Success… Follow the beaten path

Have you achieved success in your life? Yes or no? The answer to that question is pretty simple for most people. You could also ask a man how much money he has…it’s the same question. However, there is more to it than that. Money is a good manifestation of success, but it is not the key objective.

Success should be less of an “end” in itself and more of a “means.” Success must be a way of life. A truly successful man has mastered life and is therefore in control of the direction of his destiny. It is a characteristic of the world we live in that most men prefer that fate to aim straight for the proverbial pot of gold. That’s fine too. If what you want is money and wealth, then you should have it. You must not be denied!

So how do you get the money and wealth? Is that what you do? What about who do you know? Perhaps it is your geographical location? All of these certainly play a role; But if you want to be successful, a good way to start would be to find a successful person and ask them how they did it. Then find another one and do the same. Then find another… and another. You can then act on your desire, properly armed with a great deal of knowledge that would mean that you are already “successful” even before the manifestation of the wealth you seek. Of course you have to have the right frame of mind and focus and all that, so I’m not saying there isn’t more. The beauty of this approach is, especially if you don’t know where to start, that you can also develop the approach by learning from others.

When you arrive at a strange train station and want to get to “The Plaza” on James Street, how do you get there? You can refer to the complicated map. That would get you there, if you have the ability to read maps. Maybe it’s quicker to ask someone. The map could omit the large body of water that has blocked the road. A person would give you that information. If you’re afraid of being cheated, you can ask someone else… and then check the map again. With this approach, you will be sure to reach the location long before you reach it. It is that state of confidence that makes you the victor long before the battle is over.

It is the same with success. People who have reached the top of their lives (or life as we know it) have certain habits and take certain actions. Everyone has found their own path to that point. They know a way to get there. Most of them know multiple ways to get there, simply because they have. One could scoff at this. It’s easy to assume that it’s just because they’re successful that they have a story to tell. They could have easily failed, and then we might not even know about them. Well, most of them did! In fact, many “failed” repeatedly. I read somewhere that 4 millionaires interviewed (each made their first million before turning 35) started, on average, 18 businesses before each hit the jackpot. Imagine 17 failures. Then imagine talking to one of them and learning how to avoid perhaps 13 of those steps. You would already be closer to your goal.

The point is that when it comes to success, the most important ingredient comes from within you. There is determination, focus, will power and others. Then there is knowledge. It is that knowledge that gives direction to all other forces. Once the address is known… action! With that action comes definite movement toward the final goal.

So, in closing, I say this… learn from those who have gone before you. They are many, and their methods are very different. You don’t have to do exactly what they’ve done, but you can apply their methods and insights to your own journey. Once you act on this knowledge, I can assure you that you will begin to think like a “successful” person. Once that happens, it’s only a matter of time before that success manifests in your life.

Here is your success.