This column marks the start of my eighth year of writing. Every Friday. Seven hundred fifty words, three hundred and sixty four times. New thoughts, ideas, and strategies every week.
How do you do it?” someone asked me the other day. “I have no idea paying attention to what’s around me, hard work, and help from above. I love what I do, and…” Yikes! Now, I’m looking for a pen and paper as fast as I can because this answer is the seed for another article, in fact this article.
Where do the ideas come from? They just show up: casual conversation, asking questions, observing peoples actions, and general living everyday experiences. My job as a writer is to capture ideas, and expand on them from my experience. No magic, just awareness, the ability to see past the event, and the desire to “do.”
Well, as I thought about my answer, the list became clearer. So did the root of the process. I’m an achiever. I didn’t start out that way. I learned to achieve, AND as I grew up, I realized that I wanted to achieve. Still do more than ever.
Here is a list of concepts, actions, thoughts and philosophies that have allowed me to achieve. Consider them as you seek to achieve:
1. Love it or leave it. Life’s too short not to love what you do. And hating what you do blocks all chance for success. If you love it, you will love to work at it. If you hate what you do, you will make every excuse in the universe why everything else in the world is wrong except you.
2. Remove destructive thought patterns if you want to move ahead. The biggest barriers to achievements are the ones you set in front of yourself. Think “how to” instead of “I can’t.”
3. Prolong the thrill of last minute work. It seems that lots of work gets done “at the last minute.” Some people lament it, some revel in it. I revel. You?
4. Set appointments for your success. Use your calendar to write the date you will achieve by. The best appointment you can make is with yourself. Not just an appointment to START, an appointment to COMPLETE. Take a look at your calendar right now. How many appointments have you made to yourself? ANSWER: Not enough.
5. Create one “success environment.” A place where only positive things happen. A room. A desk. A chair. Have one space in your life where you take achievement actions.
6. Be aware of time. Too may people are “too busy” to achieve. The definition for “too busy” is “lame excuse.” Limping with a time shortage? Operate on yourself surgically, remove your television remote. That will free up hours. Unless you happen to be one of the fortunate few that earns money by watching television reruns.
7. Be passionate in your endeavors. The passion for achievement is contagious, you light your own fire and will draw more support from others by passing your fire to them.
8. Want to be the best. Develop a personal mission that transcends your corporate mission. Know what you are working for, and why you are working for it. And resolve that money is NOT the goal. BEST is the goal.
9. Find Cheerleaders. It’s easier and more fun when the crowd is behind you rooting for you to make it. There are many people who want you to achieve. Find your cheerleaders, then earn their cheers.
10. Find mentors who have already done it, earn their respect, and heed their advice. I have been blessed with mentors. My dad leads the list. But others have played a major role with simple wisdom that is easy to miss if you’re not listening. The great Earl Pertnoy says, “Antennas up at all times.” In order to capture an opportunity, first you gotta see it. My antennas are always up. Are yours?
And the great Mel Green who one day told me his secret of success, “Hard work makes luck.” And since that day I’ve been working as hard as I can, and luckier than anyone can imagine. Mentors take pleasure in watching and helping you succeed. They inspire you to act at a higher level. Who is inspiring you?
Achievement is a big issue, but my space here is limited to 750 words. The rest of my achievement factors for success will be continued… Make your commitment to read the rest next week.
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