Your Secret For Success

Know What You Want Out Of Life

Your Secret For Success

The secret for success is a popular topic with many articles online discussing the qualities of successful people and how we can benefit from developing these qualities.

There is a lot of focus on persistence and perseverance, self belief and risk taking and this is all good stuff, and I have written elsewhere about these broader themes of success factors.

But the purpose of this article is to look at the foundation of the secret for success, in any area of your life.

There is one very basic and powerful factor. It is easy to understand and is fundamental to your nature.

It is the way that people in all walks of life have achieved success from the beginning of time.

It is the building block upon which all success is built and the rocket fuel that powers it, and it is desire.

To accomplish any success in life, you must identify accurately what it is that you hunger for, thirst for and long for.

Imagine you were lost in a desert and you soon become hot and thirsty. You would do or give just about anything to get a drink of cool, clear water.

This overpowering thirst is what we refer to as a "Core Desire".

The Zen Master And The Water Trough

Put very simply, what do you want out of life? What is your core desire?

A powerful metaphor for finding your core desire is provided by the story of the Zen master who was repeatedly asked by a very devout and seeking student:

"Master, what does it take for me to reach enlightenment?"

The Zen master ignored the student. She asked again and was ignored. Eventually she said:

"Master, please tell me, what must I do to reach enlightenment?"

The Zen master grabbed the student by the scruff of the neck and held her head under water in a nearby water trough.

30 seconds later he pulled the student's head up and then immediately plunged her head back under water.

This process repeated a few times until eventually the Zen master relented - whereupon he said to the gasping half drowned student:

"When you seek Zen as you now seek air - THEN you will find it."

3 Key Steps

I have known a number of people who really are not living the lives they want to, and have clearly not found the secret for success in their lives. In many cases this is as a result of parental and family expectations.

Often this dissatisfaction manifests in midlife and it can cause or accompany a typical mid-life crisis.

Regardless of your age or stage in life, the process for establishing your personal secret for success is the same and it follows these 3 key steps:

This area is massively important and I have written an article about the importance of the company you keep.

Over time you become like the company you keep, so choose it wisely and well.

My experiences

When I was in my mid to late teens I was very aware of two powerful core desires and drivers in my life, and at that time they seemed irreconcilable.

On the one hand I wanted to be a businessman and make money and on the other hand I wanted to follow a spiritual path and perhaps become a monk (which will amuse any of my friends who know me well)!

Gradually as the years rolled by I began to see that these two drives were intertwined in ways that I had not anticipated.

The ups and especially the downs of my business life has been the catalyst for a lot of personal development and spiritual growth, and income generated through my business has enabled me to sponsor and support various spiritual initiatives and activities. This website is an example of this.

In more recent times this has enabled me to take a deeper interest in mentoring and providing ongoing support to a number of people.

Life purpose

I was sitting in a bar in Singapore a while ago with a bunch of expat friends enjoying some beers and a chat. The conversation took an interesting turn when one of them suddenly asked the group:

"If you knew you were going to die tonight and you were given a few minutes to reflect before that happened, what would you say was the meaning of your life?"

On hearing that question I suddenly had a moment of clarity and I realised that for me the answer was (and remains):

What difference did I make? What impact will I leave in the lives of others?

My core desires haven't changed since I first became aware of them many years ago. The desire to be a successful businessman and the desire to be a spiritual man are still as powerful as they ever were.

I have found that my desire to succeed in business has sustained me through many long and difficult years. No matter what happens, as long as I am still alive I will always be a businessman because its in my DNA it is who I am.

I have found on many occasions that my spiritual drive has sustained my business side.

But I have also found that my desire to follow the spiritual path has on occasions put me in positions and caused me to have to take decisions that at the time seemed as though I was putting my business at risk.

And now...

So at this later stage in my life, I have come to realise that the stronger of these two drives is my spiritual drive. But I am still and will always be a businessman.

If this sounds contradictory and convoluted, maybe it is, but it is my reality and I have no regrets.

If were to die tonight I believe there may be a few people for whom I have in some small way helped to make a difference.

I trust I have more years ahead of me to enjoy further business success and to make a difference in more lives.

For myself, I can think of no better way to live or die.

Further Reading:

The Luck Factor-4 Principles

8 Principles For Success

Going The Extra Mile - The Power Of One More

Finish What You Start - Action Will Destroy Your Procrastination

How Not To Be Stupid - 3 Key Tips

Next Article:

Your core desire will fuel your efforts to achieve your desired success, but without focus those efforts can be wasted. So, the second most important factor that will determine whether or not you achieve your objectives is Your Point Of Focus

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