Success is a direct result of applying the right principles to your professional life and your personal life. The question is what are the right principles to apply in order to achieve success? Over the years of studying, four primary principles of success continue to surface from the ancient writers. I call these four principles the triangle of success.
The "triangle" of success because one principle is placed at each corner of the triangle and the crucial principle is positioned in the heart of the triangle. The heart of the triangle is what promises success to the other three principles.
The other three principles at the corner of the triangles embody the essence of men and women. You will see what I am talking about as I unfold these three.
Mind
The first corner of the triangle is your thinking process; or in other ! words exercising your mind. Learning is a necessary step towards growing. Growth is imperative to achieve success. Aristotle puts it succinctly, he writes, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
The first corner of the triangle is your thinking process; or in other ! words exercising your mind. Learning is a necessary step towards growing. Growth is imperative to achieve success. Aristotle puts it succinctly, he writes, "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
Success follows the ability to analyze a subject, make sound judgments while moving toward your objectives. "You are to be a student, not a follower", says Jim Rohn. That is exactly what professionals are, they are students. Success is the goal; therefore, continuous training, instruction, and being mentored is the process.
Those who are successful pay the price. They apply the disciplines of learning. They have placed value on education and training. I, personally, think that if you are a student, always applying the disciplines of learning, that your philosophies of life will be improving, better ideas come to your thinking, which all leads to success.
Education is something that no one can ever take away from you. It helps to develop and define who you are.
"The best of all things is to learn. Money can be lost or stolen, health and strength may fail, but what you have committed to your mind is yours forever."
--Louis L'Amour (1908-1988)
--Louis L'Amour (1908-1988)
Emotions
Your emotion is the second corner of the triangle. Passionately pursuing after your objectives leads to success. This is not to say that your objectives come before people in your life, but the principle is to be well taken-success is dependent on your inner drive to achieve it.
Your emotion is the second corner of the triangle. Passionately pursuing after your objectives leads to success. This is not to say that your objectives come before people in your life, but the principle is to be well taken-success is dependent on your inner drive to achieve it.
The truth is, you will do what you want to do. If you want something bad enough you will dwell on it all of the time doing whatever is necessary to reach your goal. That is passion. Kahlil Gibran said, "All that spirits desire, spirits attain."
Perhaps G. W. F. Hegel says is best, "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." You see what I mean when I said above that these principles surface every where I studied? These are the principles that made men and women great.
The reasons that they do surface is that these principles are at the core of who and what we are made of inside. You were designed with a purpose and the driving force within you motivates you to accomplish your purpose in life.
"Dwell not upon thy weariness, thy strength shall be according to the measure of thy desire."
Arab Proverb
Arab Proverb
Will
The third corner of the triangle is your will. Eventually, you have to step out and do what you desire. If you never decide to reach for your dream, you will remain in the stands with the majority of people in life.
The third corner of the triangle is your will. Eventually, you have to step out and do what you desire. If you never decide to reach for your dream, you will remain in the stands with the majority of people in life.
Perhaps you have fear, hurt, or insecurity, holding you back; if you permit these or any others to control your actions success stands aloof. A mentor at this point may be more helpful, than, reading a book or two. At times we need someone to hold us accountable so that we will do the necessary follow through.
Depending on your temperament exercising your will towards your objectives may take a lot of courage, but courage is what guarantees that these others will work. If you don't have the courage to start you never will know, now will you?
I can not stress it strong enough that taking action is one of the most important principles to achieving your dreams. Jim Rohn, says, "Some are always picking the fruit, while others are always, examining the roots." Consistent action will produce results. It is the law of sowing and reaping. You reap what you sow, in other words, you get what you deserve, not what you need. Plant enough seeds and you will find growth. It is the law of ratio. Ask enough people and someone will join or buy.
"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will."
- Vincent T. Lombardi
- Vincent T. Lombardi
Perseverance
Now, what is in the heart or center of the triangle that will enable you to succeed? Every successful person has this. Do you know? I will give you a clue it begins with a P, now you fill in the blank, P__________. It is perseverance! Perseverance is the inner strength to get back into the battle after you have been wounded. As I observe those who succeed and those who don't, it appears to me that the difference is in perseverance.
Now, what is in the heart or center of the triangle that will enable you to succeed? Every successful person has this. Do you know? I will give you a clue it begins with a P, now you fill in the blank, P__________. It is perseverance! Perseverance is the inner strength to get back into the battle after you have been wounded. As I observe those who succeed and those who don't, it appears to me that the difference is in perseverance.
Those with perseverance don't stop until they reach their goal. They are relentless! Just when you thought they were down and out this time, sure as the world, they manage, some how, to get back up again.
I love to visit Chocolate World. It is located in Hershey, PA. They make, obviously, Hershey's chocolate. You get to take a tour to see how they make all of that chocolate and at the end of the ride you get a piece of free chocolate and/or the opportunity to buy all the chocolate you want. But, the significant part of the tour is reading "bits and pieces" of Milton Hershey's life (the founder). He, like so many others, failed three times in the business world, before he was successful. He had a dream and would not let go of it.
Was he ever discouraged? You know he was. Did he ever want to quit? Who doesn't? Did others talk bad about him? I think some still do. However, those are not the right questions to ask. Better questions are: "Did he quit?" And "What kept him from quitting?" Or, "How did he persevere?"
No, he did not give up. He persevered through the hard times and some unbearable problems. How did he do that? What kept him going? The same way thousand's of others did it. The big "P" was in the center of the triangle. Perseverance was the heart of their passion, attitude, and will.
Napolean Hill captures the three corners of the triangle when he writes, "Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you ready or not, to put this plan into action." As you add perseverance to this success formula it is one sure way to, at least, do your part to succeed. There are never any promises how life will turn out, but one thing for sure, neglect the right principles and you are removing the possibilities of success.
I will conclude with the words of Abraham Lincoln, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."
Author Bio
Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr. is a Pastor, author, speaker, and relationship coach. You may contact Dr John at drjohnneyman@gmail.com or visit his site at LeadersExcel.com
Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr. is a Pastor, author, speaker, and relationship coach. You may contact Dr John at drjohnneyman@gmail.com or visit his site at LeadersExcel.com
