Saturday, April 23, 2011
Learning from the Success of Others
One great way to pursue success is to learn from the success of others. Biographies of many successful people in business, politics and faith are available. Here is a great website where you can read short success stories about The Entrepreneur Next Door.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Where is Your Passion
Has anyone ever made a lot of money doing what they hate? Sure. All the time. But has anyone ever been truly successful doing what they hate? Only if your definition of success does not include personal happiness. We live in a society where there are lots of options. We can choose to go to college or tech school. We can choose to be an entrepreneur or an employee. We can choose to work for a venture capitalist or a non-profit. Whatever your choice, your level of success will greatly depend on choosing options that support your core values and allow you to do things you are truly passionate about. That is because to do a job well requires a great deal of time, effort and personal commitment. It is going to be very hard to devote yourself to something that you are not passionate about.
It is alluring to go find a job in an industry that you heard was easy or profitable. You can certainly be successful at it, if what you want is a 9-5 job, home in the evenings and on weekends, reaching middle management, and retiring on social security plus a modest 401k. There is nothing wrong with that model. Just be sure that is truly what you want from life.
Several people work at whatever job they can get and then seek personal fulfillment from relationships and hobbies. The risk is that relationships can change, and you may not be able to perform your hobbies anymore. There often comes a time when people begin feeling empty and start searching for meaning in what they do.
Let's Get Serious About Your Goals
This is where you change the direction of your life. Once you outline a new set of goals and begin pursuing them, your life will forever change. Whether it changes for the better or for the worse, depends on the goals you set for yourself.
Your goals are the roadmap to your future. At this point in the process, you should be starting to get a picture of what you really want out of life. Now let's get those wants on paper. Make them tangible. Make them real.
Don't set unreachable goals. That will just frustrate you. But don't sell yourself short either. If you want to be President of the United States, that is a realistic goal - unless you were born in Canada. You would have to change the Constitution to become President, and that would probably make that goal unrealistic. If you want to be a professional basketball player, that is a realistic goal - unless you are 60 years old and 5 foot 2. The rule of thumb is, unless there is a physical or legal limitation preventing you from reaching your goal, go for it.
If you are like most people, up until today, other people have been setting your goals for you - your parents, your teachers, your religious leaders, your boss, your spouse. Everything changes today. Today is the day you take control of your life and map your own future.
You are one decision away from changing your life forever.
It is alluring to go find a job in an industry that you heard was easy or profitable. You can certainly be successful at it, if what you want is a 9-5 job, home in the evenings and on weekends, reaching middle management, and retiring on social security plus a modest 401k. There is nothing wrong with that model. Just be sure that is truly what you want from life.
Several people work at whatever job they can get and then seek personal fulfillment from relationships and hobbies. The risk is that relationships can change, and you may not be able to perform your hobbies anymore. There often comes a time when people begin feeling empty and start searching for meaning in what they do.
Let's Get Serious About Your Goals
This is where you change the direction of your life. Once you outline a new set of goals and begin pursuing them, your life will forever change. Whether it changes for the better or for the worse, depends on the goals you set for yourself.
Your goals are the roadmap to your future. At this point in the process, you should be starting to get a picture of what you really want out of life. Now let's get those wants on paper. Make them tangible. Make them real.
Don't set unreachable goals. That will just frustrate you. But don't sell yourself short either. If you want to be President of the United States, that is a realistic goal - unless you were born in Canada. You would have to change the Constitution to become President, and that would probably make that goal unrealistic. If you want to be a professional basketball player, that is a realistic goal - unless you are 60 years old and 5 foot 2. The rule of thumb is, unless there is a physical or legal limitation preventing you from reaching your goal, go for it.
If you are like most people, up until today, other people have been setting your goals for you - your parents, your teachers, your religious leaders, your boss, your spouse. Everything changes today. Today is the day you take control of your life and map your own future.
You are one decision away from changing your life forever.
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