7 Keys to a Life of Success

As we near the closing of the year, my hope is that you are gearing up for your most successful year in 2019!  Success in life is no accident, it is a choice.  My definition of success will vary from your definition of success - the key here is to have a definition!  These 7 fundamentals can be expanded many times over but my intent is to keep it simple.

Emotional Intelligence - This term essentially defines our ability to put ourselves in the other person's shoes.  We can better demonstrate empathy when we see from the perspective of the people we interact with everyday.  I believe this to be the one of the most important qualities we can develop.  Daniel Goleman coined the phrase and his books offer critical insight to developing this characteristic of successful people.  Every day we interact with people - being able to connect with those people emotionally will help you lead a more satisfying life and you will have more friends to boot!

Written Goals - In order to achieve your dreams and attract success, you must have a plan.  Goals that are clearly written, time bound, regularly reviewed, and inspiring will have you up early and staying up late in their pursuit.  It has been said that only 3% of American's have written goals.  What a tragedy! Be a 3 percenter.

Health - You will not do well if you don't feel well.  It is that simple.  A successful life puts health and well-being on the list of daily priorities.  This does not mean we should all be triathletes.  It is to say that we should strive every day to make choices that will not have adverse effects on us long term.  What we do today from a health perspective will absolutely impact our health in the years to come.  Like the National Debt - it is like a boomerang, so don't be in denial.

Productivity - We must be producers and not takers.  Success is not achievable without producing value. This could be for work, family, or charity.  The bottom line is that productivity is a must to be successful.

Continuous Learning - The best investment you will ever make is the investment in developing yourself.  This could be through books, seminars, classes, blogs, etc.  The available resources for educating yourself on any subject seem to be endless.  Learn from others about what to do, and more importantly what NOT to do!  This should be a key part of your goal setting and personal growth strategy.  Focus on your current career or the career you aspire to have.  Life-long learning is key to a life of success.

Balance - Family, career, community, health, personal growth, mental training, and networking all take time.  Life balance results in equanimity.  Equanimity will result in less stress.  Stress shortens your life span and productivity - two things you can ill afford to shorten!  If our lives are not balanced between and among our priorities, we will not achieve a Life of Success.  When you are at work, be at work and when you are at home, be at home.  Easier said than done but understanding the need and making the choices that get you closer to equilibrium will make a major difference for you and the people that depend on you.

Philosophy - What is your philosophy?  Do you have a positive disposition? Studies have shown that people with positive dispositions out live their peers by a rather surprising amount - 7.5 years!  Take the time to develop a philosophy for your life.  Keep a journal that will allow you to reflect and document your unique philosophy.  Let your EGO go and only become attached to reality or the truth.

Life is a series of choices. The choices you make are completely up to you and nobody else.  Take control of your life and start living a Life of Success. After all - it is your choice.