The Process for Success

Someone recently asked me what my secret to success is, and I had to stop and really think about the answer. For me, there is a process that can be applied to anything I want to create in my life - large or small. When I commit to this process, the chances of success are greatly increased.

1. Be clear about what you want, about your destination.

It's hard to get someplace if you don't know what that place is. Do I want to go to Venice, Italy or Venice, California? Do I want to go there by myself or with others? Am I going to travel by car, train, plane or on foot?

Some of us have difficulty even defining broadly what we want in our lives; we don't know we want to go to Venice at all, whether it be in California or Italy, we just know we want to get out of here - wherever here may be. Frequently this is because we get so caught up in trying to avoid what we don't want, that anything else looks good to us.

Additionally, many of us are uncomfortable getting specific about our goals because of a fear of failure. If I'm really clear and committed to my destination, what if I don't get there? What does that mean about me? What will others think about me? So we hide our dreams and goals, even from ourselves. Unfortunately, we cannot manifest what we want in our lives, if we aren't clear on what that is.

Brainstorming with others is a good way to break the log jam if you are stuck figuring out where you want to go in life. Journaling is another good tool. By recording a stream of consciousness about your dreams and desires for your life, a destination may begin to take shape.

2. Do the things that support achieving your goal, start on the road to your destination.

It's not enough to be clear about what we want, we also need to take steps that lead in the direction of our goal. I can't get to Venice (either California or Italy) from Seattle if I don't get in the car, get on a plane or start walking! Venice is not going to materialize in Seattle. I have to take some action.

The difficulty that we can run into in the action phase, is sometimes just knowing where to start. Sometimes the destination seems so far away (unattainable) that we are overwhelmed. Or maybe those doubts and self-limiting beliefs kick in and we're back to that fear of failure.

A good antidote to feeling stuck is to just start moving. As the Nike commercial says, "Just do it." Figure out a small, teeny, tiny step that you can take, then take it. You may be surprised how even a small success can fuel the fire, and start some momentum.

3. Be flexible; detours happen

Last, but not least, be flexible. Things happen that we don't expect and we don't want to let that throw us completely off course. If a roadblock appears, evaluate whether a detour is in order to continue towards your original destination, or whether it's possible that this particular roadblock is a signal that you may want to change your destination.

Commitment to your goals is important in this "success process" - and giving yourself permission to change your mind about what you want in your life is equally valuable. As we move closer to our destination and have more information, it may be perfectly reasonable to modify that destination.

I have found in my own life that applying the principles in this process have helped me move towards a more intentional and fulfilling life. I hope these ideas are useful for you, too.