The Definition of Success
 By Maryse A. Nelson

 

 
 
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In my last article The First Step Toward Success, I discussed the importance of seizing opportunities as they come. I stated that we should all desire to become financially secure and obtain from life all God intended for us to have. In this article, I propose a definition for success and discuss the importance of having that understanding prior to embarking on your financial journeys.

     Before you undertake the task of financial planning, it is imperative to first identify the reasons behind your intention; the circumstances that are propelling you into motion. Action that is taken haphazardly without strong supporting forces cannot live long. As soon as the associated emotional factors are removed or subside, nothing remains to keep the wheels turning. For example, the woman who attempts to lose weight or alter her physical appearance solely to satisfy a significant other, finds that her motivation is easily lost once that particular other is no longer that significant. The same principle holds true for your finances. If your attempt to plan and control your finances is weakly based on temporary emotional factors or conditions, you will begin but will not be able to sustain.

     There is nothing temporary or fleeting when it comes to success. Success does not lend itself to the ‘quick fix’ methodology of doing things. High achievers attest to the fact that success is a long unpredictable road. However, it is one that is worth every slip, every slide, and every fall along the way.

     First I must clarify that success is not a condition. It is not a stabilized, permanent state of achievement. Success is the accomplishment of goals and objectives necessary to achieve a particular task, realize a particular dream or satisfy a particular need or want, for a particular period of time. This definition of success implies a state of constant motion. You are always moving toward ‘that thing’ you want so badly and success is not in the attainment of the ‘thing’ itself, but it is in the actual process you go through in order to get it. It is in the sweat that you put out, the long hours you put in and it is in the decision you make that you will stay in the fight. It is in the lessons you learn as you strive to constantly reach higher levels. This is the reason you can make bold statements about your success even in the absence of physical evidence. You become able to visualize yourself as strong and successful regardless of the environment you temporarily find yourself in.

     Understanding the true definition of success also sheds some light on the widely held misconception that successful individuals are greedy; that they always want more even in the midst of abundance. Critics do not understand why successful individuals move from one project to another, strive to become more educated, or take the risks that they do.

     To be successful is to remain in motion in order to use all the potential you came on this earth with. True success will result in material possessions but they do not define the term. Those possessions are wonderful by-products of well-executed plans and processes. They are not the driving forces behind the actions of a successful individual. For this reason, a man with a hefty bank account will still wake up early in the morning to go to work; to stretch his mind beyond known territories; to continue on his successful path.

     So what it is that allows us to stay on the road to success? What exactly is it that makes it worthwhile?

     To begin the journey you must first start with a desire to succeed; a flaming, burning desire to gather all ammunition, exhaust all resources, and test the limits of all possibilities. When you have the desire to succeed, you do not give way, you do not give up, and you do not give in. Your desire makes you stand your ground and detractors sooner or later realize they cannot stop you because you always turn your stumbling blocks into stepping-stones. Your desire helps you build up the potential to create success. To desire strongly is to want with a powerful and insatiable hunger that accepts no defeat, no compromise, and no substitution other than complete satisfaction.

     The second most important ingredient of success is faith; a belief in the unseen. The Bible describes faith as the “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) ” Before you make the first step toward success, you must first believe. You must believe in yourself, you must believe in your Creator, and you must believe in your dream-that it can actually be achieved. Once you do believe, your mind goes into high gear to bring into existence what you have conceptualized. It creates pathways and connections of possibility until the ultimate answer is found.

     Your beliefs create a stepping- stone that leads directly to faith. Faith, in turn, is a prerequisite to power. Once you have faith your possibilities become endless. You begin to operate without limitations because your thoughts know no limits. When you have faith, no matter how heavy the load, no matter how difficult the situation, your mind is well equipped to handle it. The real power of faith and your thoughts rests in your ability to bring into physical concrete form, what you have been only able to conceptualize.

     Finally, success requires persistence. It means not bowing down to the obstacles of life; it means getting up and staying in the fight punch after punch, blow after blow. It is important to realize that success itself is a challenge. If it were not, it would not follow the Darwinian principle of being reserved for the fittest. If you do not persevere, you run the risk of being left behind; of being a nameless face in the crowd of so many who had tried but given up. Perseverance builds character and strength; it promotes creativity; it forces one to think hard. Persistence is faith, desire, and determination wrapped in one. Because of persistence failures are no longer devastating but become reasons for you to rearm yourself, perhaps to change direction, but definitely to keep moving forward.

     Do not underestimate the value of desire, faith, and persistence as supporting factors of your actions. A burning desire gives you the faith to persist and persistence always leads to success. When you are successful, you become a powerhouse of possibility, you create your own opportunities, and life becomes a wonderful experience of challenges encountered and conquered.         
 

Maryse A. Nelson, LPT, MBA
Business Consultant, Professional Speaker, Trainer
Tri-Care Rehabilitation, Inc
Kissimmee, Florida
(407)-847-0900  
mmms4ever@aol.com


 

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