What Is Success?
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
What is success? Success is what everyone strives to accomplish. But everyone has a different definition of success. If everyone has a different idea of success, then how would you know if you ever achieved it?
Just as there are definitive laws that govern the universe, science, music, physics, etc., there are definite principles or law of success. These principles shape, if not define, success. No matter how you may define success, success is achieved by learning and applying the laws of success. The seven laws of success are best defined by the acronym PASSION.
What Is Success: Pro-active Living
Pro-active living is taking positive actions every day to improve your life and the lives of others. A lot of people complain about their life. They assume that they are nothing but victims of circumstances. So they rarely do anything to change their life.
Following the law of pro-active living means you stop complaining and blaming others for your circumstance. Do you want your life to be different? Then decide what that difference is, and do whatever it takes to change your life. For example, if you want better finances, educate yourself about finances or learn a new trade to improve your finances. Remember, “if it’s to be, it’s up to me.”
What Is Success: Winning Attitude
The difference between success and failure is not ability, intelligence, or luck. It is attitude. Skills and ability only contribute 15% towards success. The other 85% is made up of attitude. Your attitude defines your life, be it positive or negative, friendly or rude, hard-working or lazy.
A winning attitude is constructive. A negative attitude is destructive. Success is relationships or business depends on your attitude. No one likes to be around a negative, whining person. On the other hand, people naturally gravitate toward positive, happy people.
What Is Success: Success Beliefs
Napoleon Hill said, “What you believe is what you achieve.” If you believe you are a failure, fat, or stupid, then you will be a failure, fat, or stupid. However, if you believe you are successful and happy, you will become success and happy. Metaphysics, or the law of attraction, teaches that we attract to ourselves what we believe. Success beliefs are positive.
What Is Success: Service
The quality of service you provide will determine your success. If your service or work is substandard, few people will want your service. The best way to improve your success in life is to improve the quality of service you provide. This is true in relationships as well as business. If you want a better wife, be a better husband.
What Is Success: I Need Goals
Without direction, you go nowhere. Some people jump from one thing to the next hoping it will bring success. Yet they have no idea what they want. However, the person who knows what he wants usually gets it, or at least comes close to it. Goals motivate us when we are ready to give up. They also help us define what we want, so when we get there, we know we have arrived.
What Is Success: Outrageous Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm breeds more enthusiasm. It creates expectancy, energy, creativity, and momentum. Those who succeed are consistently enthusiastic about their life and work. Those who fail, live moment by moment, with negativity and ho-hum attitudes. If you want success, get enthusiastic about your life and work. Success will then follow.
What Is Success: Never Quit
No one gets anywhere without facing challenges and obstacles. There will always be challenges; it’s a sign of life. As long as you live, you will have challenges to be overcome. Your ability to handle them will make the difference in whether you succeed or not. Even failures have challenges. They complain about them, give in to them, and let outside forces rule their life. Successful people face challenges as opportunities to demonstrate their independence and strength. Successful people never quit.
Learning these laws and applying them will help you succeed at whatever you want in life. If you live by these laws, you will succeed.