So are you in awe like me? It amazes me that even after graduating at the top of my class from college, having two national merit leadership awards, writing down all my life goals and setting out to achieve them; My goals for my career and my family are no closer now than when I was at the top of the academic world. You feel so? So what I’m about to share can help you redesign the course of your life for self-improvement like my redirection has done for me.
Since the targets weren’t coming together, something had to have changed. I learned that these points had changed: the attitude had collapsed since I entered the business world, the belief in myself and my core values had eroded somewhat, my commitment to excellence had lost its shine, and my desire to excel it had lost its strength. Seeing how far I had come from my success clothes was a life changing experience in itself. If you’ve been down this path, too, then you know how it felt. So now is the time to set the mindset that will help get your goals back on track.
Attitude is everything
Attitude truly IS everything. In your own quest for self-improvement, the way you perceive the world around you is what shapes the character within you. It benefits you to be the “glass half full” person. By looking at life with an optimistic and hopeful attitude, you can also see the solutions with every challenge that comes your way. Seeing the world anywhere close to negative will shut down the ability to see solutions and options for your success. Having a positive attitude attracts people like a magnet. When you also have a purpose in your actions, the people who approach you are resourceful people who help your goals. And the person you become by adopting a positive attitude will also help them achieve their goals. It becomes like you develop a win-win network. This is something the most effective leaders call master alliances. An attitude of positive expectation is a choice, one that will serve you well.
Believe in the goals you set for yourself… truly believe.
It has been said that to be successful, choose to do a job that you are deeply passionate about and do it well. Your self-improvement journey has a greater chance of true fortune when you passionately believe in the goals you set for yourself. Goals should be big enough that you stop at their magnitude, but not so expansive that they’re never possible. There are many examples of people who rose from the huddled masses to reach great heights of success: Oprah, Donald, Martha, Tony, Rush. Others are recognized by last names: Gates, Buffett, Disney, Spielberg. Spend time studying any or all of them, and you’ll learn that your life’s work is something you live, eat, sleep, walk, talk about, and dream about. It takes that level of belief to have your level of success. In each of their stories there are also paths of self-improvement that turned them into the quality of person they become. That is possible for you too.
Commit to making this happen no matter what.
“Until one makes a commitment, there is hesitancy, the possibility of going backwards, always ineffectiveness… The moment one makes a final commitment, then Providence also moves. All sorts of things happen to help one who might otherwise they would never have happened… Whatever you can do, or dream you can, start it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it. Start now.” goethe
Making the decision to fully commit does not happen during the first step of your self-improvement journey, perhaps not even the tenth or one hundred and thirty-second step. Commitment becomes a part of you when you face another challenge that tests you if you really want the goal you set for yourself. You decide, deep down, that nothing and no one will stop you from reaching the goal. And you will know what level of commitment is there; because suddenly you will feel as if a great door has indeed been opened for you. Suddenly, you see new solutions and options for the problems that have held you back for so long. Move with that inspiration and follow it. Goethe’s call to action does not say that you are aware of every part of your journey before you begin; but just to start.
Desire with all your being the realization of the goals.
The student came to the Master after having studied several seasons under the wise direction of the Master. On reaching the Master, the student implored the Master to tell him what it takes to succeed in his life’s work. “He Walks with me,” said the Master. The two walked towards the nearby shore. The Master walked towards the sea without saying a word. The student continued to believe that this was a ritual before the Master imparted the highest wisdom of the Master to the student. The Master turned towards the student, grabbed him by the neck and violently forced him to submerge himself in the waters of the sea.
The student tried and tried to pull himself together and catch his breath. For a time he could not overcome the Master’s strength. Finally, the student realized that he would soon die and found in himself the deepest power to overcome Master’s strength and rise up and take a new breath of life-giving air.
“Master, why would you try to kill me? I just wanted to learn how to succeed when I leave here.”
The wise Master chose his words carefully: “When your desire to be as successful is as intense as your desire was at that moment for that breath of air, then the wisdom you need to succeed will come from within. It has always been been inside, waiting to be called to duty.”
This is the level of desire that must be possessed to achieve the goals you have for your life. Understand that for small goals that are easy to achieve, then the desire doesn’t need to be as intense. For those objectives that require more participation, certainly your desire will also need to be greater.
With a renewed focus on Attitude, Belief, Commitment and Desire, your journey of self-improvement will gain a stronger sense of purpose. And your goals will also be more worth striving for. The renewed focus may only need to be one degree more intense to open the door for you. That difference is the same as the one degree difference in a lens curve that makes the light not only bright but intensely focused to produce a laser focus of immense power. To start harnessing such power, go ahead and learn more about personal growth. The information is free. It is the open door of personal work that has a cost to you…some good, some bad.