If success is as easy as choosing it, why isn’t everyone successful? After all, who doesn’t want to be successful? How much easier would your life be if you could achieve success in everything you do with a minimal of effort?
I have a theory on this, and I intend to share how you can choose success. Yet for clarity sake, I will start at the beginning.
Prepare for Success with a Strong ‘WHY‘
The first thing that we need if we are going to be successful is a strong why. If we want to be successful with a healthy lifestyle, with a career goal or in a relationship, it is imperative to know why this is important to you.
Think of it this way, Joe Mann is about 300 pounds and enjoys a full Pepperidge Farm Double Chocolate Layer Cake each night as he sits in front of the TV watching Jeopardy. As he goes to get the cake from the fridge, pulling out a fork and not even considering a plate, he thinks, “I really should exercise a little, BUT I am tired.” He grabs the box and sits down in front of the TV and thinks, “No wonder I am so heavy, I really should eat better BUT I don’t have time to prepare fresh food. Joe’s BUT’s are very big and his why is almost non-existent.
One evening as Joe is eating cake in a box, he feels a pull in his chest and the next thing he is aware of is being in a hospital. The doctor comes in and tells Joe that if he doesn’t lose 50 pounds in the next year, he may not see next year.
Why should Joe exercise? Why should Joe eat better? Because his life depends on it. Now that Joe’s why is big, his BUT will get smaller (pun intended). He will not make excuses because his reason for losing weight is that important.
A Big Why and a Little But
To be successful, you will want to have a big why and a little but, or better yet, no but’s at all!
Once the buts are out of our way, we can get clear. Once you know exactly why you want to do something, lose weight, travel, start a new company, you will want to get clear on what that looks. In weight loss it may be X number of pounds or just toning up. Financially may have a specific dollar amount attached to it.
Playground of Your Imagination
This can be SO much fun. Set aside some time to daydream. I call it the playground of your imagination, yet whatever you call it, this place in your mind is rich with opportunities and adventures. Shape your dream with your mind and then set that intention and start breathing life into it with your actions.
Success is a Matter of Smaller Choices
The last reason I believe that many people do not select success is that in truth, success is a series of smaller choices. Once you get the big picture of what you want, break it down.
This is a method used by Navy Seals in planning their ops. Each part of the mission (success) is broken down into smaller parts that work together. When working on a particular task, 100% focus is placed on completing that task as efficiently as possible. This serves many purposes. First, the quality of work yielded by each step is superior because of the approach. Secondly, seeing the completion of the first step will give motivation to move on to the next step and produce even better results. Scientific studies show that being rewarded, either by verbal acknowledgement or by seeing the smaller piece as a successful mission unto itself, will actually release endorphins from your brain that trigger your pleasure center, making you feel good about yourself and your work. And lastly, if this works for one of the best trained organizations in the world, I’m all for it!
Become Unstoppable by Looking at the Big Picture
So while I get it when some say that success is not a choice, I believe that it is. When we look at the big picture and define why we what something, get clear on exactly what we want and make sure each choice we make will lend to the overall success we wish to achieve, we will be unstoppable.
Thanks and have a wonderful day.
Cassi Eubank
p.s. Did you get your free Empowerment Meditations yet? I want you to have them as my gift to you.
