Path to Success?

Start with lots of small victories

When people think of success, they tend to focus on the big picture. Where am I now and where do I want to be? Many people obsess over the path and the vehicle needed to achieve this success. The truth is, you don’t need either of those to get you there. The key is to train yourself to be ready for when the path and vehicle present themselves to you, and here is how:

1. Start Small — people think victories and they think BIG — like 1980 US Olympic Hockey and Rocky IV big. The fact is, victories come in all shapes and sizes. Think of the average morning — wake up, shower, brush your teeth, make breakfast, maybe do some push-ups. These are all tasks that you complete — these are all victories. Now before you are out the door in the morning, you have succeeded anywhere from 5-10 times. Not a bad way to kick off your day.
2. Train your brain — The human mind is more powerful than any of us realize. Like a muscle, we need to train it, and training only works with consistency. Turn your small victories into habits and make them a part of your life. This differs for everyone, but an example revolves around health and wellness. Start with a workout routine, getting to the gym x amount of times a week is a victory. Then drill down: I rode the bike, I lifted weights, I stretched → 3 victories. Create a habit that consists of small victories and before you know it, you are in the habit of winning.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle

3. Build your confidence— A weird thing happens when you make small victories a habit. Your confidence starts to rise, and rightfully so. You’ve grown accustomed to succeeding, so when faced with new challenges, your brain is trained to conquer. This is a good time to proactively seek new challenges. Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. While habitually succeeding is important, the real magic is achieving success in an area where you previously did not think you could succeed.

4. See and strike — This is the fun part. Too many people are unhappy with their current situation; whether it be their occupation, relationship or simply self image. When success becomes a habit, you have a new outlook on life. You view opportunities differently. You turn into Peyton Manning and life is your football field → reading situations, thinking 5 steps in advance and spotting opportunity. When the opportunity arises, you have built up the confidence to jump on it.

So what happens next ? Well, whatever the opportunity is that you jumped on, you will succeed — because you don’t know anything else.