Success - part two
By Melinda Tognini
It is all very well to be encouraged that we can all be successful--but how do we get there?
SET GOALS
The most obvious part of experiencing success is knowing what our goals are. It is often necessary to break our final aim into smaller chunks; otherwise, we can feel overwhelmed by what we want to achieve.
DON’T LET FEAR GET TO YOU
Georgia O’Keefe says: “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.”
Until a couple of years ago, I was ‘absolutely terrified’ of phoning someone I didn’t know well (see my article “Face the Fear” to read about this in greater detail). It almost prevented me from writing one of the best articles I’ve ever had published.
DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE
Some people don’t even start pursuing their dreams because they are afraid of failure.
Dale Carnegie says: “Develop success from failure. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. No other element can do so much for a man if he is willing to study them and make capital out of them.”
Huw Wheldon adds: “The crime is not to avoid failure. The crime is not to give triumph a chance.”
Most people have heard of Dr Seuss and his famous Cat in the Hat. But did you know that his first book, And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street, was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before finally being accepted. John Grisham, now famous for his thrillers, had his first novel rejected by fifteen publishers and thirty agents. And Star Wars was rejected by every major Hollywood studio before being picked up by 20th Century Fox. (information taken from Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul).
How many of these people would have experienced success if they had given up at the first glimpse of failure?
SUCCESS REQUIRES PERSERVERENCE AND DETERMINATION
Of course there are those who seem to have everything handed to them on a silver platter. They seem to become ‘successful’ overnight and with no effort, but that is not usually the case.
Eddie Cantor says that it "takes twenty years to become an overnight success.”
Calvin Coolidge's advice is this: “Press on. Nothing can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent.”
For one guy I know, his dream had always been to join the army. He didn’t have it all his way. Before he even applied, he had to wean himself off the medication he was taking to help his ADD. The first time he tried, he was rejected because he was too small and too young. But, he was determined; and finally, on his third attempt, he was accepted, only to break his leg a week from starting training. When the leg healed, he flew to join, only to re-fracture his leg during training. The army wanted to discharge him before he even began, but he fought for his dream, and is still there today. This guy is not world famous. Nor is he rich. But, in my definition, he is certainly successful.
THERE IS MORE TO SUCCESS THAN BECOMING RICH AND FAMOUS
Do you remember the couple I mentioned in my previous article? The ones who run a soup kitchen? Not only do Keith and Vivien serve meals to those who can’t afford it, but show enormous love for and belief in those they serve. Without those aspects, this soup kitchen could be sterile and demeaning to those who eat there. Instead, hundreds of people feel loved and accepted. Keith and Vivien don’t do what they do because they want world recognition, but that doesn’t make them any less successful than someone who wants to be a famous musician. And, it makes them a whole lot more successful than someone who wants fame and wealth, yet puts no effort into their dreams.
Someone once said, “Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.”
Success should not only include what you achieve for yourself, but the impact you have on someone else, and how you help them to achieve their dreams. When you achieve your goals and dreams, once you are the best you can be, are you going to use that success to touch someone else’s life in a positive way?
About the Author:
My name is Melinda Tognini and I live in Perth, Western Australia with my husband and three year old son.
I have been writing since I was a small child and am currently the Youth Officer at the Peter Cowan Writers Centre, which thrives in the northern suburbs of Perth. I write mainly for young adults, but have also written short stories, book reviews and travel articles.
I am a trained English teacher, and have just returned to teaching after two years maternity leave. I have more than ten years experience working with young people, and apart from teaching, I have also run youth groups and camps. This has included preparing devotions and talks, and leading discussion groups for teenagers.
Many of my articles were originally written to encourage and inspire teenagers, but my hope is that they will motivate people of all ages.
Article courtesy of www.suite101.com.
