Redefining Success

What comes to mind when you think of success, what is the very first thing that hits your head? Think about it, what have you been conditioned to think about whenever you hear talk of success? I ask not to patronize or be funny but the premise of my question stems from the fact that if anything is undefined then it's subject to all sorts of interpretation and explanations. You have to define or at least know and understand something in order for it to make sense or produce the results that you want from it.

Growing up I was fed the line that you are successful only when you have a lot of money, live in a huge mansion, drive expensive cars, dress in expensive clothes and run your own business or at least run a large company at the top of management. I chased that illusion for years and thank God I finally got tired and asked myself if that was the only way one can be deemed successful because it seemed like an awfully unattainable goal. How come success was skipping me, I was not a trust fund baby, my parents did not run a company, we did not own a huge mansion so how on earth would I ever become what I desired if noise around me was an example of what I sort after.

So, through education, mostly self taught and observing life trends, I have come to the conclusion that money is not evidence of success but a byproduct of success. That would mean that whatever money can do for you also becomes a byproduct of success and not the success it self so to be very accurate and direct, success is not money but it is way more than that. Did I just annoy you, lol, well tough because it's true. Getting money is the ultimate result of how to be successful but success is achieving certain self imposed targets and goals that eventually produce money.

Let me repeat, success is achieving certain self or otherwise imposed targets and goals that eventually produce money. Your boss creates targets and imposes goals that you have to reach and you get paid, like turn up at a certain time and finish at a certain hour, failure to hit them means your pay it docked. Business people set targets, they have growth plans and budgets and hitting those means success and eventually the success mean money so success is the ability to set or complete set targets and goals to attain some financial gain.

The levels of success will differ, some targets will help you attain a dollar, some $50 and some billions of dollars but at the core they are all plans and targets. We have to simplify success if we are to have any, as long as success is unicorn then there is no effort made to chase it. Many people live in abject poverty and have given up on trying to be successful because success has been painted as an impossibility as something that only rich people attain so why bother trying. So let's set the basis for you to be successful, let's draw out three effective ways in which you can be guaranteed success. Basically, I am laying out three ways to make sure you attain your goals.

1. Plan your day before you start.
   Setting daily targets allows you to focus on those at a minimum and allows you to go into the day with something to achieve. Have you ever had a day where you are tired and actually note that there is nothing you can point to have done but still tired. This happens when you just roll through a day and the day dictates what you do. In planning a day, they are four categories you need to be able to box or house things to do

a) Urgent & Important - Crisis
This has to be done as soon as possible, they cannot wait and need your immediate attention. In my field of work responding to clients calls and emails from last night would fit this bill. I promise a 24hr call back so when morning comes any calls or emails that came in overnight take priority.

b) Urgent & not Important - Interruptions
Not all urgent things demand your attention right away or in the same hour.

c) Not Urgent but important - slow for actioning
They are some things are not urgent but very important and have to be addressed. You cannot study for the final exam at the start of the semester before you study for the exam. It is important to study but it's not urgent, you have to plan for it as it comes.

d) Not Urgent & Not Important
End of month goals do not necessarily have to be addressed at the first if the month. Know what to prioritize and when to prioritize, not to leave things until last minute but you have to get the balance right.

1. Save
   If you work like I do, I have found a way to save, the minute I get a pay check I pay myself tenth of my income before I pay bills or go shopping. Your financial goals enable you to see the financial success you seek, even when it's a slow intake but you will be saving.

2. Set your Overall goal
   Have an overal life goal and write it down. Make sure everyday you look at it and make sure that everything you are doing you are building around your overall goal. You should always make sure you are building that overall goal in all your endeavours and have all your focus pointing towards it. Your daily goals should be steps towards your overall goal and that way the circle is being completed everyday and your plans have a defined timeline.