What is success?

Success is determined by self-discipline, perseverance, and resilience. These three attributes are totally controllable and self-driven; as such, we are all responsible for and own our successes (or lack thereof).

Goal setting is valuable when it demonstrates self-awareness and identifies all possible contingencies, whether these scenarios are obstacles, competing goals, or effort requirements for goal attainment. The focus of goal setting should ultimately regard goal achieving – the implementation and execution of objective completion.

Successful people execute their intentions, as opposed to squandering time in hoping for and dreaming of their goals. Hopes, dreams, and imagination build the idea, and execution convert the abstract into the concrete. Imagination, alongside execution, allows individuals to transcends the limits of the ordinary mind.

One of my goals is to create success within myself and within others. I am accomplishing this goal by developing my mindset daily, opening myself to new experiences, and taking time to continually sharpen the saw.

Developing my mindset daily: spending ~30 minutes a day to read personal development/business books, listen to motivational speeches, and research current events. This 30 minutes frames my perspective for the day, enhances my understanding of the external world, and provides time to grow personally and reflect on powerful insights that represent “compound time.”

Opening myself to new experiences: reaching out to experienced industry professionals to learn about their development and insights; joining professional development organizations to hone my skills and strengths; saying “yes” to events or activities outside my comfort zone. Being open and flexible to experiences outside my comfort zone translates to increased knowledge, networking, and overall self-confidence. To achieve success, one must possess self-confidence and ambition, as well as leverage his/her network (as I reach out to more professionals and develop relationships, I gradually grow my network and can add value to future connections).

Sharpening the saw: reflecting on successes and failures; shutting off technology; engaging in physical adventures. Busyness does not equate to productivity or success. To cut down the tree of success, we must spend time sharpening the saw and developing our tool(s). Taking time to step back from our pursuits will provide us with an opportunity to adjust anything we may have ignored during our objective execution. Once we cut down the first tree and continue through the forest, we may want to get a bird’s eye view of what the rest of the forest looks like.

The road to success is paved by your self-discipline, perseverance, and resilience. What does your road look like?