What is success and How do we define success ?
What makes a person successful? How do we recognize success? To some people, success might mean wealth. To others , it is recognition, good health, a good family, happiness, satisfaction, and peace of mind. What this really tell us is that success is subjective. Success means different things to different people. The definition that I feel best summarize “success” is :
Success is the progressive relation of a worthy goal.—By Earl Nightingale
Lets look a these definitions carefully.
“Progressive” means that success is a journey, not a destination. We never arrive. After we reach one goal, we go on to next and next and so on.
“Realization” means it is an experience. Outside forces cannot make feel successful. I have to feel it within myself. It is internal not external. That’s why what often appears as success externally may be total hollowness within.
“Worthiness” refers to our value system without which goals can be unworthy. Which are we heading? Towards positive or negative goals? Worthiness determines the quality of the journey. That is what gives meaning and fulfillment. Goals are important because they give us sense of direction.
Success without fulfillment is empty.
Some Obstacles to success
1 Ego
2 Fear of failure / success; lace of esteem
3 No plan
4 Lack of formalized goals
5 Life changes
6 Procrastination
7 Family responsibilities
8 Financial security issues
9 Lack of focus, being muddled
10 Giving up vision for promise of money
11 Doing too much alone
12 Overcommitment
13 Lack of commitment
14 Lack of training
15 Lack of persistence
16 Lack of priorities
The Winning Edge
In order to get the winning edge, We need to strive for excellence, not perfection, Striving for perfection is neurotic; striving for excellence is progress, because there is nothing that cant be done better or improved
All that we need is a little edge. The wining horse in race may win with 5-to-1 or 10-to-1 odds. Do you think he is five or ten time faster than other horses? Of course not . He may only be faster by a fraction, by a nose, but the rewards are five or ten times grater.
It it fair? Who cares? It doesn’t matter. Those are the rules of the game. That is why the game is played. The same is true in our lives. Successful people are not ten times smarter than the people who fail. They may be fractionally, better,but the rewards are ten times bigger.
We don’t need to improve 1000% in any one area. All you need is to improve 1% in 1000 different areas, which is a lot easier. That is the winning edge!
