How To Be Successful In Life

"Yes, We Can" became the mantra for the Obama presidential campaign during the 2008 presidential race. This motivational and inspiring slogan, chanted by Obama supporters all over America and the rest of the world, appeals to personal responsibility, calls to action, and reminds us that we can become successful in whatever we want to be.

As a young man who came from a humble beginning, with parents who had class even though they came from the lower class, I refused to believe that my circumstances should determine my destiny. And so, despite the odds, I achieved some significant goals in my life. Like many people I meet daily, you may be asking, "What is success?"

Of all the definitions of success I have encountered, one of the most profound is John Wooden's. He defines success as "peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming." With that in mind, here are the three game-changing approaches you must take to succeed in your life.

Change your State

Your state affects your outlook on life and how you view your internal and external world. To change your state, you first need to realize that whatever state of mind you are currently in can be changed. This is because you create what you think about.

One of the best ways to change your state is to shift focus from your negative state to a more positive state. You can do this by asking yourself better questions. Stop asking yourself habitual questions like, "Why am I always failing?" Instead, ask yourself, "What lessons can I learn from my mistakes?"

If you continue to ask habitual negative questions, your brain will feed you with negative, self-defeating answers. On the contrary, if you ask positive questions, your brain will provide you with the positive answers you need to set you on the path to success.

Set goals

Setting goals allows you to choose the direction you want to take. People with goals stand a higher chance of achieving something in life. Setting and meeting these goals will lead to a life of fulfillment, satisfaction, and accomplishment. As you create these goals, define what success means to you. Does it mean being able to pay the bills with a little left over, or does it mean making a million dollars in the next two years?

Be Persistent

The difference between people who accomplish their goals and those who don't is that they are persistent. As Calvin Coolidge puts it, "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

As you seek to accomplish your goal, keep it in mind, and don't take "no" for an answer. Just keep watering the "seed" you have planted, and one day, you will "reap what you sow." These three game-changing approaches to success are worth learning and testing if you want to live a life of fulfillment and self-satisfaction.