This Is What Happens *After* You Find Success
I often find mindless doodles and concepts on the pages of my journal. But last week, in an attempt to make sense of scattered ideas and transform them into something more solid, I discovered a roadmap for success.
Most of us compartmentalize our goals into several categories and then passionately work towards each one with a different mindset and strategy. We follow this simplistic approach to goal setting, but are unable to maintain consistency for longer periods of time without burning out or quitting before reaching the proverbial finish line.
First off – giving 100% to each goal is both mathematically and physically impossible. Until recently, I asked myself, “How is it possible to pour equal amounts of energy into each goal without neglecting the other or overextending myself?” After all, I am just one person juggling multiple tasks and working towards each bucket list item within the same time frame – and in only one lifetime.
This existential shift of sorts transpired out of creative frustration. I wanted to get back into writing, but gave excuses to avoid doing it. Instead of searching for external factors I assumed were getting in the way of me writing again, I focused on the person I knew best: me.
Setting goals gives our lives direction, but achieving them requires our dedication. We form goals to achieve desired results and to access our true purpose. We discover our true north when our spirit, mind, and body are balanced and simultaneously engaged in doing what we love.
As we concentrate on what is important to us, we radiate positive energy (sounds new age-y, but it is true). When we nourish our spirit (e.g. meditate, practice compassion), nourish our mind (e.g. paint, read, write), and nourish our body (e.g. exercise, eat healthy) – we manifest our desires to vibrate towards a positive state of mind. We inadvertently give off good vibes: 1) we find ourselves in the right place and 2) we find ourselves standing there at the right time; more often than not, we are also in close proximity to opportunities.
Success is being in the right place at the right time, right? It is no wonder why the last chapter of Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People illustrates the overarching importance of preserving and enhancing our greatest asset: us. He refers to this as “sharpening the saw” – and breaks down the essence of who we are in four dimensions: spiritual, social/emotional, mental, and physical. When we “sharpen the saw” we are, in other words, nourishing our four dimensions to cultivate our passions.
Our habits reshape our subconscious response to everything that we do. We are highly motivated; our goals are more manageable and attainable because the environment we are in is filled with resources to help us succeed. When we nurture all facets of ourselves, we respond more positively to setbacks and challenges – and come up with more creative solutions to achieving our goals.
We also attract supporting energy of advocates and collaborators who want to make shit happen with us. Essentially, no goal is ever really attained – once success is achieved, we simply carve out a new path and reroute our roadmap. As humans designed to evolve, we will always want to aim higher and reach further. We are in a constant search for something better and bigger than ourselves. Not to sound cliché, but it truly is the journey of working towards each goal that defines the true meaning of success because we are in a perpetual state of doing what we love. Our roadmap for success sets us apart from others which means there is no step-by-step guide to follow.
In the process of doing what we love, we nourish all aspects of who we are to help us achieve our goals, and ultimately transform into better versions of ourselves.