Success, Happiness & The American Dream...

I find it refreshing that the word success has been resurrected from the trash heap upon which it was tossed a few years ago. However, many of the people I hear talking seem to be trying to figure out how to be successful without repeating the mistakes of previous generations.

So, how does one go about satisfying their desire to become successful without sacrificing a balanced and fulfilling life? If you or someone you know has been asking that question, here are a few principles that you might find helpful.

First, Know Where and Who You Are: In most cases it is true that if a person sets their mind to it, they can achieve (or become) anything with hard work and often sacrifice. But in order for that success to be fulfilling it must conform to who you really are deep down inside—it must fit your passion.

Second: Have Your Own Definition Of Success. Many people allow other people to define success for them. In my talk, “Success, Happiness and The American Dream: Can We Still Have It All?” I point out that Albert Einstein and Mother Teresa might not be considered successful if we use the standard definition that so many people use for success, which is making money. However, I doubt that anyone would disagree that these two people’s contributions to the world don’t exceed that of many who have made their fortune. The best definition of success that I’ve found is that success means being the best at what we do and continually working to become better at it in our chosen field of endeavor.

Third: Develop A Philosophy For Success You Can Live With. We cannot be truly happy when we try to live as one-dimensional beings. By that I mean that we cannot be so single focused on one area of our lives that we neglect other areas. A philosophy of success we can live with takes into consideration all the different (and sometimes competing) dimensions of our lives. Such a philosophy of success will seek to harmonize these differing areas so they compliment and strengthen each other rather than compete with each other, thereby creating stress and unhappiness.

Four: Realize That Success Is A Journey, Not A Destination. (Sorry about using a cliché, but that was the most succinct way I could think of putting it!) This doesn’t mean that you have to remain in the same career, always striving to become better and better for your entire life. Remember, real success means being the best at what we do and continually working to become better at it in our chosen field of endeavor. This definition frees us to explore new opportunities and strike out in new directions when we feel we’ve reached a success plateau in what we’ve been doing.

Five: Believe In The Power Of The Possible, Not The Impossible. Perhaps the greatest cause for people not achieving the success they’ve defined and envisioned is that they empowered mediocrity by choosing to accent the things others considered impossible rather than trust their deep-seated knowledge of what was possible for them. In order to believe in the power of the possible you need to surround yourself with people who will encourage and mentor you, as well as serve as a sounding board for developing ideas. These people are sometimes difficult to find, but it is more than worth the effort because we tend to absorb and believe what people constantly say to us.
Have a GREAT and Profitable Week!
Robert Hidde
bob@confidentliving.com