write it down. Capture it for further thought or
another time. Incorporate it when you have achieved your
current goal. It will be there waiting for you.
There's a very good reason that someone said 'When the going
gets tough, the tough get going.' That's a description of
consistency and persistence. And, when the tough get going,
they keep going. Not blindly thrashing and flailing through
the mire, but keeping their eyes on the prize while skirting
any obstacles in the way. They get going intelligently.
Many success writers have said that too many folks give up
just before they would have accomplished their goals. Don't
let that be you.
There are many more secrets and you likely have heard them
all. The secret part, though, is putting them into action.
Go for it!
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your dream big enough -- important enough -- to capture your
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