How To Be A Success

No matter who you are or where you are from, we all want to be successful. Though each of us defines success differently, we all want to know how to be a success and desire to make progress in our lives. This desire for success could mean achieving greater satisfaction in a relationship, a promotion on the job, losing weight, or becoming financially free. While there is no single secret to success, successful people keep asking themselves three questions that you also must ask if you are to be successful in your life, career, or business.  

Where am I? 

The first question, "Where am I?" is an awareness question. It is built on the premise that awareness is the prerequisite of change. Since it is impossible to change what you are not aware of, it's vitally important to assess your current position. 

Frankly! You may not like where you are, but you need to be honest with yourself and accept the reality of your current status. Though you may not be so impressed with where you are, be encouraged by the words of Richard Evans, who said, "Everyone who got to where they are had to begin where they were."

Where am I going? 

The second question, "Where am I going?" is a vision-casting question. First, you need to have a vision of where you want to be. Of course, it is a place or position that is much better than where you currently are. It is that dream that you have that will bring you fulfillment when realized. Without it, there is no target to aim at, leaving a life lived in futility.

As Kenneth Hildebrand in his book Achieving Real Happiness asserts, "The poorest of all men is not the one without a nickel to his name. He is the fellow without a dream." The evidence is clear; therefore, you cannot achieve your best or become a success in life unless you have a vision of where you want to be.

How will I get there?

"How will I get there?" is a question that pertains to the strategies required to get from your current position to the future one. It involves setting a series of small goals with corresponding action steps that you must take consistently every day to achieve your desired success.

Incidentally! Execution is where a lot of people fail. So it is not enough to answer this third question; there has to be follow-through. Successful people don't just have a plan; they work the plan. As Mark Twain puts it, "The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one." In other words, you will not get from where you are to where you want to be without following through on the plan.

As you come up with your answers to these three questions, remember, success doesn't happen overnight. It happens by taking consistent action, maintaining an optimistic mindset, and learning from your mistakes as you pursue your dream.