Want to succeed? Not without this.

We all want to succeed in something, or if possible in everything. Success is almost mandatory in our society, especially in our profession. But sometimes, in our pursue of success, we walk around like a headless chicken.

Success is an art so we will always have to play with what we find on our way but at least by following a few steps you can have an idea of where you are in your journey to success. Here is what I do:

1- Define your Values:

It is great to achieve what you want …but  maybe, not at any cost.

First of all define what is important for you right now.

Some things that are important for you will evolve over time.

Some of the things that are important for you might be there forever. Keep an eye on your values and priorities the will act for you as the light house to a boat.

Going against what is truly important for us might leave us empty in the end, so first things first: be clear about what matters to you.

Make a list, do not think too much, and be honest to yourself, nobody will see the list is you do not want to, you do not need to look good or justify your values.

2- Define your Goals:

Now that we are certain of what we want in life and what our priorities are, it is important to make our values more tangible and define our goals.

I imagine that one of your main values is the well being of your family. Then your goal might be to get a job that makes you happy and leaves the time for your family and friens. This is a big goal and when goals are too big they might seem unattainable and overwhelming. Big, undefined goals are often a ticket to failure.

Once your priorities are clear, sit down again, settle apart, lets say 15 to 30 minutes, convert your priorities in tangible goals. Again, no need to overthink it, let it be as fluid as possible, you can always come back to your list and change it.

PICSELI

3- Divide et Vince:

As  Julius Cesar said: “Divide and rule”. So get organised, divide a big goal into smaller goals and these goals into clear, measurable actions.

Set another half an hour (keep these chunks of time short, I know we are all busy) and write down the steps that will bring you to achieve your goals.

I call this the ladder system, it is simple: one step at a time. Just concentrate on this one step, then the next.

Write down your goals and steps either on paper, on your phone or using applications such as Trello or Zendone.

4- Persevere:

The opposite to perseverance for me is compulsion.

As the dictionary says: compulsion is a strong, usually irresistible impulse to perform an act, especially one that is irrational or contrary to one’s will. This is what

Perseverance is a steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.

To be perseverant is difficult, of course. Usually what we want to achieve is difficult, takes time and it is often paved with hard experiences. One of the most clear examples of perseverance that I have seen is shown in this video. If he found the strength to carry on, who am I to give up?

I have also good news for you, even if you were not born perseverant, it can be trained. My favourite exercise to train my perseverance is the simple breathing meditation where I have to keep on bringing my mind back to my breath. Just breath by breath. One breath at a time …. One step at a time.

I always remind myself that success is achieving what makes me happy and fulfilled.

This is my canvas. What about you? What do you use as a guide for measuring your success? I will be very happy to read your comments.