Success in a Broader Perspective
Some say true success is conditioned with your happiness...
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| Success & happiness |
The word, “success” sounds beautiful and attractive to all human beings. It
has got magnetism and charisma about it. Human beings have an innate desire and
capacity to achieve and succeed. Needless to say, there will be hardly anybody
under the sun who doesn’t want to be a successful person. Everybody likes and
adores success. Success attracts success just like money begets money and love
beget love. While we are on the subject of success it is worth mentioning the
nature and meaning of success. The meaning and implication of success varies
from one individual to another owing to individual differences vis-a-vis
passions and aspirations.
“Success
comes in the manifold and diverse forms only you can define what it means to you”
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| success |
The word success carries various connotations,
for an instance, some people term success as the accumulation of riches while
others identify it with fame, identity, academic education, to be a champion, supremacy,
to serve humanity to name a few. Forms of success can be as many as there are
stars in the sky count them if thou art able to number them.
Indeed, Success is and has mistakenly been
ascribed to worldly gains. It is not an effort to amass a huge wealth rather it
is directly proportionate with one’s amount of gratification and happiness. Since
success varies according to an individual’s values, aspirations, and priorities,
hence there is no consensus upon its definition and merit.
Success is an attitude and a habit. Our
attitude matters. It is an acknowledged fact that a positive attitude makes a big
difference. Have a look at the below-narrated example and conclude yourself.
Once upon a time, there lived a rich landlord and businessman in China. He desired to expand
his business for that purpose he planned to set up a shoe factory. He sent his
manager to a remote land-living to discover the possibility and execution of
his plans. The manager returned dejected and sad: he told his boss people even don’t
know about shoes, neither had they worn shoes there. The boss employed another
manager and dispatched him with the same task. The new manager returned with a bright
prospect of setting up business and factory there. He expressed, there is a big
opportunity for us to introduce the benefits of shoes. It would be a novel and
innovative gift for those people. This example speaks volumes about the
importance and role of attitude concerning success.
Success is not a destination it is a daily
thing; it requires incessant input and consistent toil. Presumably, either
success is eternal or an end this premise did not run quite true with me. Development
and success are lifelong processes. Having achieved a certain goal you are not
supposed to stay satisfied regarding your personal and professional
development. This kind of mindset and behavior is undesirable because there is
always room for improvement. Such an attitude impedes our learning, growth, and
development. Hence, nobody can claim perfection save God Almighty. Successful people
don’t rely on the luck factor; contrariwise they believe in hard work and feasible
planning. For this reason, luck supports only those who put an extra effort to
achieve their ambition. To stay healthy you exercise regularly and eat a
balanced diet to have a potent immune system. Since your immune system ensures
sound health in a similar fashion consistency and being industrious warranty
success. To some extent, we can say our success is conditioned with a positive attitude
and a practical approach towards our goals.
“Knowledge without action is at
its lowest ebb”.
Choose your habits carefully because they
decide your success and destiny. You should be a man of polished and refined
manners for the reason that, “Manners matter.” Productive and dynamic habits
formed at an early stage of life lead toward accomplishment and success.
Accomplishment, indeed, encourages, inspires, and enhances potential. A sense of accomplishment renders us with confidence
and the capacity to take initiative. Small tasks like arranging the bed, making breakfast in at early morning give the said sense and ultimately breed motivation and will
power. Both motivation and willpower have been considered indispensable for
keeping the momentum of life going smoothly. Motivation is tantamount to fuel. However,
just like fuel, it does not remain the same all the time. You have to find your
sources of motivation and you should keep it as high as the sky. Sources of
motivation might be different for different individuals’ e.g. favorite
personalities, books, your appreciation letters, and academic certificates or
degrees to name a few. Motivation is
some kind of positive energy or internal force that inspires an individual to do
more, to learn more, and to become more.
“Success is the ability to go
from one failure to another without loss of any enthusiasm.”
Sir
Winston Churchill
The above maxim emphasizes the role and importance
of being persistent regarding success. One has to be familiar with the fact
that neither success nor failure is final. One requires boundless energy,
potential, and incessant sincere efforts in order to reap the fruits of success.
Try time and again just like late scientist Thomas Edison who invented the electric
lamp having made 1000 unsuccessful attempts. Nothing is denied to a
well-directed toil. There is no short to success and I haven’t witnessed
anybody who became successful overnight. You have to pay the price; you have to
be committed; you have to be patient because patience confirms victory and
success.
Unfounded
Fears and Success:
No passion robs the mind of its power of
reasoning and logic than fear. Remember, the suspicion is worse than death. He that
hesitates and doubts himself is a damned fool. Most of our fears are groundless
and only exist in our imagination. And I am sure most of them are not realized
by us. It has become customary with the majority of people of carrying the weight
of unfounded fears on their shoulders. This kind of habit is needless and
undesirable. Unnecessary fear or worry is a sure way of being vulnerable to
defeat and failure. To take pains and being concern about something is a good
omen it presents you as a responsible person. However, excessive worry and over
concern can lead to anxiety and depression. Furthermore, anxiety and fear mar
our talent and potential. Extensive exposure to anxiety causes conflict and a lack of decision among the populace. Decision-making plays an instrumental role in
our lives. It is a unique quality and a hallmark of great leaders. Decision-making
does not come with reading tactics of decision making: rather it has to be
acquired by making decisions under difficult or thought-provoking situations.
Fear makes us subject to be muddle-headed,
lack confidence, lack of decision-making, and low self-esteem. Fear either
founded or unfounded both have proved pernicious and detrimental to our best
interests. Fear is just like distractions. It brushes aside our visions and
goals. Additionally, fear discourages the habit of free inquiry and mars
analytical skills. Fear is, indeed, an enemy of humanity because it produces
anxiety, failure, and unrest. Last but not the least; fear spoils our peace and
tranquility.
“Your desire for success must be greater than your fear of failure.”
Hence,
to conquer our fears is mandatory and essential to succeed. Gratitude,
self-confidence, and self-approval may help to eradicate our deep deep-rooted
fears. Finally, in order to succeed it is recommended to overcome fears and
insecurities.
Comfort
Zone and Success
A comfort zone is a psychological state in which situations or things feel familiar to a person and they
are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels
of anxiety and stress. It is the situation in which you feel comfortable, however, your true
abilities are not being tested. Most of us opt and prefer to live in our own
individual comfort zones.
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| Comfort Zone |
Stepping
out of your comfort zone is not an easy task but it can be the best decision
you have ever taken. We make ourselves comfortable so we don’t have to work
through situations that make us anxious. What we forget, however, is that
uninspiring, steady performance is the corollary of staying warm and snug inside
our comfort zones. Success is the ability to produce new ideas, provide better
solutions to life’s biggest problems, and pioneer new products. None of this
is possible if we shelter ourselves in our comfort zone and watch life pass by.
Stepping out of your comfort zone could be inconvenient but it can also be your
life’s best decision.
Habits of Highly Effective and
Successful People
Some positive common habits and facets have
been discovered amongst successful people around the world. The detail is as
follows:
· Leadership
The foremost quality of successful people is their leadership ability. A true
leader is one who inspires; motivates, and translates vision into reality. Everything
rises and falls on leadership. Hence, effective and constructive leadership is crucial
for growth and progress. It has been noted, “Good leaders look to create more
leaders while bad leaders look to create more followers”. Great leaders accept
responsibility and take initiative. They do not shirk work and liabilities. They
don’t blame circumstances or other people for their failure. Leaders are
blessed with big shoulders. They take calculated risks and seek new
opportunities.
· Clarity of Thought and Goal
Setting
Research shows lack of purpose in life leads to failure and
mediocre performance. Clarity of thought on goal setting is a sure way to
embark on the road to success. Lack of clarity of thought certainly will bring
cloudy judgments or ambiguities.
Ambiguity is what exactly successful individuals do not want because it
makes us subject to conflict and confusion. Furthermore, it discourages
effective communication. Needless to say, effective communication is vital for
us to succeed.
· Communication
Communication is considered the king of all skills
and abilities. Communication refers to better understanding yourself, your
environment, and your team. Effective communication ensures clarity and diminishes
ambiguities amongst people. It is the ability to understand others and to let
others understand you clearly. Clarity of thought is paramount for active
communication. Moreover, communication of ideas and concepts is possible; yet understanding of any concept can neither
be conveyed nor is possible to communicate.
· Credibility and Honesty
Credibility is what makes others trust and rely on you
as a person. What people think and perceive about you define your credibility
and leadership. Success at work or on a project depends on your credibility and
integrity. Credibility is not something that is handed out at work but is
rather built carefully and honestly. Success at work depends on your skill or
capabilities. These skills include soft skills such as communication, coordination,
empathy technical skills to name a few. When you can lead and demonstrate that
you are an authority in your field, your credibility also soars.
In
order to enhance your credibility, polish your credentials, skills, and
competence levels. Take up or volunteer for high-profile projects that showcase
your abilities and strengths. Work towards building a successful track record
with the timely and effective management of resources and assigned projects.
Integrity is all about
being true to you and to others. Ensure there are complete harmony and honesty
in what you think, say, and do. Integrity is an important attribute that
employers seek in potential employees. A person with integrity demonstrates
sound ethical and moral principles and is consistent with customers or co-workers.
To boost credibility at the workplace, ensure you invest time in building a
reputation for ethical and truthful behavior. Building credibility at work or
at home requires effort and patience. While it cannot happen overnight, with a
consistent focus on integrity, competence, communication, and feedback, you can
boost your credibility with the passage of time.
· Proactive
People are categorized into sluggish and
proactive: the former lethargic and the latter active, vigilant, and think ahead of
the established limits or norms. Such folks being visionary transcend traditional
barriers and hindrances. They tailor practicable plans and prepare themselves
against the rainy days. They make hay while the sun shines. They are practical
and pragmatic in their approach to the task at hand. Neither do they build a castle in the air, nor do they live in fool’s paradise. They avoid procrastination
because it is the thief of time and a killer of a man’s future and aspirations.
· Teamwork & Synergy
People are emotional beings and respond
positively to those they like. Successful supervisors work towards developing a
rapport with co-workers and superiors to enhance cooperation and trust. Building
congenial rapport plays an
instrumental role in our success. Efficient and productive people put trust in teamwork. Indeed, a leader or CEO is nothing without his or her team and
subordinates. As the expression goes, “it takes five to score a basket.” Successful
people share their joys and success with their team and lead their team towards
success as well. Successful individuals empathize with people and add value to
other’s life. Without collaboration and
interaction with people, nobody can claim success. Since success is the legacy of
none it belongs to those who strive for it honestly and conscientiously.
· Social Adaptability and
Flexibility
Flexibility in temperament and social adaptability ensure
achievement or success. Compliance with socio-political, geographical, and
global developments is significant to succeed and flourish. Successful persons
accept change and respond accordingly. The only change is permanent and perpetual
ever since the inception of this universe. They adapt according to the demands and
needs of the ever-changing trends or new developments. To remain adamant and
rigid even when logic speaks out loud and clear exhibits a myopic vision of someone. History has witnessed various examples of individuals and multinational
companies met their doom having ignored the development of modern trends or
changes. In this regard, an apt example would be the Nokia Mobile Company. And such
examples can be multiplied.
· Feasible Planning
People are categorized into two classes: one who thinks and does not
work; the second who acts first and think later only to find what they have done.
Unlike these common multitudes, successful people think differently: they devise
feasible plans and execute their plans efficiently.
“Time
is what we want most but what we use worst.”
Since time management is a skill, hence you have to necessarily
acquire this skill. Successful folks prioritize and manage their time
judiciously. They have got the knack to utilize their resources and potential sagaciously.
They know how, when, and where to invest their resources and manpower. Definitely,
such people know how to fit the man to the job and fit the job to the man. In
conclusion, to some extent, we may say without feasible planning the chances of
our success are slim.
· Professional Development
Development neither does take place accidentally nor overnight: it is
an intentional activity. Successful
individuals work on their professional development. They believe in the very
potential and skill they are blessed with. They never ever doubt themselves.
Inversely, they know how to tap their vast potential. They know their area of
responsibility and action. They polish their skills and sharpen their tools. In
a nutshell, they don’t waste their energy on useless efforts and tasks. They
don’t ask a fish to climb up a tree.
“Don’t
try to teach a pig to sing it will waste your time and annoy the pig.”
· Personal Development
Successful individuals work on their thoughts and on personal development. They reflect on their habits, work ethics, and exposure. They read extensively great leaders and their habits.
“Readers are leaders”
They
believe in ethics and fulfill their words. Neither they betray the trust of their
employees or rivals, nor do they work for their vested interests. Even though
they value and respect their rivals. Honesty and truthfulness enhance your
motivation and self-image. Stress and conflict management are quintessential elements
of personal development. Conflict management involves your emotional health and
stability. A successful person's approach towards life is that of an optimistic one. An
optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty while a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. “Health is wealth” as the expression goes. I
am certain your health is an integral part of your personal and professional
development. To ensure sound health they got up early in the morning, exercise
regularly, and take good nourishment. Sound health is, indeed, essential to accomplish
challenging tasks and to maintain cordial relationships.
Conclusion
To sum up we can convincingly remark that
success is neither an accident nor it is stipulated with luck factor. I do
believe in the luck factor but luck supports only those who work hard for their
goals. Therefore, do not blame your destiny, circumstances, and lineage to name
a few. Once again it is reiterated that success is not an accident rather it can
be accumulated by dint of dedicated toil. In addition, it takes time, concrete
measures, and constructive efforts over a period of time to achieve success.
Last but not least, you can motivate and
inspire someone but you cannot guarantee success to anyone. One has to be
industrious and enhance one’s skills and resources in order to succeed and
to sustain success.
“You can lead a horse to water but you cannot
make him drink water.”
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