How do we start our journey to success? For some, our formative years helped mold and shape us into the triumphs we succumb to. Parents, teachers and coaches taught you, maybe pushed or dragged you along until you were set free to soar like eagles. School, sports, clubs, college, and internships filled your calendar and you began to operate efficiently as a well oiled machine, if you were a car you might be a Toyota or a Honda, smoothly operating with reliability day in and day out.
For others, maybe the path wasn't quite so clear. Maybe those yellow bricks haven't been laid, guiding you to the wondrous land of Oz you desperately seek. For you, a difference in perspective is necessary. You may take the long way around a few times. With lack of guidance and inherent truths about roadblocks and pitfalls, it may be fair to say that your path might be more so intertwined and twisted,Unmarked roads, no street signs, and U-turns are in your future.
Wherever we begin, from the first narrative or the second, or maybe a collection of both, we begin our journey down this path with one foot outstretched to land in front of us. For either of the two, this takes a great deal of courage.
How then do we begin right? Start correctly? Either way both these questions do not necessarily roll of the tongue the way I would like them to. Okay, but the question remains. We so desperately want to take the first step. Even people who do not care quite as much as others still in fact do care. We all desire success right?
Define success. Before I go and look at the dictionary(google) or urban dictionary(google) I will make it simple.
If your interested about success isn't that the first step?
Google or no google your interest in success may have just jump started the car to your journey. Toyota, Honda, or some old piece that you could trade Grass Cutting for the summer and a Carton of smokes for, at some point or another may need a jump. Its a fact, you let a car sit without running, it will need some assistance to get to on.
Before writing this I had no intention on this car analogy but we will role with it and I will try not to wear it out.
What measures your success? Can you answer this question honestly? One of the things that truly pulled me to BP is that #BrandonTurner and company are always talking about knowing your Why. Most or all people that they interview on the show truly have a genuine reason behind there success. Honestly, I don't care about being rich. It would be nice! I do not need it. That is a why that could destroy you. But, to each his own. Does money equal success?
An engine needs fuel. Gas that car up to get driving toward success(I wont let electric cars ruin this metaphor)! Okay so your interested in success, you have an idea of why you want it, now what? So overlooked and I am so guilty of this for so long by pride, what are others around you doing to be successful? This is the tough one, because we see what other successful people are doing and it looks like a lot of work and commitment. I have a secret for you, IT IS!
Next step is going to be tough. Go back to your why and evaluate if it is important enough to move forward. Is It? It should be. Life is way to short to not have importance.
This is my favorite part. Once you know that your committed to your success, your ready and you can begin your journey as a sponge. Yay a sponge!? Yes actually this is awesome, soak in every bit of information you can, read books, and listen to podcast, ask questions even dumb ones, yes there are dumb questions I have asked them. Get involved, network don't sell yourself or become in auto-sale mode,genuinely talk to people and see what there up to. Find a mentor and be like a Pilot fish. Its interesting how they follow close to sharks and other large animals, this bond is symbiotic(they both benefit). You the pilot fish get an easy snack or information and lesson and the shark your mentor gets to stay healthy and clean. Don't wash your mentor but build a mutual relationship.
Now back to you as a sponge feels full, give it a squeeze and take action and watch all that you have absorbed wash over every bit of your life, and do it over and over again.
