We've all heard it before: "To achieve success in life you must have written goals; you must have an overriding purpose in your life." Sounds easy enough. But it's really not. How do these thoughts begin? I venture to guess that they start as a dream - a daydream, a small seed of an idea about what you'd like to do with your life... "if only X or Y". For the Wright Brothers, the dream was to determine a means for man to fly; for Alexander Graham Bell, it was to solve the challenge of communicating over distances; for Thomas Edison it was to learn the secret of developing artificial light. In a greater context, they all shared a grand dream of making the world a better place to live. So... What do you dream for your life? What are your goals? Can you begin to fathom your purpose?
"The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to achieving your dreams." -- Og Mandino, 1923-1996, Author
Identifying your own goals and your own greater purpose in life is the key to determining your ultimate success. It is the key to fulfilling your potential, both in your work, and as a member of the global community. And each life goal you set is a step toward fulfilling your ultimate purpose.
"Drifting through life without aim or purpose is the first cause of failure." - Napoleon Hill
Webster’s defines success as: “a favorable or desired outcome; also: the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence”. Hmmm. Yes, but how? I believe true success can only be attained when one’s actions in life are fully aligned with one’s core value set. It is of paramount importance to know your own core values to develop a highly successful, honest career. We can no longer afford to separate our personal beliefs/morals from our professional lives. Enron taught us that!
Moreover, if we each have an over arching purpose in our lives, we are more apt to see life as a series of related steps to achieve our "greater life purpose". Wow. Now that's a big question. It's the equivalent of, "Why are we here?" Seeking to find one's purpose in life can take an entire lifetime. So while you're working on that one, you might want to start with this temporary, yet laudable statement of purpose: "I want to make the world a better place." Sounds pretty grand, huh? Start there and see what greatness can happen. When you sprinkle this statement with your ultimate dreams and inject real action, you may just find your way to your own success - however you define it! Enjoy the ride!
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