Define success or excuse failure - it’s up to you

December 3, 2007 · Posted in Choices, Goals, Inspiration, Motivation, Self-help, Success

Everyone wants to be successful, but if you ask 100 people to define success, most of the time, 95–97 percent of those who answer, will give you extremely vague definitions. This isn’t unusual since studies have shown time and again that only about three to five percent of the population will take the time to define what success means to them. These select few will proceed to map out a goals program along with the a strategy for attaining their goals.

1. How do you define success?

Success is unique to you. How you define success is based on:

your dreams
your hopes
your present situation
your past experiences
your knowledge
your passion
your drive to do or be
your family situation
your age
your belief system

…and there are probably a host of other things that can and will influence your definition of success. The point is for you to begin to think about what you want. It is very important that you determine what you want as opposed to what others want for you.

Make notes when a thought “pops” into your head. Then, set aside a quiet time to go through your thoughts, taking into account your unique situation, and then develop a definition of success that suits you.

2. Develop a plan to achieve your definition of success.

Since your definition of success is unique to you and your situation, then your plan must be unique. Points to consider:

do you need more education?
is it formal or informal education? (do you need to return to school or do you need to do research?)
is your spouse/family on board with your new goals? (if so, great. if not, how will you deal with the situation?)
are you willing to devote the time needed to grow? (growth requires change – you can’t grow and stay the same)
can you see problems? (how will/can you deal with them?)
can you live in the minute? (what can you do “right now”, “this minute” to achieve your goals?”
do you deserve success? (if you don’t feel that you deserve success, you will do things to sabotage yourself)

3. Excuses: our illogical reasons for lack of success

The first response to any program of personal growth and development is the production of a number of excuses as to why you can’t become successful. Here is a short list of often expressed excuses:

I’m too old. Really? Grandma Moses was in her 80’s before she ever painted. Colonel Sanders was in his 60’s when he began trying to market his “original” recipe.
I’m not smart enough. Really? The fact is that most people are within single digits of the vast majority of the world’s population when it comes to a measurement of intelligence. We tend to overestimate the intelligence of others while at the same time underestimating our own intelligence.
I don’t know where to start. Really? You don’t have to know where to start, you just have to start. You determine where that is. Anywhere is okay, the point is to just begin, the way will reveal itself once you begin to look.
I’m worried about what my friends and family will think. Really? If they really care about you, they will stand behind you. If they don’t support you, you have to wonder what their motives are. Are they jealous? When you succeed, what will that say about their efforts?
I’m just not that kind of person. Really? What kind of person are you? The kind that is destined to fail? The fact is that most people are more alike than they are different. We all deserve success, but we each determine our own destiny. We are where we are today because of the choices we made yesterday. We made our choices based on our thoughts. Therefore, it stands to reason that if we can change the way we think, we can change our choices and thus change our future.

These are not valid excuses for you or anyone else because someone else has faced these same situations and they overcame them. If they can be overcome, then you can also overcome them.

Get your mind right
Accept responsibility for your life
Define success
Create a plan
Commit to personal growth and development
Develop your mind
Realize that mediocrity is not acceptable and success is your right

Tags: success, failure, define+success, create+a+plan, excuses

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Comments

6 Responses to “Define success or excuse failure - it’s up to you”

Stephen Hopson on December 3rd, 2007 6:22 pm

Chris;

I loved this article - you continue to remind me just at the right time how much power we have over ourselves and our thinking process.

I liked how you wrote “Really” after each objection that a person would have. The examples you laid out were effective countermeasures to the objections. Like the “I’m too old” objection followed by Grandma Moses and Colonial Sanders. Really cool way of doing it.

I also liked how you implied that all we need to do is start right now with what we have at our disposal. I’ve been seeing this philosophy float around lately and its message is having an effect on me. Like for example, I’ve incorporated my speaking business for the first time since starting ten years ago.

All it took was to fill out some paperwork and send it to the Secretary of State. But despite the simplicity of it, I procrasinated and chose to remain a “sole proporior.” Taking action and doing something with what you have is the best way to get started. Then you can improvise as you go along.

Great job, as usual.
Chris Melton on December 4th, 2007 7:15 pm

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for your support and encouragement. I know that people use these excuses because I hear them and the rationalizations that go along with them everyday.

I know that the idea of starting now with what you have and where you are, works, because that is what I have done.

Keep the support flowing.
Brad Baggett on December 4th, 2007 10:56 pm

Well you have done it again; I now have a new favorite article. I really enjoyed this one! It reaffirms many of my same beliefs in an extraordinarily simple and concise manner.

I really believe in your “plan” as pointed out in number 2. We all have the ability and the God given talent, it is just up to us to make a “plan” and go do it!

I miss your old tag line of “Mediocrity is not Acceptable”. What happen to it?

http://www.JuiceofChampions.com
Chris Melton on December 4th, 2007 11:09 pm

Thanks Brad, you guys keep me on my toes. When I installed this theme, it did not come with a tagline option and I haven’t taken the time to add the code yet. I do intend to keep the “Mediocrity is not acceptable” tagline. Look for it to appear more often in my posts until I can get my theme straightened out.
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net on December 8th, 2007 9:35 pm

The very first line got me. Success is unique to you. Amen, brother! How many of us try to achieve success based on someone else’s standards?

Cheers,
Albert | UrbanMonk.Net
Modern personal development, entwined with ancient spirituality.
Chris Melton on December 8th, 2007 11:36 pm

You are right Albert. Everything would be so much easier if we all decided to achieve what we want instead of trying to acquire better “toys” than the neighbors.