Success: Are We There Yet?
By Anthony D Carter
Success is often misunderstood. To succeed you simply need to pick a target that you are passionate about pursuing. Once you have chosen that target you need to make a plan for hitting that target. Next you simply work your plan until you get what you want.
Will there be peaks and valleys along the way? Of there will be. There will be smooth sailing interrupted by rough seas. Going from where you are to where you want to be will a journey filled with ebbs and flows. But just because one day or week turns out bad, that doesn’t mean that all of a sudden you are an unsuccessful person.
“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy dream or goal.” ~ Earl Nightingale
If you are in striving to improve daily then you are succeeding. So many of us make the mistake of focusing totally on the target. And then comparing our desired objective to our present situation. We neglect to recognize our progress.
A friend of mine and I had a conversation the other night about body building and working out. We started talking about how frustrating that it can be in the beginning because you don’t see the results of your efforts. My friend said one of the reasons for this is that we tend to look at ourselves in the mirror everyday. The changes are taking place, but they are so subtle that we usually don’t notice them.
I recalled how I had been skinny for most of my life, but then I decided to do something about in my late twenties. I joined a gym and started to work out with a dependable partner. After working out hard and consistently for weeks I felt like I still looked absolutely the same.
Then one day I overheard my nephew ask my Mom, “Anthony’s been pumping iron hasn’t he? He’s looking buffed.” Up until that moment I did not feel like I was succeeding. It took me Upon overhearing my nephew’s comments I finally realized my hard work was indeed paying off. I finally had some evidence which showed that I was improving.
So often others will see your growth before you do. That is the challenge. Sometimes we are so close to the forest that we cannot see the trees. We have to keep working even when we don’t see quick results.
If you put in the work on a consistent basis and make corrections when needed you will grow. Steady action towards your goal makes you successful. We don’t just wake up one day, walk out side and get hit by a bolt of success. You become successful on the journey.
Also, in the end it is your will to win that is going to determine your success. Develop a passion for paying the price to win. Find joy in your work. That trait alone will set you apart. It is the quality which differentiates the people who eventually get what they want from those who end up quitting before they achieve their goals.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill”
~Muhammad Ali
So don’t let current situations or setback influence you negatively. If you are still in the fight doing what it takes to move you closer to your desired destination then you are successful. Not in the all too distant future when you actually hit your goal. You are successful now.