It's time to get back to work! The past few tips have
talked about maintaining a positive attitude, staying
focused, and being grateful. We live in a troubled world,
and strong skills for choosing your attitude, deciding
where to focus and staying motivated are essential. Without
self-discipline and strong habits, you will inevitably be
distracted by the media or the momentary pull of current
events.
We all fall into that trap once in a while, but as much as
possible, you want to be in charge of your own life. You
want to choose your moods, your energy level, your focus,
your goals, and your outcomes. Just as you decide what to
eat, you are in charge of choosing your priorities--and it
is up to you to stay focused on them. You are in charge of
what you think about most of the day, so think about a
great life and how to make it happen!
So let's talk about the basics, one more time. The basics
never go out of style and they never get old. As one of my
mentors, Jim Rohn, used to say, "there are no new
fundamentals!" High achievers, the winners in life, follow
certain patterns. They know the habits of success, and they
refer back to them over and over again, for a lifetime of
happy outcomes.
1. Know your Top Values. What's important to you? Are you
clear about these things and do they inform your choices
throughout the day, every day? Values, and the achievement
of them, are the building blocks of happiness and
satisfaction. We've all heard of folks who become wealthy
or famous, powerful or whatever, but end up unhappy. These
are the folks who, at the height of their success, bemoan,
"Is that all there is? I thought it would be better than
this." That, my friends, is one of my definitions of
failure.
Most people have a pretty short list of Top Values. They
might include making money, but they probably also include
things like a loving family, spirituality, integrity,
community service, creativity, wellness, philanthropy, and
so forth. Know your Top Values and make them part of your
work-week, and your day.
2. Powerful Self-Direction. This is my preferred term for
"goals." Where are you going and what are you doing with
your life? How do you measure success? What has meaning and
purpose, satisfaction and a sense of destiny for you? Take
charge of your life and every single day, move in the
direction you want to go.
3. A Clear Strategy and a Plan for Achievement. Knowing
what you want is good, but knowing you want to visit Paris
won't necessarily get you there. A plane ticket, a
passport, some savings and vacation time can make all the
difference! What are the action steps, the ingredients and
skills you need for success? Be clear and tackle them, one
step at a time. A great life requires a feasible, practical
plan of action and hard, daily work! Have a checklist and
work it, day by day.
4. Constant, Never-ending Learning. This is one of my Top
Values but I'll be daring and suggest it's an essential
component of true success. Where are you a beginner, an
amateur, a novice? Where are you stretched and feeling a
bit clumsy or self-conscious? These are the places where
you have the most potential for rapid growth! Value these
things, invest time and effort in them. Somehow, in ways I
don't quite understand, a certain type of clumsiness or
admitted ignorance, matched with passionate curiosity, is
a key to extraordinary growth. Keep learning!
You may have other additions, but at a minimum, I suggest
that a great life is built with clear Values, clear Goals,
clear Strategies, and an eagerness for Constant Learning.
These, I believe, are at least some of the fundamentals for
extraordinary success. This summer, work hard, stay
focused, and make this your "Best Year Ever!"
talked about maintaining a positive attitude, staying
focused, and being grateful. We live in a troubled world,
and strong skills for choosing your attitude, deciding
where to focus and staying motivated are essential. Without
self-discipline and strong habits, you will inevitably be
distracted by the media or the momentary pull of current
events.
We all fall into that trap once in a while, but as much as
possible, you want to be in charge of your own life. You
want to choose your moods, your energy level, your focus,
your goals, and your outcomes. Just as you decide what to
eat, you are in charge of choosing your priorities--and it
is up to you to stay focused on them. You are in charge of
what you think about most of the day, so think about a
great life and how to make it happen!
So let's talk about the basics, one more time. The basics
never go out of style and they never get old. As one of my
mentors, Jim Rohn, used to say, "there are no new
fundamentals!" High achievers, the winners in life, follow
certain patterns. They know the habits of success, and they
refer back to them over and over again, for a lifetime of
happy outcomes.
1. Know your Top Values. What's important to you? Are you
clear about these things and do they inform your choices
throughout the day, every day? Values, and the achievement
of them, are the building blocks of happiness and
satisfaction. We've all heard of folks who become wealthy
or famous, powerful or whatever, but end up unhappy. These
are the folks who, at the height of their success, bemoan,
"Is that all there is? I thought it would be better than
this." That, my friends, is one of my definitions of
failure.
Most people have a pretty short list of Top Values. They
might include making money, but they probably also include
things like a loving family, spirituality, integrity,
community service, creativity, wellness, philanthropy, and
so forth. Know your Top Values and make them part of your
work-week, and your day.
2. Powerful Self-Direction. This is my preferred term for
"goals." Where are you going and what are you doing with
your life? How do you measure success? What has meaning and
purpose, satisfaction and a sense of destiny for you? Take
charge of your life and every single day, move in the
direction you want to go.
3. A Clear Strategy and a Plan for Achievement. Knowing
what you want is good, but knowing you want to visit Paris
won't necessarily get you there. A plane ticket, a
passport, some savings and vacation time can make all the
difference! What are the action steps, the ingredients and
skills you need for success? Be clear and tackle them, one
step at a time. A great life requires a feasible, practical
plan of action and hard, daily work! Have a checklist and
work it, day by day.
4. Constant, Never-ending Learning. This is one of my Top
Values but I'll be daring and suggest it's an essential
component of true success. Where are you a beginner, an
amateur, a novice? Where are you stretched and feeling a
bit clumsy or self-conscious? These are the places where
you have the most potential for rapid growth! Value these
things, invest time and effort in them. Somehow, in ways I
don't quite understand, a certain type of clumsiness or
admitted ignorance, matched with passionate curiosity, is
a key to extraordinary growth. Keep learning!
You may have other additions, but at a minimum, I suggest
that a great life is built with clear Values, clear Goals,
clear Strategies, and an eagerness for Constant Learning.
These, I believe, are at least some of the fundamentals for
extraordinary success. This summer, work hard, stay
focused, and make this your "Best Year Ever!"
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