By Julie Teare
Julie Teare is an author, and digital marketer who enjoys baking.
It seems we’re all on the search for the holy grail of success these days. And, as any internet search will show, there’s millions of ways to do it. But which way will work? Should we be practising the art of living in the now with Mr Eckhart Tolle? Should we be asking the universe to answer our prayers via The Secret?
Or maybe, just maybe, we should spend some money on a book/podcast/newsletter from someone who’s already ‘made it’ in order to learn a tip or two from them. Our options are overwhelming and somewhat debatable to say the least.
If only there were some tangible things that we could do in order to reach our desired state. You know, those good old-fashioned practical things that well get us from a to b. The ones which will serve us well in life by ensuring that we overcome every hurdle, help us to successfully navigate the minefield of our careers/business, and ultimately enable us to reach our own personal holy grail – before we retire.
Well, if you’ve come to the conclusion that meditating in a corner isn’t about to pay your bills, then you’ll be glad to know that there are five practical possibilities out there that you can try in order to be successful in everything that you do. And, best of all, they’re totally free.
6.) Having self-worth
Not to be confused with self-confidence. Self-confidence is something that exists because of self-worth. If you can get a grip on your self-worth, and totally believe in yourself, then you can expect some really worthwhile returns. Having the vision to be able to set some really big goals, and having the conviction to achieve them, are two crucial factors in achieving any type of success.
5.) Handling criticism
It’s never easy hearing the cold-hard truth. But, by learning to take on board what others are saying, you can work on improving your skills and learn from your mistakes. Remember though, you don’t know everything. You can save that school of thought for after your retirement.
4.) Be productive
Which is easier said than done. If your productivity skills are failing you then why not work out a schedule of things you need to achieve by a certain date. Breaking down tasks and prioritising them will do wonders for your overall productivity.
Plus, that feeling when you’re able to tick tasks off your to-do list is undeniably good. Tick, nice, tick oh yeah, tick, hell yeah, tick, “scream!”. And ahhh! Or is that just me?
3.) Social skills
There’s no getting around it. To get anywhere in life you’re going to need to sort your social skills out. It’s how you get friends in high places, a support system around you that helps you to achieve the things that you want, and build a business which focuses on the needs of your customers, whilst producing top-performing staff.
Sadly though, there’s no one answer to becoming a socially skilled ninja; however, a good read of a book such as How to Win Friends and Influence people by Dale Carnegie is enough to help anyone see the light.
2.) Be a good judge of character
Being able to spot a faker, a liar or a manipulator is skill all in itself. It’s the difference between being taken for a ride, or doing business with someone who adds value to your life. Having perspective is one way of distinguishing the good from the bad.
You should always ask yourself if there’s anything that they do/say which is out of the norm from someone else in their position in life, in order to help you weed out the troublemakers. Social skills are one thing, but having the ability to surround yourself with good people is almost, if not equally, as important.
1.) Determination
Imagine if this came canned and we could buy it from the local shop? If your determination to conquer the world lacks lustre at certain times in your life then you’re going to need to sit down and have a meeting with yourself. Take a bit of time out, try to identify what’s causing you to feel that way, fix it, and then dig deep in order to remember why you started all this in the first place. A good rest, a bit of problem solving, and a touch of soul-searching is enough to save anyone from that long walk to the shop.
It’s comparatively easier to think that there’s one fix-all solution to being successful rather than consider that a multitude of factors may have contributed to any one person’s success. And for that reason alone, our search for the holy grail continues.
But what we forget in the process of our search – especially when searching for the easiest way up – is that the building blocks to our own personal stardom may well be wavering underneath our own desires. We could very well be taking our eye off the ball without realising it.
Because if you really, really think about it, having the capability to navigate amongst the realities of our life, and do so in the direction that we wish to take, has surly got to be the one and only secret to nailing this whole success thing, once and for all.
About the author
A moderately successful writer from the UK. If she’s not writing, then you will find Julie on her ultimate baking quest to find the tastiest sugar-free, fat-free, no calorie cake that this world has to offer. Currently, it’s a work in progress.
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