Success Principles
(15 minute read; 2763 words)
Other than the grace of the one true and only living, Creator God, genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, and your regeneration by the Holy Spirit into a spiritual rebirth, where you are born again as a new creation in Christ— which is the ultimate success in this life — other than that, a good attitude is the most important ingredient for success in life, both personal and professional. It begins with the way you “choose” to think; targeted, specific thoughts and actions about what you want, what you need and how to get them both. These success principles work in every area of everybody’s life.
Here are some simple definitions of the key components:
Success is the ongoing accomplishment of goals.
Goals are the things you want to be, do and have.
The great Zig Ziglar said: “You have to ‘be’ before you can ‘do’, and ‘do’ before you can ‘have.’“
A game plan identifies specifically what you want and need and the targeted, specific actions it will take in order to get them; to be successful, to accomplish your goal.
Here’s the Game Plan for Success in three simple steps:
- Decide (Be Specific) – 2. Take Action (Targeted & Specific) – 3. Evaluate (Constantly) & Adjust (As Often as Needed).
Ongoing success requires that you do these things consistently well. It’s as easy as 1-2-3. The formula is the same in all the things you do.
This is the blueprint and the plan— the process.
Decide exactly what you want or need to be, do or have; make a master list and then divide by category and importance and then, systematically work your way down the list, with the most important ones first, with needs before wants. Be very specific about what you want and need. You can’t be “it” or do “it” or have “it” until you know exactly what “it” is. What is “it” that you want and need?
Design a step-by-step plan of action of how to make “it” happen; targeted, specific actions. Take only the type of actions that will take you closer to your goals. Know what those actions are and what they aren’t.
Constantly evaluate the actions and make the necessary adjustments by fine-tuning the actions of your game plan as often as needed in order to keep you on target or perhaps, to get you back on target. Sometimes you might even have to change the goal.
Each step becomes the most important step; 1 is most important – then 2 – then 3 and then back to 2.
But if you had to choose the most important step of all, it would be number 2. Goals cannot efficiently and effectively be achieved without taking “targeted, specific actions.”
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” (Pablo Picasso). Not just action, Pablo, but “targeted, specific action.”
“What changes lives is making decisions and taking actions that produce the results you want.” (Tony Robbins)
Here’s how it works: If you want or need “this,” (the specific decision; whatever “this” is; whatever you want or need) for example, then you must do “this,” (the specific actions that will produce it) in order to get “this.” So if you want “this,” then you must do “this” to get “this.”
If you want “that” then you must do “that” to get “that.” But if you want “this” and do “that” then you get “that,” not “this”. And if you want “that” and do “this” then you get “this,” not “that.” And if you can’t decide whether you want “this or that” and back it up with targeted, specific actions, you won’t get either “this OR that.” And “this” is how “that” works. Get it?
Here’s analogy of how to reach your goals by consistently taking the right actions and quick adjustments. Stand on one side of a room and let your goal be to touch the bull’s-eye on a target on the opposite wall. Touching the target on the wall symbolizes attaining anything you want to have, be or do; accomplishing your goal. You want “this” and you have do “this” to get “this.” Got it? 1) Take “two steps forward.” This represents doing the things it takes to get what you want. 2) Now take “one step back.” This represents getting distracted and doing something that takes you further away from your goal. 3) Now take “two more steps forward,” then “one more step back” and then two more forward and one more back. Keep it up until you “reach the target.” Take more than two steps forward, like five or six, etc. and you’ll get there quicker. On the other hand, taking “two steps back” and “one step forward” and repeating that over and over takes you further away from your goal, indicating the wrong action. Keep that up and you’ll never get there. “Standing still” won’t do it either and neither will “walking in circles.” Specific goals and targeted, specific actions are required to achieve anything worthy of achieving.
The Essential Attitudes
The essential attitudes required for ongoing success are discipline, confidence, motivation and determination, the sum of which is toughness. These are also called the “cornerstones” of success. These attitudes must be ingrained as automatic actions and reactions (what you say and what you do) that can be implemented on-demand. They are the driving forces behind your success. Plug in the essential attitudes first thing, every single day.
It all begins with discipline. Discipline means doing things the way they are supposed to be done; doing the right things the right way, all the time. It is discipline that enables the Big Four– confidence, motivation and determination. 🙂
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit… an attitude.”
— Aristotle (384-322 BC) (emphasis added)
Get your motor running. Get engaged. Energy in motion.
The Big Four
- Confidence means that you “know without a doubt” that you can be, do or have whatever you want or be, do or have whatever you need. There is a huge difference between thinking or believing you can and knowing you can. Knowing is the most powerful mindset and it be your default factory setting; focusing only on what you want or need. Confidence comes from being prepared and the more you prepare and the better you prepare, the more confident you will be. “I know I can because I rehearse it daily, both physically and mentally.” Rigorously prepare yourself in every aspect of life so you will always be “fully confident” that you can and will get what you want and need.
It is important to note here that in life, you must “always know you can,” but also “know that sometimes you won’t.” These real life results have nothing to to with what you know you can do. It’s just the reality of life. In everything you do, you always have a 50-50 shot. You either can or you can’t, you will or you won’t, you do or you don’t. Focus on can, will and do and never on can’t won’t or don’t. Give it your best shot on every pitch with the right mindset and then deal with the results, good and bad. Most will go in your favor and some will not. You know that up front— I always can, but I sometimes don’t. That “sometimes don’t” thing should never dictate how you compete. Doubt and fear should never enter into a competition because it hasn’t even happened yet. Don’t let your mindset be your worst enemy. Laser focus on the task at hand. Get a plan, stop thinking, and see it and react.
There are zero benefits in thinking that you can’t In fact, thinking you can’t over and over translates into knowing you can’t. Thinking in a tunnel. Don’t go outside that tunnel.
Confidence means that you know without a doubt, with absolute certainty, that you can do whatever you want to do and whatever you need to do. It is not just thinking you can, like the Little Engine That Could, and not even just believing you can — but truly knowing you can. Knowing leaves not room for doubts to creep in to distract you.
Confidence comes and grows through preparation. The more you prepare, the more your confidence grows.
It will never hurt you to always know you can.
“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect… Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident.” — Mark Victor Hansen
Motivation is the internal driving force that propels you into action; motiv-“action,” if you will. If you really, really want to do something, nobody can stop you from doing it. And if you really, really don’t want to do something, nobody can make you do it. Although outside forces can motivate, like your parents, coaches, teammates, motivational speakers like Zig and the Attitude Coach, true motivation must always come from within. It is a high priority and it’s very important to you. You must be “highly motivated” because you really, really want to be.
Motivation is the internal driving force that propels you into action — motiv-“action,” if you will.
If you really, really want to do something, nobody can stop you from doing it. And if you really, really don’t want to do something, nobody can make you do it.
Although outside forces can motivate — like your parents, coaches, teammates, motivational speakers like Zig, and the Attitude Coach — true motivation must always come from within.
Motivation is a high priority, and it is very important to you. You must be highly motivated, because you really, really want to be.
MotivAction (noun)
mot·iv·ac·tion (mō-tə-ˈvak-shən)
Definition:
MotivAction is the internal force that turns motivation into immediate, purposeful action. It is the moment when desire, belief, and commitment become movement.
MotivAction is not just wanting to do something — it is doing it.
It is the bridge between intention and execution, where thoughts become actions and goals become results.
Notable Thoughts about Motivation:
If humans have one unlimited power, it is determination. Determination means to compete with tenacious willpower and stubborn perseverance in order to make things happen and get what you want or need. Nothing is more powerful than these two forces. You must be resilient and relentless in the pursuit of what you want. It takes a “dogged determination” to consistently accomplish your goals. Dogged determined is a fearless effort in order to achieve something; to do what it takes, no matter what, to make it happen and to not be denied.
Determination
If humans have one unlimited power, it is determination.
Determination means competing with tenacious willpower and stubborn perseverance in order to make things happen and get what you want or need. Nothing is more powerful than these two forces.
You must be resilient and relentless in the pursuit of what you want. It takes dogged determination to consistently accomplish your goals.
Dogged determination is a stubborn, tenacious and fearless effort to achieve something — to do whatever it takes, no matter what, to make it happen and not to be denied.
Dogged determination is a stubborn, relentless, and fearless commitment to achieve a goal — doing whatever it takes, no matter the obstacles, refusing to quit or be denied.
It is the mindset that says: I will not quit. I will not back down. I will not be denied. It is relentless effort, fearless persistence, and unshakable resolve to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent (all powerful).” (Calvin Coolidge)
Toughness is the sum of discipline, confidence, motivation and determination. It means being able to control your thoughts, attitudes and actions in order to perform at a high level as designed, regardless of the circumstances, the self-perceived pressures or any distractions that might cloud your thinking and inhibit your performance. It is the ability to compete as you were designed and to focus on the task at hand by taking the targeted, specific actions just like you always do that give you the best chance to get what you want or need. The formula and effort is always the same regardless of the circumstances. If you consistently do things the way they are supposed to be done, you won’t have to change a thing when the stakes are higher. Just play it the same way you always do. Be a tough-minded competitor in all the moments of your life.
Toughness
Toughness is the sum of discipline, confidence, motivation, and determination. It is the whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
It means being able to control your thoughts, attitudes, and actions in order to perform at a high level as designed, regardless of the circumstances, the self-perceived pressures, or any distractions that might cloud your thinking and inhibit your performance.
Toughness is the ability to compete as you were designed in all situations and to focus on the task at hand by taking the targeted, specific actions — just like you always do — that give you the best chance to get what you want or need.
The formula and effort are always the same, regardless of the circumstances. If you consistently do things the way they are supposed to be done, you won’t have to change a thing when the stakes are higher.
Just play it the same way you always do.
Be a tough-minded competitor in all the moments of your life.
Add quote about Toughness:
Be a self-disciplined, fully confident, highly motivated, doggedly determined, tough-minded competitor on every pitch of every game.
A competitor is an individual who fearlessly embraces a challenge, relentlessly pursues excellence, consistently gives maximum effort to win in each moment, and always consistently performs at a high level in order to achieve success.
And it all begins with the way you “choose” to think.
In summary, success is simply getting what you want or need, whenever you want it and whenever you need it. It is the ongoing accomplishment of goals. What do you want? What do you need? Be specific. What’s the plan to get it? Do it! Take action; targeted & specific. Evaluate constantly & adjust as often as needed. Be self-disciplined, fully confident, highly motivated and doggedly determined! Be a tough-minded, fearless competitor, always looking for the good and expecting the best! Make it happen! Do not be denied! Do it again! Give God all the glory!
“The ‘ultimate success,’ the only real and lasting success in this life (which, by the way, has an expiration date) that you should really want and need, is to receive God’s amazing grace through genuine repentance and by putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Don’t live here or leave here without it. Too many do and there is no excuse for it. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6).
This must be at the top of your list; not your ‘to-do’ list, but your ‘must-do’ list and with a great sense of urgency because you really don’t have too much time. Your earthly life is short, believe me, like a mist or vapor, and time passes quickly with no time-outs or do-overs. You are not guaranteed another day of life, not another breath, not one more heartbeat and you will eventually die… we all will, and you do not know the day and the hour when Christ will return to bring history to its proper conclusion.
It is the only thing in this life that you ‘must’ do in order to change your eternal destiny. God’s grace requires a response. Do it now. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). It’s not too late— not yet.
Share the Good News of Christ with others who desperately need to hear it. Live for the One who died for you— do not risk dying for a second time— because eternity is a long, long time to be wrong.” – RAC
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