Malcolm Forbes said:
“Success follows doing what you want to do. There is no other way to be successful.”
And Maya Angelou stated,
“Pursue the things you love doing and do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. All other tangible rewards will come as a result.”
And I say,
“Don’t spend one day doing anything you’re not absolutely passionate about!”
It’s the same fact, stated 3 different ways: success comes as and when you do what you love doing.
That’s the next consideration in this 9-part series on High Success. (If you haven’t seen the other installments click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.)
High Success comes when you do what you love doing.
Which brings me to what DOES NOT create success: doing anything just for the money.
I went to a middle school for career day a few weeks ago, and I told the kids to never, ever, ever, ever do anything just for the money. They looked at me sideways. Some of them told me I was crazy. Some said,
“you have to do things for money, even if you don’t like it!”
“No, no, no!”
I protested. I was vehement. Success never follows doing anything just for the money. I think I may have convinced a couple of them. Hopefully a few more went home and thought about it.
There was only one place those kids could have gotten the idea that they had to work just to get paid, whether they like what they were doing or not…
Conditioning.
They’ve been taught (by parents, society, the media, whomever else sings this song) that it’s okay (or even required) to live a life of complete un-fulfillment, just to get paid. And they somehow came to believe it with fervor. Which is disheartening, because success just doesn’t work that way.
Success comes on the heels of doing what you love doing. The more you love it, the more passionate you are about it, the more you’re likely to reach High Success.
With that in mind, ask yourself the following dozen questions about what you’re doing right now (especially if you think or feel you could be a lot more successful than you are):
- Does what I do every day cause me to want to jump out of bed in the morning?
- Why not?
- Am I doing any aspect of what I’m doing just for the money?
- Are there aspects about what I’m doing that I love?
- What are they?
- Can I delegate other aspects that I don’t love doing?
- Am I on the path to total fulfillment with what I’m doing?
- If not, am I willing to take another path?
- Do I have the courage to completely let go of what I’ve done thus far if that’s what my heart is telling me to do?
- If not, why not?
- What fulfills me?
- How can I begin to do more of if every day?
You may have to make a radical change from what you’re doing now to what would make your heart sing. Or maybe not. Maybe you just need to make a few minor adjustments to reach High Success.
Either way, courage is in order. I say this because all change requires courage, because we don’t know what’s on the other side of the transformation. This holds true whether the change is minor or major. Fear kicks in when we think about having to change our lives, especially when everything is humming along according to a prescribed program–even if the program isn’t fun or fulfilling.
I’ve heard people say:
“The devil I know is better than the devil I don’t know.”
How about completing eliminating all the devils?
Today, take a bold step and ask yourself what needs changing, then begin mapping out a plan to change it. You don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to do it alone. Get a trusted friend to take the plunge with you, or get a coach or mentor that’s eager to see you succeed in a big way.
Tony Robbins, one of my favorite success coaches, spoke about a man who came to one of his seminars who made great income, had fabulous health, a beautiful family and a great lifestyle. Some would look at him and call him a success. In some respects, he was. But he wasn’t happy. Why? Because he said he wasn’t fulfilled. (I should have had him with me at the middle school.)
This man had plenty of money, but he didn’t achieve High Success, which is…
that sweet spot where all the stars seem to line up and you have an internal feeling that you are doing what you were born to do, you’re firing on all cylinders and your entire life feels like it’s in a divine flow. You’re fulfilled, joyful, purposeful and prosperous.
There’s nothing more delicious than that.
As Maya Angelou said, “all other tangible rewards will come as a result.”
Remember, if you aren’t doing what you love, make a u-turn. Doing what you love puts you in the sweet spot and points you in the direction of High Success.
Until next time, reach for the stars!
Valerie Love
Tags: achievement, Destiny Life Coach, Destiny Living, living on purpose, living out loud, living with passion, success
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