Seven Things I Know About Success

To me, winning and loses presupposes there is a finish line to this great journey called life.  I don’t really think there is, so I tend not to cast things as winning and losing.  (Combine that with a lifetime of experience of losing-while-winning and winning-while-losing and I’ve pretty much abandoned that whole paradigm.)

There are however people who definitely succeed more often than others, and in the course of my life, I’ve become one of them.  I thought I would write about some of the things that have made me successful in this life, in the hopes that they might influence someone else.

First, don’t be afraid to fall down.  A successful person can run all out because they’re not afraid of falling down. It’s a simple thing, but having a decisive edge is a simple thing.  Outside of the athletic paradigm the same thing applies.  If you want to be more successful than not in relationships, don’t be afraid to take chances.  If you want to be more successful than not in the working world, push the edges of the envelope.

Second, successful people run all out. I’ve always loved the Kipling line – “If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distance run, then yours is the world and everything in it.”  Whatever environment you’re talking about, personal, professional, or that combination of both, if you want to be successful – run all out, don’t hold anything in reserve. 

Third, successful people run the race they are in.  Not yesterday’s race.  Not tomorrow’s race. Today’s race.  Successful people understand that you never rest on your laurels, nor to do you take the approach of “I’ll win tomorrow’s race”.

Fourth, successful people get good coaches.  A successful person understands the value of tapping other peoples experiences and abilities, of seeking their advice and then following it, at least until you’re certain it works or doesn’t work. 

Fifth, successful people readily accept and respond positively to criticism, whatever the source, whatever the criticism.  Their first response to criticism is “wow, that is interesting, what else can you tell me”? They understand that even poorly delivered criticism can have a valuable gem buried within it.

Sixth, successful people are always ready and willing to learn and approach everything as a learning experience. Every single race you run is an opportunity to learn – to learn about yourself, to learn about the other racers, to learn about the courses, to learn about the impact of weather, to learn about the impact of equipment.

Seventh, successful people understand that it is all about relationships, and so they invest the time and energy in the relationships that matter most to them.  They understand that relationships have the power to make bad times good and good times great.