Planning for success is hard. When it comes to achieving our goals, we often need that extra little push to keep going at some point. If we don’t get that nudge, we tend to lose motivation or even abandon our goal altogether. Why is following through so hard? What are we missing? Let’s find out!
How Others Help You Succeed
Here’s a secret: to find success in this life, help others find success. Yes, it’s a cliché, but in our selfish hearts, we often think we need to shove others to the side and claw ourselves to the top to find success. We can get so busy that we view people as obstacles in the way of completing our to-do list. Real, meaningful success is found by helping others along the way. Success is much more rewarding when we help to make another person’s day just a little brighter or give them a hand up. Be willing to show an interest in others!
In your quest to be successful, live by these best practices: Learn all you can about your job, your company, and your co-workers; not through the rumor mill, but by communicating one-on-one! Make a point today to find out a little bit more about someone you work with but don’t know well. Most people are eager to share a bit about what makes them tick and what matters most to them. Your path to success will be more enjoyable if others trust you and don’t try to control you. These best practices will empower you to trust more and control less. It might seem counterintuitive, but you will get back what you give.
Combat Negativity with Enthusiasm
Remember to own your attitude; how you feel and act. Nobody caused it but you! Negative vibes can get in the way of achieving success. You may find yourself working alongside someone who aims for the middle of the road or—worse yet—has total apathy towards work. Maybe they are a world-class naysayer. It can be quite easy to catch the ‘complainer syndrome,’ the ‘lazy bug,’ or feel bitter about having to carry a slacker’s workload. Don’t get sucked into the vortex but counter the negativity with enthusiasm! Just as laziness can be contagious, so can your enthusiastic approach to work! Resist the urge to get bitter. Instead, remember the rewarding feeling of achieving even the small successes. Routinely, tweak your attitude for optimism. When we work towards staying positive and enthusiastic, it is noticed by everyone. It polishes your work reputation!
The Goal versus the Journey
The problem with setting any goal is that we set a deadline, but not a schedule. We focus on the closing date by which we want to achieve our goals, but not on what to bring on the journey. We all know what happens when the deadline is up and we haven’t reached our goal: we feel like a failure, even if we have achieved some success along the way. The solution? When planning for success you must consider the actions that support your goal. Plot what you need to bring on the journey. Build an action plan, it is insurance on accomplishing your goal! You wouldn’t undertake a long hike without making a list of things to bring, items like water, sunscreen, snacks, and a map. Plan a successful journey toward accomplishing your goal. Celebrate every action, every mile marker you take towards success, no matter how small!
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Still learning,
Honey Shelton