Success

Here are some things to consider doing. Some items may not be applicable to you.

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“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” —Albert Einstein
“The starting point of all achievement is desire.” —Napoleon Hill

• Find a location which is conducive to working on your success, e.g.:
  • Quiet
  • Access to helpful info (e.g., library, Internet)
• Get organized and simplify things, e.g., computer folders, files, drawers, containers
• Determine what success is for you
  • What makes you happy and satisfied
  • Think about times in your life when you’ve been very happy and satisfied
  • Visualize yourself being happy and satisfied
• Determine what your passion is
  • Can you create a niche where you have a chance to be in the top 5%?
  • Identify the pain points of potential customers or employers
  • By acting on your passion, you can be more confident, etc.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” —Albert Schweitzer
“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” —David Frost
“Flaming enthusiasm, backed up by horse sense and persistence, is the quality that most frequently makes for success.” —Dale Carnegie

• Determine what your skills and talents are and what they should be
  • Ask others what they think your skills and talents are
  • Seek appropriate training and education, e.g., Internet, audio books, classes
• Be open-minded
• Research opportunities and risks in the areas that you determine would make you happy and satisfied
• Focus on what you want (your goals)
  • Write your goals down
  • Expose yourself to images which will remind you of what you are trying to achieve and/or avoid
  • Avoid multi-tasking

“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” —Swami Vivekananda

• Avoid too much time on your computer and the internet (e.g., social media)
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help – most people like helping people
• Be aware of your body language and use the winning pose
• Interact, network and surround yourself with people who are likely to:
  • Give you good advice
  • Connect you with people who might be helpful
  • Lift your spirits
  • Have similar goals
  • Can serve as a mentor
  • Will listen to your ideas and thoughts and provide thoughtful feedback – explaining your ideas to someone else can help you clarify your thoughts and may give you new ideas
• Listen
• Take advice with a grain of salt
• Avoid people who are bad for you
• Say “no” when appropriate – so you will have time to be successful
  • before deciding, ask questions
• Don’t burn bridges, & don’t hold grudges

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” —Theodore Roosevelt

• Take care of yourself – to optimize your ability to achieve success
  • Proper amount of quality sleep & take naps as needed
  • Eat nutritious food in moderation & drink plenty of water
  • Exercise regularly
  • Relax – take time off from achieving success
  • Meditation
  • Massage
  • The Music you like wherever you want thanks to the new wireless headphones.
  • Sense of humor
  • Avoid:
    • Excessive alcohol
    • Excessive medication
    • Risky behaviors
    • Dwelling on problems

“There is little success where there is little laughter.” —Andrew Carnegie

• Prioritize, e.g.:
  • Spreadsheet
  • App
• Avoid trying to be perfect – perfection is the enemy of good – know that you can’t please everyone
• Break actions into smaller, bite-size tasks
• Break bad habits and establish good habits – it might take 2 weeks to break or establish a habit
• Change your environment so you can avoid bad temptations instead of resisting them – it’s probably easier to change your environment than it is to change yourself, e.g., avoid bars
• Set aside time each day to devote to achieving success
• Be prepared to take advantage of unexpected opportunities (‘luck’), e.g., be flexible
• Don’t waste time
• Don’t fear failure – you can learn from mistakes – stop analyzing, start doing – don’t focus on your weaknesses

“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” —Winston Churchill

• Make decisions for yourself
• Imagine success
• Believe you can be successful
• Get out of your comfort zone
• Do it, or, at least do something – be proactive

“Action is the foundational key to all success.” —Pablo Picasso
“Success is achieved and maintained by those who try and keep trying.” —W. Clement Stone
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” —Abraham Lincoln
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” —Leonardo da Vinci
“The real secret of success is enthusiasm.” —Walter Chrysler

• Stay informed about the areas you want to achieve success in, e.g., Google Alerts
• Regularly review and adjust your goals and action steps

“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” —Jim Rohn

• Write a to-do list before going to bed

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