Note: I originally wrote this post for Virgin.com
Everybody wants it but what are you really willing to do for it?
I’m talking about success of course. Many of us have a glorified meaning of success that society and the media have formulated for us since our younger years. The dictionary defines success as the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or an achievement. I’d like to see this definition revised so that it’s separated from wealth and status and connected with quality of life, fulfillment, happiness, and achievements that are personally satisfying and enhance your life.
I can point to many people, including myself, who achieved a fancy title and had a high-paying job but ultimately were searching for a different meaning in the word success. For some, success is a title, dollars in the bank and prestigious job, but for others it’s spending quality time with your children, mentoring employees at work, volunteering, starting your first company, learning a new skill such as playing the piano, or completing your first triathlon.
You have to decide what success means to you. As you continue on your journey to be a successful entrepreneur, businessperson, artist, writer, or parent take a few minutes and think about how you would define success on your path – not what society thinks you should do. One effective approach is to practice rituals that will help you raise your game.
Three rituals to achieve greater success in your life:
1. Step into the role of CEO of YOU INC.
YOU INC. is the most important business you will ever run. It includes every area of your life (i.e. work, health, finances, and relationships) and needs your time and energy to thrive.
* Only repeat rituals than enhance YOU INC. and add value to your day.
* Make yourself a priority and focus on your greatest asset – you.
2. Practice the 3 C’s: Choice, Commitment and Consistency
Formula to drive your actions: Choice + Commitment + Consistency = Your Results
* Choice: Everyday is a new opportunity to make choices that add value to your life.
* Commitment separates those who try from those who succeed.
* Consistency keeps you in business and allows you to raise your game.
3. Get a Goal
Goals help you achieve a sense of mastery and enjoy greater fulfillment and happiness in your life. Consider the P-E-M approach as you pursue your goals:
P = Pursue goals that are a tier one PRIORITY. Lots of things in our lives are important (health, work, and relationships) but when something is a priority it gets added to the schedule. Tier one goals are your top priorities and need to get done first. For some, it’s paying your rent, going to the doctor, taking a vacation and for others it’s losing seven pounds before your high school reunion or launching a new product line.
E = If your goal doesn’t EXCITE you when you start, I can assure you it won’t excite you when the going gets tough – and there will be bumps on the road. Figure out what is it about the goal that would be exciting for you to achieve – that’s when you’ll find yourself motivated to keep moving forward. For example, it’s not super exciting to tell yourself you won’t eat sugar or bread for three weeks but it is exciting to say you will fit into your jeans from college or have amazing energy every day.
M = Goals that add MEANING to your life keep you focused and hopeful about what can be. When you take an action because the goal aligns with your values, you are on the right track. If you want to start a company, do it because it’s a life goal and you value flexibility rather than something you want to prove to your family or co-workers.
Top 1% Bottom Line
Success is about reaching your personal best without comparing yourself to others. It’s about being inspired and inspiring others on a daily basis to raise your game. You will need to use your strengths and talents to move past roadblocks and put your ideas into action. I call this “living in your top 1%” and the quest starts by asking, “What does my top 1% look like?” You can begin by training yourself to practice the rituals that bring you success.
About Alissa
Alissa Finerman is an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook
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