Success…we want it, want to be it, want to feel it, want to live it, want to own it and want others to acknowledge it. But do we really know what it means to have success? Do we know what it really takes to be successful?
The basic definition of success is ‘the accomplishment of one’s goal or goals’, and the most important factor of this definition is the action aspect of the word ‘accomplishment’. As simple as it may sound, what we may not realize is the necessity of time and energy it takes to accomplish any goal from the smallest of them to the greatest. When we describe what it means to be successful, many of us envision a deeper meaning such as ‘the ability to attain wealth and the ability to land an important and admirable position’. And once again, what we may fail to realize is that those who actually achieve what it means to be successful, have had to offer much time and much energy.
The true meaning of success begins with one’s desire to simply be the best at what they have been gifted to do. Two of the most important aspects that will appear along the way to true success are discipline and structure. To experience any respectable level of success, one must have the ability to practice discipline in many areas of life. What we spend our time doing, what we spend our money on, and our ability to say no when we sometimes want to say yes, will all play vital roles in any success we achieve.
What we spend our time doing every hour, everyday, will have a significant impact on whether or not we experience success of any kind. Pay attention to the amount of time spent reading, learning, researching, socializing, partying, drinking, sleeping, meditating, reflecting, gossiping, tv watching, dating, planning, setting goals, nurturing gifts, and many others things that take up any amount of time. Everything we do is either productive or not productive. Everything we do is either contributing to success or is not contributing. If we live and act by these two truths, it becomes possible to achieve the true meaning of success.
Financially, one of the greatest failures many experience is the inability to save money. No matter how much we buy, no matter how much travel we experience, no matter how much we have to show, there is no true financial success if we have nothing saved. No one can claim the true meaning of financial success without a substantial amount of money saved; no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. The challenge that causes many to fail at financial success is the ability to choose the wiser between wanting to look successful and wanting to really be successful. Which one takes priority in your life? Unfortunately for many, appearance rules.
Knowing when to say no to activities that keep us behind and cause us to waste time will determine how much true success we experience. This is where the necessity of structure takes place in life. Already having a plan can help alleviate making unwarranted decisions that, more than anything, knock us off track. Already having structure and a schedule that includes goals are vital to success because structure gives us reason to say no to the many opportunities that will be offered by friends and fun. Running with friends and having fun all the time, as good as it sounds, will be the hindrance for many. When we truly want to obtain success at what we’re gifted to offer to this world and those around us, we must learn to say no at the right times. Anytime we find ourselves justifying why we choose to do anything, it is those sugar-coated excuses that lead us astray.
So what is the true meaning of success? The true meaning is detailed in the discipline and structure along the way to every goal reached. The more important question, however, is..How willing are you to put aside many things and work for it?
Tawana
