Lessons for success

Start going and Keep winning
Start your day off by completing small tasks like making your bed. It would seem to be pretty mundane but it will give you a sense of accomplishment and will make you prepared for achieving big tasks for the rest of the day. 

Seek someone to help you paddle the tough waters.

It might seem silly sometimes but you can always reach out for help. Friends, family, colleagues anyone for that matter. You can always ask for help when you are in need. This will help you accomplish those tough tasks. Choose wisely who you reach for help. It does matter.  

Measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.

Never judge a person by caste, creed, race or by his physical ability. You might be completely wrong if you do so. In your journey of life, you come across many people, judging too quickly will make you loose great opportunity of knowing great human beings. In turn, it will become difficult for you to achieve your goals. 

 

Get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. 

There are times when you just want to keep doing the same things and be a sugar cookie. As the saying goes "When going gets tough, the tough gets going". Keep moving forward in adverse times and you would never have to look back. Never let self pity rule your mind. It kills your creativity, attitude and the zeal to achieve your goal.  

Don’t be afraid of failures.

If you want to succeed, don't be afraid of those small failures that come your way. Instead stay strong and look forward. Stay focused and be ready to face the challenges. As it is always proved "Failure is the stepping stone for success". Learn from your failures and be diligent and never commit the same mistakes again. 

Sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

Yes, you need to slide down the obstacle head first. Not always but you need to take your chances. You cannot keep on doing the same thing and expect different results. To go face to face with an obstacle, you need to gather your strength and might. Improve your skills, have your plan in place. Proceed with all the force you have got. Be prepared and be genuine. Work had and attack the problem.  

 

Don’t back down from the sharks.

In our professional and personal life, we come across many Sharks, ready to attack and pull us down. Never back down. Don't be afraid to face them as long as you are ethical and honest. Do what is expected of you. Give 100% of what you do. Facing them and being bold will get you new strength and will make you win many battle that are ahead.   

If you want to win, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.

There would be times, you know for sure, that you lost your way and no help would get you back on track. You would feel that everything and everyone is against you. Time seems racing against you and you are losing the game. You would be dejected and feel lonely. Beaten and on your knees. Don't give up. Never lose your focus. Be calm. Save your energy, jump to your feet and give it your best shot. Being honest to oneself would give enough strength to start. Always be prepared for such situations. You never know when you mettle would be tested. Being prepared will make you ready for these moments. 

Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

Being unafraid and keeping your focus on the things at hand when in bad shape, will give you enough time and will lead to take quality decisions. Worrying unnecessarily and creating more troubles for self and others is not an option. Be focused on clearing the clutter that gets piled up in your mind and keep working towards your goal. This will give you enough strength to cruise forward. Sing when you are in neck deep mud. 

Don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

Do not ever desert yourself. Never let the idea of quitting conquer your heart. Never let yourself down. Stand your ground. Stay strong and replace the negative thoughts of quitting with positive thoughts of winning. Being strong in adverse situations will show you the real "YOU". 

*Inspired by the speech of Naval Adm. William H. McRaven at University of Texas.

Success is Predictable...

1. Dream Big

You have to have a dream if you want to make a dream come true.

            Practice "back from the future" thinking.

Create a vision for yourself for the long-term future.

What one thing would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail? Look back and work to achieve it.

2. Develop a clear sense of direction.

You become what you think about most of the time.

What you think about and how you think about it. (Goal Oriented)

3. See yourself as self-employed.

Refuse to make excuses or to blame other people for your problems or short comings

Stop complaining about things in your life that you are not happy about.

Refuse to criticize other people for anything.

You are responsible.

If there is something in your life that you don't like, it is up to you to do something about it.

But you are in charge.

4.  Do what you love to do.

"If you won a million dollars, tax free, tomorrow, would you continue to do what you are currently doing?"

5.  Commit to excellence.

What one skill, if you developed and did it in an excellent fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on your life?

6. Develop a workaholic mentality

Practice the "40 Plus" formula. Any time you work more than 40 Hrs in a week is for your development.

Work all the time you work.

7. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.

Leaders are learners.

Reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.

8. Pay yourself first.

Save and invest 10% of your income throughout your working life.

If you cannot save money, then the seeds of greatness are not in you.

9. Learn every detail of your business.

Read all the magazines in your field. Read and study the latest books.

10. Dedicate yourself to serving others.

Your success in life will be in direct proportion to what you do after you do what you are expected to do.

Always go the extra mile

What can I do to increase the value of my service?

11. Be impeccably honest with yourself and others.

What kind of a world would my world be, if everyone in it was just like me?

12. Set priorities on your activities and concentrate single mindedly on one thing at a time.

What are my highest value activities? What is it that you do that is more valuable than anything else to your work and your business?

Why am I on the payroll? What exactly have you been hired to accomplish?

What can I and only I do that, if done well, will make a real difference?

What is the most valuable use of my time right now?

Commit yourself to work single mindedly on one task, the most important task, and stay with it until it is 100% complete.

13. Develop a reputation for speed and dependability.

Whenever you want to get something done, give it to a busy man, or woman.

When you can combine your ability to determine your highest priority task with the commitment to getting it done quickly and well, you will find yourself moving to the front.

14. Be prepared to climb from peak to peak in your life and in your career.

Develop long-time perspective.

Keep reminding yourself that everything in your life goes in cycles and trends.

15. Practice self-discipline in all things.

Self-discipline means self-mastery, self-control, self-responsibility and self-direction.

Successful people are more concerned with pleasing results. Failures are more concerned with pleasing methods. Successful people do things that are goal achieving. Unsuccessful people do things that are tension relieving. Successful people do the things that are hard and necessary and important. Unsuccessful people, on the other hand, prefer to do the things that are fun and easy and which give immediate enjoyment.

16. Unlock your inborn creativity.

Your creativity is stimulated by three things: intensely desired goals, pressing problems and focused questions.

17. Get around the right people.

More than 90% of your success will be determined by your “reference group.”

Be a go-giver rather than a go-getter.

18. Take excellent care of your physical health.

Eat less and exercise more.

Eat better foods and fewer of them.

19. Be decisive and action oriented.

Think carefully and then make decisions quickly.

20. Never consider the possibility of failure.

Dare to go forward.

            What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I go ahead?

            Make a habit throughout your life of doing the things you fear. If you do the thing you fear, the death of fear is certain.

            Failure is not an option!

21. Back everything you do with the twin qualities of persistence and determination.

The courage to persist in the face of adversity and disappointment is the one quality that more than anything, will guarantee your success.

Circumstances do not make the man. They merely reveal him to himself.

*Reference from 21 Secrets of self made Millionaires.