I have studied the field of human achievement for many years now. I have seen patterns and trends in human behaviour that will produce a positive or negative result/success if you follow or not follow a few specific steps.
It is not about positive thinking, reciting affirmations with feelings or sacrificing a chicken and bathing in a pool of the chicken’s blood. Success in anything can be narrowed down to three simple words “DO THE WORK”.
Yes, that is it! Let’s pack everything up and let’s all go home. Have a think of this for a moment. You see people who are striving in their career; they are influential/well respected in their field and it looks like they jump from one successful role/project to the next.
You see athletes being talked about on ESPN, hoisting up another trophy for winning their 5th world championship. You see a family having a quiet conversation over dinner, laughing and interacting while the kids are well behaved with impeccable table manners. These examples may or may not resonate with you, but as an outsider looking in, you do not know the work that the person did to achieve that success.
However you look at this or examine any type of success, the people who achieved success did the work. You do not become successful in life by being an observer.
In life, you cannot sit on the grandstand and observe. It is like that quiet person at a social gathering standing in the corner hoping someone they know arrives so they can have someone to talk to.
The people who step out and actively make an effort and do the work to introduce themselves to others and interact will not only be remembered but will also have a smashing time. So what does this have to do with having a successful life?
The message is to get out there and do the work to achieve success in what you want to do. If you want a successful relationship with your family, work on your interpersonal communication skills.
Spend quality time with the people who matter most. I have realised that my kids spell “Love” as “T-I-M-E” I spend time with them and I am always present even if they don’t need me to be. My babies will always be my babies but they will not be at this age for long so I work hard at rearranging my schedule to ensure that I am there for them.
Let’s get back on track. Do you want a seat at the big table? Do you want to be a part of the executive team or rub shoulders with the giants of the industry?
That takes work, skill and maybe connections as well. The skill, you can
But if you do not do the work, such as bringing value to the group you are networking with or you do not fulfil the required reading and invest the time to learn so you can later graduate, this too will be in vain.
The lesson here is for you to be successful at something, the main thing that you need to do apart from knowing what you want to succeed in is to do the required work to set yourself up to achieve.
Do what is required consistently; the result will be there. I hope that this shot of motivation kick starts your 2019 and that you look back in 12 months’ time and realise that 2019 was such a rewarding year. But first, do the work.
Until next time, STAY FOCUSED!
