Oct

4 Distinctions That Create Success In Any Endeavor

Val on October 28th, 2008

It seems almost everyone wants to be successful, but so few actually are, somewhere between 5-20%. The other 80-95% will never reach the levels of success they say they want. I’m intrigued by humans and what we do, so I’ve been exploring this question for years from different angles.

What creates success?

I’ve talked to hundreds of people about this issue, from clients to business owners to authors to stay-at-home moms. I’ve talked to people who consider themselves successful and those who don’t.

What I’ve gleaned from these interviews and from my own life experience is that there are a minimum of 4 distinctions that make for success in any endeavor. Think of these four distinctions as a foundation for success. This is not to say that if you have all four you’ll automatically be successful. Just because a table has all 4 legs doesn’t mean the table is automatically in good order. Yet, if you don’t have all four, it’s pretty clear, from my observations and experience, that you won’t be successful, just as a table with legs missing is definitely out of order.

At the end of each distinction, I’ve added a Success Strategy that you can implement for your high success.

Here they are:

4 Distinctions That Create Success In Any Endeavor

1. Your state of mind when you begin the endeavor.

Whatever your mindset is when you begin an endeavor is likely how the endeavor will turn out.

For instance, if you decide to start a business because you’re running away from something, rather than doing it because of your passions and intentions, you’ll have problems with being successful. If you start an endeavor just to make money, you’ll have problems being successful.

I spoke at a junior high school a couple of weeks ago and taught the students to NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER do anything just for the money. They laughed at first. Some told me I was wrong. After we explored it, they began to see the light.

I’ve never seen anyone do something they didn’t like just for the money for an extended period of time without negative consequences.

If you’re beginning an endeavor just because you’re running away from something (which is a reaction, not a response) or if you’re doing it just for the money, count on not being successful over the long haul.

Success Strategy #1: Closely, and I mean CLOSELY examine what’s in your mind when you begin an endeavor. What are you thinking this endeavor will bring you? What are your motives (even the motives you’d be ashamed to talk about in front of other people)? What do you think you’ll gain? What do you think you’ll lose? The bigger the decision or the endeavor, the more self-examination you’ll need to do to really see where you stand mentally on the issue.

To go further, what’s beneath the surface in your consciousness regarding this issue? What are your past experiences in this arena? What fears are present?

When you make a comprehensive examination of what your consciousness holds before you start an endeavor, you can begin to ascertain whether or not you’ll be successful at it.

2. How long you’re willing to persevere.

This has got to be one of the biggest reasons most people aren’t successful: they don’t stick with anything long enough to start a fire.

People quit, too often and too easily. Quitters don’t ever make it to the finish line. I’m speaking from experience.

This issue is tied to the first issue. If I had examined my consciousness and motives before starting a new endeavor, I may not have undertaken many of the endeavors I later on wind up quitting. We quit things because we probably shouldn’t have been doing them in the first place, but the story sounded so compelling, we went along with it. Later, when we discover that the endeavors is not in harmony with our inward desires and intentions, we quit.

When to quit can be a tricky decision because sometimes we do need to throw in the towel, while at other times we need to change our approach, while at still other times we need to stick it out and keep moving forward, in spite of the fear, pain and resistance.

Deciding when to do what is the tricky part. You’ll have to go within and seek your own inner guidance, in addition to praying on it, and sitting in the silence to give the answers space and time to unfold.

Success Strategy #2: You don’t win a gold medal without the battle scars to show for it and you cannot be successful without perseverance. To persevere means to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement. Which means you’ll kiss a lot of toads before you’ll find Prince Charming.

Perseverance is unusual because it means pushing through pain, resistance and listening to folks who love you, yet tell you that what you’re doing is ridiculous, impossible, crazy or even dangerous. You’ve got to be willing to take your eyes off everything and everyone who is a counterinfluence and stay your eyes, mind and being on what you’re going for.

Remember the hundred or so variations that failed before Thomas Edison created a light bulb that actually worked.

Perseverance does not mean martyrdom, or banging your head against the wall. It doesn’t mean being unwilling to look at the truth. And it doesn’t mean being hard-headed and stubborn.

What it does mean is this: after you’ve determined that what you are going for is aligned with your heart’s deepest desires, your meaningful intentions and the divine will for your life, and it will serve others, then go for it and keep going for it until you succeed.

I like what Tony Robbins (one of the world’s most successful coaches) says about success. He uses the simple example of learning to walk. At one time, you were a tiny tot trying to learn how to walk. How many times did you fall on your rump before you mastered walking? Maybe hundreds. Yet you kept on going. You may have gotten positive reinforcement from the big people around you who were so excited that you were taking those first few steps that they encouraged and cheered to an extreme degree. As a result, most people walk.

Now here’s a question for you: do most parents look at all the times their child has fallen on his/her rump and give up? Do they say ‘well, it looks like my kid is just not going to be a walker…’

No, that doesn’t happen with sane people. Your efforts and their encouragement continue UNTIL YOU WALK. The same is true of perseverance. When you’re on the divine path for your life, you persevere UNTIL YOU SUCCEED. Most times, you’ll need to encourage yourself all the way to the finish line. Don’t make other people responsible for making you feel good.

3. How willing you are to throw your whole self into it.

People dabble. A little of this, a little of that…

Dabblers get nowhere. Then they look up 10 or 20 years later and wonder why they aren’t further ahead than they were 20 years ago.

When you dabble, by holding back from throwing your whole self into what you’re doing, you don’t ever create momentum, or stoke your passions, or generate enough interest for anyone to join you (more on this next).

When you dabble, everyone knows it. Worst of all YOU know it.

Success Strategy #3: BE RED HOT on fire for what you’re doing. Your enthusiasm will be contagious and you’ll create an immense amount of curiosity about what you’re doing just because of your excitement.

BE RED HOT. If you can’t be red hot about what you’re doing, why are you doing it?

4. How willing you are to build a team of associates, mentors, advisers and supporters.

I’ve seen lots of folks who could do amazing things on their own. Then, when they were put in the mix with lots of other people, they didn’t handle it well.

Success does not come in a vacuum or a void. High success can only be had when you involve other people. Relationships are the backbone of all success. You’ve got to develop and maintain relationships with clients and customers, partners, suppliers, distributors, a board of directors and/or more.

You cannot be highly successful completely alone.

Success Strategy #4: Build a team. Start a Master Mind Group. Attract more prospects who turn into clients and customers. One way you do this is by exhibiting your passion for what you’re doing, operating in excellence and proving the high value you offer.

You can never attract too many good people to your endeavor. Knowing that you will attract to your endeavor people just like yourself, aim to stay enthusiastic, positive, determined and orderly. Conduct yourself wisely and masterfully.

And most of all, lavish the highest praise and appreciation on all the people you’ve attracted. Mary Kay used to look at people as if they had a sign hanging around their neck that says: “Make me feel important.” She did, and she grew a business from a $5,000 investment to a multi-billion dollar international enterprise.

With these four foundational stones in place: