SUCCESS. It’s not a matter of luck, fate, timing, talent, skill or intelligence. Surprised? Don’t make it so much bigger than it is. Success is available to each of us…any time, any place and every day. That’s right. Look around yourself at home, at work, at church, even at your kids sports events and music lessons. You see them. Those Successful people! Why are they enjoying their dreams and you’re not? How are they even able to have dreams in this recessionary economy? I want that!
WHAT’S THE SECRET to success, happiness, wealth, peace and dreams? The SECRET? People around the world are each asking for the secret. Give me the path, the formula, the plan, the recipe, the way. We go to self-help seminars, we read motivational books, listen to lectures, and even study the habits of successful people, but nothing seems to change, right? Yes, attending motivational seminars and reading all the latest self-help books certainly are positive additions to your life. But those attempts at painting by the numbers to success won’t work.
NO. The answer is your ATTITUDE, your PHILOSOPHY…every day.
Yes, it is THAT simple. How is your attitude about yourself? Your life? Your job? Your family, spouse, significant other, pet, teacher, boss, you get the point. What’s your philosophy of YOUR life? Until you can change that you haven’t got a prayer. Go to Amazon.com and search for self-help books. You’re right, there are thousands. There are so many that Amazon even categorizes them into “special interests” for you. Don’t misunderstand, I have a fortune invested in these types of books and tapes and spend most of my time in the nonfiction departments. There’s a lot of really good ideas and scholarly studies done on the topic of personal self-help. But not one of these books is going to help you to realize your dreams.
If these how-to books were the answer then why don’t all the books on dieting work for most people? It’s not that the information is bad. No, its the fact that we don’t keep doing what we are taught. We haven’t developed the attitude of success, the philosophy of consistent winning! Doing the right things every day. Its a discipline of life that one must develop to be successful. Its hard. Its real hard. It hurts. Its cold some mornings when the alarm goes off for that 2 mile jog. You really want that piece of chocolate cake. You worked really hard today and can save that report til tomorrow. The kids have been sick all week. I was told NO by prospective buyers three times today… Attitude and philosophy work hand in hand in the success game. Your attitude is the motivator behind the action. The how-to behind your winning processes. But your philosophy is the winning ingredient in the recipe. Your philosophy is what binds it all together today, tomorrow and the next day. Your can-do, positive philosophy drives your positive attitude that creates the positive actions.
Is it time to evaluate YOUR philosophy? Lets take a look. In the results oriented lives that we live today its very difficult to have a philosophy that will make you a winner. I joined the gym therefore I want to be healthy, NOW! I swiped the card in the ATM machine and I want money, NOW. I was hired for the job, I want to be promoted, NOW. Instant coffee, instant fast food, instant credit…
Personal attitudes of either entitlement or value-driven. Entitlement: Pay me a higher wage and I’ll work harder.What have you done for me lately. OR, a value-driven attitude that says, I’ll work harder at my job then I’ll be paid for more results. What can I do to help you attitude. Look at those around you. You can see philosophy oozing out everywhere. Some entitlement, some value-driven. Does it have anything to do with our fear of failure? If we try harder and fail then we are Failures! Is that the fear? If you pay me first and I fail then its your fault for paying me for something I couldn’t do!
Failure is a philosophy. Unfortunately we have been taught by our schools and many times parents and friends that failure is bad. Without failures there would be no successes. Remember the story of Thomas Edison failing thousands of times in his effort to invent the filament for the electric light bulb? When asked how he felt about so many failures enroute to inventing the electric light bulb, he cleverly replied that, That he NOW knew thousands of ways that it would not work!
Successful people FAIL their way to success. The biggest difference between successful people and those that are not is their philosophy. A successful person sees that an investment today will reap benefits in the future, and has the patience to wait. A simple philosophy of plant, cultivate and harvest. A successful person is not afraid of failure because they know that with every failure come many successes. A successful marriage or relationship is not created in a couple of days. After weeks and months, sometimes years of personal successes and failures a courtship may produce a successful and rewarding marriage. Was it worth it?
How long will it take before my new business makes me rich? How long will it take until I can quit working two jobs? How long will it take until I can be my own boss?…How long will it take? Pretty good chance that it will take longer than you had hoped…but when it arrives…you’ll be amazed by how quick.
Successful people build their OWN dreams, and don’t spend their lives building the dreams of other people.
