Success is often a standard that many of us are encouraged to embrace. And so many of us do... embrace success that is. So why does it seem to be such an elusive dream? Just out of reach. Is success something we want? or is it something we expect? Well Ellie... what is the difference? Glad you asked. I'll tell you...
A sports team expects to win when they visualize the win and practise consistently to achieve it. On the other hand, a student who parties late into the night, does little studying, and often misses classes, yet says he wants a grade of 'A' is being hopeful. And to quote someone really smart, "Hope is not a strategy, my friend!".
Most of us will state with certainty that we want to be successful. In fact, Ursula Burns, Sara Blakely, Ann Fudge, Mia Hamm, Venus and Serena Williams are some women that most would describe as successful. And if we examine their stories, we will find out that each of these individuals had embarked upon a course of actions that positioned themselves for success. Indeed, they may have dreamed of success, but they also set goals, and adopted behaviors that would help them achieve these goals.
So now I ask... as you take a look at your life, are you achieving the goals you want? or the ones you expect? Consider that for 15 seconds.
Create a vivid picture
It's frequently been reported that creating goals and writing them down gives one a greater chance of achieving these goals. A premise of one of my recommended reads for aspiring leaders... Write it down and make it happen by Henriette Anne Klauser. One game winning strategy that many athletes practise is to visualize the win they want to accomplish - step by careful step. So whether you want to visualize your goals, write them down, or create visioning projects (like vision boards), I urge you to heed the call to create the goal that you expect. When I was a young girl in high school, I heard the saying, "If you fail to plan, then you should plan to fail." Unfortunately for me, I have had instances when I've personally experienced the truth in that warning.
It's a new year... and at the risk of sounding cliche, it's a new opportunity to start again... and position ourselves for awesome success by creating the goals that will lead us to the outcome we expect. Goal setting is a key ingredient in the secret arsenal that successful people possess. My wish is that you follow suit. If you haven't done so yet, maybe you could set a goal... a vision of success... for one area of your life. After all... it's a start!! If you won't take my word ... heed the advice of the Cheshire Puss:
"Cheshire Puss," she began, rather timidly, as she did not at all know whether it would like the name: however, it only grinned a little wider. "Come, it's pleased so far," thought Alice, and she went on. "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?'' "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat. "I don't much care where--" said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the Cat. "--so long as I get SOMEWHERE," Alice added as an explanation. "Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
