Janet Collins
Billy MA mindset within reach: You ARE Success
January 26th 2007 13:07
What is your definition of success?
Answer that, and picture it before you proceed any further. Can you see it? Can you feel it? It's good - I know. The power of fantasy. But can you taste it? Is it that close?
I'll throw you a lifeline there. If you're like most people - you probably can't explain, define or even describe true success. By nature, it's an ambiguous term - and that can be frightening. Why? Because if you don't know what you want, you can never achieve it.
In that respect, yes, success is a science. Not good at numbers? Forget it then. Seriously - because if you can't make a team then you have no hope of playing the game. Think instead, where oh where do your talents lie? You're on your own, now, but I'll leave you with a stack of flash cards.
"You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do": Henry Ford
"Everything that can be invented has been invented.": No-one in their right mind would own up to this one. Attributed to the U.S. Patent Office, allegedly spoken in the late 1800s.
"The gambling known as business looks with austere disfavor upon the business known as gambling.": Ambrose Bierce.
Two people: A well known satirist/writer and a car manufacturer. The two halves of the Ying/Yang success cookie. Take note, they offer their wisdom to steer you from pitfalls. The repetition of familar erors makes for a life, a vicious monotony not worth living.
Motivation, Creativity and Calculated Risk. Remember - choose something you love (motivation), think laterally, how does this benefit anybody and REMEMBER, REMEMBER: With knowledge, a risk becomes an investment, not a gamble.
Whatever you choose to do, after having read this, keep in mind how you defined success.
Answer that, and picture it before you proceed any further. Can you see it? Can you feel it? It's good - I know. The power of fantasy. But can you taste it? Is it that close?
I'll throw you a lifeline there. If you're like most people - you probably can't explain, define or even describe true success. By nature, it's an ambiguous term - and that can be frightening. Why? Because if you don't know what you want, you can never achieve it.
Ford : Business Mathematics
"You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do": Henry Ford
"Everything that can be invented has been invented.": No-one in their right mind would own up to this one. Attributed to the U.S. Patent Office, allegedly spoken in the late 1800s.
The Depths of Creativity
Two people: A well known satirist/writer and a car manufacturer. The two halves of the Ying/Yang success cookie. Take note, they offer their wisdom to steer you from pitfalls. The repetition of familar erors makes for a life, a vicious monotony not worth living.
Motivation, Creativity and Calculated Risk. Remember - choose something you love (motivation), think laterally, how does this benefit anybody and REMEMBER, REMEMBER: With knowledge, a risk becomes an investment, not a gamble.
Whatever you choose to do, after having read this, keep in mind how you defined success.
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Comment by Lily
Ars Poetica
You're on your own, now
it's a lot, a caste, a lotto?
LOT .. requires a lot?
more than one has, or is given
or can see ?
or is it .. lived and acquired?
mayhaps post-dated to kick in..
eh, the list goes on, and i ramble------>> **
my three tuppence worth anyway AB
but with a smile . ah, a worthy success
enjoyed.. **
all power to ya ....
~Lily
late
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Oh, btw, you get successful by not giving a shit what other people think.
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
words so true! success is definitely a personal thing and should not be measured against others conceptions of the word.
great post Anthony.
Ash
Comment by Damo
For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics
I am still not sure who is more successful the monkey in the tree or the monkey in the city.
Comment by David
This would be my favourite post of yours. Love it.
What is success to me? How do I define it?
It's a question I've never given much thought to, quite honestly. It seems to be a term that modern people use to determine degrees of 'financial independence' and 'the accumulation of comsumer items' to me.
I tend to think more in terms of 'happiness' than 'success' per se.
So how do I define happiness? And yet still mention money? I'd proably have to write this:
Happiness is to not desire to be anywhere else or doing anything else, but to be fully content doing what I am doing where I am doing it each moment of my existence.
And to have enough money to never think about the bloody stuff ever again, rather than devote my life to being 'consumed' (or consumer-ed?) with my bank balance, finance reports, magazines, stock markets, Dow Jones indexes etc ...
Happiness (or success) to me is pouring every ounce of passion into every moment of my existence ... moment to moment to moment and living intensely ... and writing to the best of my ability, perfecting the craft (occupation/profession) I chose ... (and hopefully one day getting paid shitloads for it ... So I can cut loose ... buy a brothel, be the sole proprietor ... hand-pick and test-drive the merchandise ... and be the sole client ... ***
David ...
Comment by AnthonyB
Thanks for the input, LillY !!
Ahmed, Yes you're absolutely right. A lot of people in this world try and take you down. In the end, if you listen to them - you're screwed. I had no idea you were religious. I do like you, Ahmed - really I do. You have constructive input. What I don't like is your attitude and I tend to take self-validating people on aggressively.
But I'm sorry. I don't think you're a bad person and I've said some harsh things about you. Just wish you didn't come off so rude. Thanks though. You have defined success yourself, but you have it in the form of a well-defined goal. Great work !
Thanks for posting guys !!
- Anthony
Comment by Ahmed
techy.Bytes
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Qwerk
Cinema Three
Comment by AnthonyB
Thanks for your kind words ! I believe they are both wealthy - in their own special ways, Damo. The Monkey in the tree has simplicity and happiness or happyness. Either one, if you've seen the film. The monkey in the city, however, has a Honda CRX and a bevvy of hot models. Whichever the monkey prefers...
Yep, Ash, you're spot on. Success is very personal, but a lot of people treat it as a general thing - that financial liberty is success. I guess that's why people are a bit sensitive about how much they earn. The implication of an unfulfilling life is offensive.
Thanks for the comments, guys!!
- Anthony
Comment by JoshZ
A Simple Christian
good post Anthony.
I find success wherever I can. If I fail but I learn something I can use to succeed later, then hey, at least I learned something.
if I achieve everything I wanted, then hey, definetely success. Not always healthy to win though, sometimes you learn more from getting your ass kicked.
JZ
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I like that quote.
Success to me is....a thought provoking subject whose definition changes everyday...and will continue to do so.
There is no definitive list that that I check off. My goals constantly change.
Great post.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Another great post from you. And you're making me think (which is always dangerous you know).
You make a really good point in that you have to know what success is for you before you can achieve it.
I once read a Tony Robbins book (which is extremely rare cos I dont ever read self-help kind of stuff) and one of the things he asks you to is write down some short and long term goals (blah, blah). But in doing that I realised that one of my goals is not to work full time. Rather I eventually want to work part-time in the corporate world and use the other time to focus on writing.
Until I did that exercise I hadn't actually realised that I wanted to do this. So I definitely think that defining what it is you want to achieve is really important.
BTW, I'm thinking of good coffee places for you!
Kylie
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Sorry AnthonyB,
I just lost an entire lengthy response to this post...
God it frustrates the hell out of me!
I'm opening a word document now and will try and rewrite my thoughts...
Damn fangled computer - blasted - technology
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
First thing that came to mind were words from a song by Janis Ian.
on other people’s dreams,
and that’s succeeding?
I got wise young. How many people do you know who still live like that?
Not me. I live within my means, perfecting my own dreams and finding other mad people who will pay me to do it!
To me success is about feeling good about myself because I dare to be myself fully. It’s about grabbing each God given ability I have been blessed with and perfecting it, polishing my skills of writing, my drawing, music and public speaking.
It’s about believing in myself and then using those skills to help others do the same thing with theirs. It’s about raising my children to reach their full potential, so they know how to dare too, in a way I wasn’t allowed to, when I was younger.
It’s also about “wanting what you have” …(anon) and finding that if you don’t, you shouldn’t ‘get more’ to fix it.
Which brought more Janis Ian words to mind;
And a sorrow in repeating all the old familiar wrongs…
(God I loved that album, wonder where I put it?)
Success to me, is about taking risks and being bold.
Fortune favours the bold.
It’s about daring and being cheeky,
Paying attention, pushing the envelope a little further,
Stepping outside the comfort zone every now and then,
It’s about having a go…
and getting up again if you fail,
But most of all, it’s about…
…picking up the phone and making that call…
Wow: it was a long thought,
Cheers,
Lilla.
Comment by AnthonyB
Absolutely. I've combined you two, not to save time,( well yeah, to save time ) and because you're points are related. Mrs M. Perhaps goals constantly change because every time we make a mistake (or get our arses kicked, Josh ) we learn something valuable that shapes what's really important to us.
You're both spot on. There's so much that we want and a whole lot that we need and It can be difficult to satisfy both. I suppose there are your definates, and then there's your wants like money and fame. Hope you guys get both !
Thanks for the comments !!
Anthony
Comment by AnthonyB
Kylie, you have touched me with your dangerous thought. I see your ideas are as explosive as you say they are. Thank you for your wonderful comments. Though it's disturbing - you're goals are very similar to my own. What is it about the corporate world that makes your heart flutter? For me, it's the pace and the character-defining nature of money money money...
YAY MONEY !! thanks for posting, Kylie !!
Lilla,
I'm sorry to hear about your computer. If only there were a way to create reliable computers from natural resources. That's a great idea for your blog, by the way, should that invention ever come up.
You're such a stable, emotionally solid character. It's an exciting thing. All that wisdom to impart. It means something from someone so sure of themselves. Yet you're not an extremist, like I am. Thank you so much for retyping that comment. It was a joy to read.
I have no doubts your children will become as balanced and strong as you are. Great work and good luck with them - they can be a handful.
Cheers, Anthony !!