BEING successful means to actualize desired visions and premeditated goals. Success can be a certain social status that describes a prosperous person that could also have gained fame for its favorable outcome.
Success is inherently something we strive for, from the moment we are educated to the moment we land that first job. The whole process is meant to move you forward in life, building yourself a better future. But how do you start planning such a feat? Thinking about a successful future is a necessity that should be done without any distractions or interruptions.
Once upon a time, we were our past selves. We went along either with future intentions in mind or simply drifting with the tide. Did we ever think that we would have ended up where we are?
Few people I know knew they would be exactly where they are today. So how can we plan for our futures when they are so uncertain? The answer is not to look at what we want or where we want to be in the future but rather, who we want to be.
Many powerful people I know have changed careers several times in their lives. They are people who are constantly digging into and learning new fields and needed skills. For this reason, when the opportunity arises for them to start a new career, they already have the skill set. Many of these people could change careers tomorrow and be successful because they have the skills in place.
After all, in life, the only person we can depend on for certain is oneself. As much as we want to be able to rely on someone else wholeheartedly, sometimes they leave or change or even pass away.
Look at what you have decided to be. Find a person who has been successful in that field and find out what that person did or does on a daily basis. Make a list. The only difference between success and failure is the willingness to identify and DO the things that make someone successful.
Who you are in the future depends on what you do today. Be the best of that person you can be. Understand that there are times that we all fall short of our ideals but a person who keeps at it is one who eventually succeeds.
If you fall short, understand that this is an area where more learning has to take place. A person who has a strong set of beliefs and values is a happy and strong person. A person who does not have a clearly defined set of beliefs and values is tossed about in life like a tiny ship on an angry ocean.
However, motivated you feel to take action on your goals, if they are worded like this, they are too vague and open ended, without the ‘when’ and the ‘how’ there is no catalyst for action.
The fact is, when you look at successful people, you will almost always discover a plan behind their success. They know what they want, they work out a plan that will get them where they want to go, and this worked plan is the foundation for success, therefore, you must not only have a plan but equally work towards achieving your plan if you want to be successful.
The only difference between success and failure is the willingness to identify and DO the things that make someone successful.
Make a change. Decide what you want to be and get started. There is nothing as exciting as changing your career into exactly what you want it to be. There may be years of transition ahead but get started right now and never give up.
Planning is crucial to your success even when things don’t go as you would like them to. Think about the days that you don’t plan, what happens? Plan about what you want your future to be, but also be open to new opportunities.
Don’t let other people’s success distract you from your plans, your strategies will deliver the required results.
Olatunji is Managing Partner, BamyRem Consulting