The Truth About What it Takes to Succeed in Life
Contrary to popular belief, you need more than manifestation and hard work to succeed in life.
A good friend of mine once told me that wishing, hoping and praying isn’t a plan. And I believe it’s true. You can live your life doing all three but you may not get to where you want to be. You can even have a lot of luck in your life, but it won’t solve all of your problems, rid you of challenges or make your life easy.
If your wishes, hopes and prayers – along with some luck – bring you great fortune then you’re certainly one (or many) steps ahead ... But it doesn’t mean you stop taking more steps.
In addition to wishing, hoping and praying, you need to make your own luck. You need to participate in your life and take action!
But taking action without a plan, is just like wishing, hoping, and praying – there’s less guarantee of success. If you want to succeed, you need to invest in yourself and you need a structure to support that investment.
It Starts With You
Having “success” or being “successful” is something many of us want for ourselves, but we’re often unsure of what it really means to us or how to start. The truth is that it begins with ourselves and a desire to change something that’s not working for us.
It’s also a matter of wanting to grow and develop from who – and where – you are now, into something better, different or greater in the future. It’s about tapping into our potential and seeing possibilities for ourselves that we haven’t yet discovered.
In other words, the idea is to improve ourselves now in the present in order to have the success we desire in the future. Self-improvement is something we should ALL do, but sadly not everyone does.
“Why is that?” you might ask. It’s because it takes work and sometimes people aren’t sure what type of effort they should be doing.
Let’s simplify it and look at it this way. We first need to understand what ‘work’ means before we can decide where and how to apply our effort.
The Three Types of Work
There are three kinds of work: Guesswork, Hard Work and Framework. Let’s explore them more so we can see their differences and how some are more effective than others at helping us succeed in our personal and professional lives.
There is Guesswork, which typically doesn’t work for most people because you’re not working from a plan so you may or may not get you the results you want. In other words, there’s a high degree of ‘luck’ involved as to whether or not you will succeed.
Then there is Hard Work, which involves applying your dedicated effort towards an end. Without a plan, this can also be misguided effort that is wasted. You may get the results you desire – that is if you don’t burn out in the process.
Or there is a Framework – which all but ensures the outcomes you’re looking for in the shortest amount of time. This is the best possible type of work because it provides a structure for you!
Having a Framework takes away the guesswork and allows you to direct your hard work and focus in a specific way to get the results you want. This is actually what I provide my clients through Coaching!
This is not draining or disempowering work that leaves you feeling self-defeated. No, this is energizing, empowering work that sustains you and empowers you to achieve more of what you want for yourself.
Once we understand what type of work we need to do, our chances of success increase exponentially and then it’s just a matter of getting into gear.
Taking Action
If you’ve looked at your life, considered what’s missing, have imagined it could be better, and have created a dream, then you have taken the right steps to prepare for the next one – taking action.
Wishing, hoping and praying for something to improve or better your life are well-intentioned concepts that can spur you on in your desire to advance. Adding a plan, though, that is filled with actionable items, tasks, steps and milestones will make all the difference in the world!
In other words, a dream without a plan is only a dream. And a plan without action is only a plan. You need the necessary elements of ‘action’ if you truly want to make the changes you desire and move your life forward.
To start yourself off in the right direction and to get on the road to living your dreams requires doing! Taking action allows the metamorphosis to begin. Action is what starts the initial movement. The movement then builds into motion. Motion is what keeps you going in the direction you desire – your destination!
What Worked For Me Can Work For You
There have been times in my life when I wanted success for myself and I wasn’t sure where to begin. Once I really defined what I wanted and what success might mean for me, then it was a matter of deciding how to develop a roadmap to get me there.
I went through this myself in terms of creating my coaching business and can use that experience to illustrate what I mean.
When I figured out that I wanted to become a Coach and start a consulting business, I was able to use my years of business, project management and planning experience to map out the road ahead and create a plan for success.
I researched and enrolled in one of the top coaching programs in the world. I was accepted and went through the year-long program to learn the necessary tools to become an outstanding coach.
I developed my own philosophy and approach about helping others.
I then set up my business and started looking for clients.
I got clients and now work together with them to create a positive impact on their personal and professional lives. By doing so, we both change, progress and develop. Ultimately, we learn, grow and succeed together!
Questions For You
So, where are you in terms of the success you want in your life? Are you still trying to figure out what ‘success’ means to you and how to go after it? Do you know what success means and are unsure of how to get started? Are you enjoying success in your life, but have reached a point where you’re unsure of what’s next?
At ACTIV365 we work with you to find out where you are right now, what’s important to you and how to move forward. We have the experience, the know-how and the tools to support you wherever you are right now – and help you get to where you want to be.
Contact us and let us help you thrive instead of just survive. Also, visit the ‘Books’ section of our website to find resources that can help you on your journey.
Here’s to you creating and having all the success you desire in life!
Cheers,
-Rob
