REFLECTING ON THE PAST TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE

There are as many definitions of “success” as there are people seeking it. The dictionary defines success as “An event that accomplishes its intended purpose or a state of prosperity or fame”. Individuals often define it as “having arrived” or as “reaching the top,” whatever the top is and wherever having arrived might be. Let us consider for a moment that success is both the measure of how a person favorably impacts another and how much a person’s life improves due to his or her own planned, deliberate actions. Is there anything we can learn from intentionally reflecting upon what we have done that might positively impact what we have not yet achieved? Are there thoughts or attitudes that we engage in which pre-dispose us either to success or to failure? Does our past necessarily predict our future (or are we able to alter where we might go by how we think, act, and respond)? Whether we focus on our jobs, our relationships or our personal lives, success comes ONLY IF we purposefully establish a destination and then take intentional action that will lead us from where we are to where we wish to be. 

To some individuals, success is not a “possibility,” it is a probability…a foregone conclusion...something that is not considered an “if” but a “when.” The accomplishment of objectives for successful individuals is not seen through a “can it be done?” mindset but rather in a “what will be done AFTER this has been accomplished?” frame of reference. Success tends to elude individuals who dwell upon “what could go wrong.” It prefers to dwell within those who seek (and celebrate) “what is going to go right.” Successful individuals anticipate distractions and plan how to overcome them IF they arise. Those struggling to find success tend to wallow in their self-doubt and failures - working hard to anticipate and avoid all the troubles they feel WILL arise in their lives STOPPING them from becoming what they wish and hope to be (while taking little intentional action to MAKE that change happen). Trapped within a form of “analysis paralysis,” many people become so afraid to change – to risk impacting or upsetting what is (even if it is uncomfortable or undesirable) for fear of what might be (fearing the “worse” more than they seek the “better). Success IS NOT condemning oneself to the stagnant waters of the status quo just to avoid the potentially turbulent rapids of a river flowing quickly towards an awaiting tranquil pond of abundance.

How can one avoid the complacency of “status quo” within a world where simply “keeping pace” translates to being left behind? The ability to anticipate the unexpected - to exhibit flexibility and change direction when necessary – is a major success factor regardless of how you chose to define it. In order to succeed, to favorably impact yourself and others, three simple strategies should be considered:  

1)         Clearly define your personal and professional goals in order to establish what you would recognize and accept as being success. Write down both your successes (from what you have done in the past) AND your shortcomings (from actions taken OR not taken in the past). Once formalized, share your observations with a friend or associate. Leverage the support of those around you to ensure the plans you choose to make are followed-through rather than being allowed to languish.

2)          Assume that success is a foregone conclusion rather than a mere possibility. If you believe that something COULD happen, it MIGHT happen. If you believe that it WILL happen, nothing can deny it from becoming a reality. While success may take time to come to fruition, knowing that it will (even if it might not be as quick as you might wish) makes it much more likely to happen than hoping it might or wondering if it might actually materialize.

3)         Anticipate distractions (and detractors), planning how to overcome them IF THEY SHOULD ARISE rather than wasting time and energy assuming THAT THEY WILL ARISE (so why even begin, particularly if such agonizing significantly delays your acting in the first place). Roadblocks always detour progress but it important to remember they simply add time to a journey. Obstacles rarely block us from reaching our destination – they simply slow us down so we might gain the time to recognize an alternative solution, one that may be less direct but safer…one that, upon reflection, may be the best way to reach a goal. 

Regardless of what your goals are…what your definition of success might be…what your idea of accomplishment is…remember that the only wrong action is inaction – the only poor decision is one that is never made. Successful individuals often rest, retreat, or even circle back - but they always do so with the intent of moving steadfastly towards their final destination rather than being distracted along (or before ever beginning upon) the way. 

As you reflect on the successes (and failures) of your life, duplicate the positive actions that “made a difference” in order to help you move forward. Look ahead by assuming that success will be a foregone conclusion – facing each challenge with conviction, purpose, and a singular focus – as you seek to change your life, station, position, a relationship OR to positively impact your own life and the lives of those around you. SOMETIMES success can be a new result, other times progress on the implementation of a process, and occasionally the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Whatever success is to you, identify it, move towards its actualization, and celebrate its accomplishment as you move through life making the possible real and the seemingly inevitable but a bump in the road.