In my country ,it is said that if you want to be successful you think like a successful person. This statement is based on a belief that an estimation of successful a person is is based on the size of his bank balance or his net worth. History is full with examples of so many rich people who are remembered as failures or seen as an embodiment of disgrace. It is normal to want to be successful in life and people often avoid those who are seen as having failed in their endeavors. Let's look at what success really is and how someone can achieve and sustain it.
To know what success is,you will first need to convince yourself on what you think makes a person successful. To do this, take a paper and write down the names of the people who you know and think are successful in life. Now after evaluating these people ask yourself:,are they wealthy people? Are they famous and influential? Are they powerful people in the society? The answer you give to these questions will go a long way in showing how you view what success is about.
WHAT SUCCESS IS:
Success is not the story book fantasy of simply imagining what you want to be in life and that all you need to be successful is to follow your dreams. Success is the reward of the efforts you put in realizing and actualizing the goals that you set for yourself. It involves the application of passion in the pursuit of a purpose with perseverance no matter the challenges faced.
From this it can be seen that success is not achieved only by a fortunate few but that anyone who puts in effort based on his circumstances and is persistent in the pursuit of excellence in his desired goal despite setbacks can be successful. A poor single mother whose goal is to train her children to become responsible adults can be said to be successful when her goals are achieved after years of persistence even though she is poor.
So how can someone be successful at what he does?
HAVE A PURPOSE:
"A man with a half volition goes backwards and forwards and makes no way on the smoothest road, a man with a whole volition advances on the roughest road and will reach his purpose if there be even a little worthnes in it. The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder-a waif, a nothing, a no man.Have a purpose in life and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you"
------Thomas Calyle
To succeed you will need to have a dynamic purpose so that your purpose can keep adapting as you face different challenges. Set a high purpose and be consistent at it. Purpose is different from a goal in that purpose is the driving force or reasons behind our actions and it guides are long-term direction. Your purpose should not be selfish or to satisfy personal ambition, you should take into consideration the values and respect in other people seeking to bring happiness to them and enrich their lives.
SET A GOAL AND WORK AT IT:
Goals are different from purpose, they are specific tangible outcomes set within a time period. A human must have a specific knowledge regarding what he wants to achieve, fix his mind on it and focus his energies at reaching his target. Purpose and goals are like twins because it is the intensity of purpose that fuels our desire to achieve set goals. In setting a goal find out what you really intend to do and place this above every other endeavor, picture it in your mind. In your mind's eye see who you want to be or become then gather as many information as possible on what you want to be. Critically analyze the facts that you have gathered, put them in writing and write down the steps you will take to achieve what you want. Set a timeline and go to work, put your plans and the knowledge that you have gathered into writing.Always try to set a goal at a time and focus on it,once you meet a goal you can then set another one. Do not try to do so many things at the same time
OVERCOME YOUR FEARS:
A key hindrance To success is the fear factor especially the fear of the unknown. According to Napoleon Hill, there are seven basic fears that humans have and they are: the fear of poverty, the fear of criticism,the fear of ill health,the fear of loss of love, the fear of old age,the fear of loss of liberty and the fear of death. Everything humans are afraid of are hinged on these.To overcome any of these fears you will need to arm yourself with knowledge so as to be able to fight them. When your mind is filled with facts,it will show in your outlook because your countenance and reasoning will be bright. So counter fear with knowledge and facts. Fear is a mental disease that we often bring upon ourselves and it destroys us when we allow it to crowd our thinking and take control of our mind, it kills the power and motivation to succeed.
ACT ON YOUR PLANS:
Once your goal has been clearly defined and you have found your purpose, the next thing is to act on them with much vigor and focus. This means that you strongly believe in your goal and have faith in it.It is this belief that will give you the confidence to spur you into action. Before now you must have put your goal and the plans to achieve it down in writing and you must have gathered enough knowledge about it the more you get used to it,it becomes a part of you and you find delight in doing it effortlessly. Develop a sincere burning desire for the goal you have set and be determined to follow true on your plans enjoying the things you do.
CONCLUSION:
Success does not wait for anyone and it is evasive it is achieved by the diligent person who has a purpose a set goal the strength to overcome his fears and determination to act on his plans. The sweetness of success makes it a worthwhile pursuit. So pick up yourself and be confident that you can form a habit of succeeding and be happy as a successful person weather in big or in small things.