There’s nothing that tastes better than sweet success. Getting an ‘A’ on a paper you’ve slaved over; crossing the finish line of the half-marathon you’ve been vigorously training for; receiving a standing ovation for the dance performance you’ve practiced more times than you can count. The reward of success makes all of our hard work seem worth it. We constantly try to improve the way we do things to make our road to success as smooth as possible. I’ve found that the path to success isn’t always perfect, and there are certainly many roadblocks along the way. But if we keep certain things in mind, we can enjoy the ride. These five steps will help guide you to the success you desire, even when challenges will make you want to throw in the towel.
Step 1: Be realistic. Let’s face it: our ideal version of ourselves is a little bit different than our actual selves. “I can TOTALLY write this six page paper, then go for a long run, then finish all my other homework…no problem!!” is what we sometimes start thinking, but then don’t end up actually doing. Start being realistic about what you can and can’t do in one day. That way, if you lower your expectations for yourself, you’ll accomplish the tasks you set out to complete (and then some) instead of letting yourself down. Choose realistic goals that you carefully think about and plan versus having a list of ‘dreams’ that you never fulfill. Realistically plan for success, and your (practical) dreams will come true.
Step 2: The “can’t stop, won’t stop” mindset. At the same time, lowering your expectations for yourself doesn’t mean limiting your potential to do great things. Make a realistic plan, stick to it and don’t let anything get in your way. Success is part attitude, part work ethic; you get out what you put in. It’s kind of like karma…what goes around does come around, especially when you’re working towards a realistic goal you’re passionate about. Success doesn’t just happen with the snap of your fingers, or simply by thinking about what you want to achieve. That’s all well and good, but you have to work hard if you want to get anywhere. The world’s greatest musicians, political leaders, artists, athletes, engineers and CEOs all have their own success stories, and most of these stories, if not all of them, involve hard work. Don’t just think it; do it.
Step 3: Figure out what inspires you. I truly believe that you’re not successful unless you love what you’re doing. A major part of that is being inspired each day to do whatever it is you love. For me, I want to make people happy and inspire them. Whether its writing articles about Bucknell students or interesting topics, or planning events for our campus community, what inspires me to do what I do is seeing people happy as a result of my hard work. That’s what I love, and that’s what success is to me. I’m inspired by not only the people around me, but by other things like music, literature, fashion and art that motivate me to write, create, plan, and execute. Take time to think about what inspires you and how you define ‘success.’ Because when inspiration fuels your fire, it’s a beautiful thing…and that’s when you begin to truly succeed.
Step 4: Repeat after me. Challenges are GOOD. Obviously no one enjoys when life gets difficult. Bombed an exam? Sucks. Didn’t get the internship or job you wanted? Bummer. Sometimes, we focus too much on one thing; and when that one thing doesn’t work out, we feel like our whole world is crashing and burning. However, we often forget that more often that not, challenges and failures help us get back on track. Or even better, roadblocks tend to steer us onto a new course that we hadn’t predetermined. Don’t fear challenges. Embrace them to make you better.
Step 5: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I struggle with this constantly: I’m a total ‘do-er’ and rarely ask for help (trust me…ask my family and friends!). I tend to think that I won’t be successful if I don’t do it myself. But throughout my years in school, I’ve learned to let go and reach out to others. Like I mentioned earlier, you can’t do it all yourself, so asking others for help along the way will help you in more ways than you can imagine. They’ll give you a new perspective; offer you new ideas; and provide you with support and assistance to help you get to where you want to be. Being successful doesn’t mean doing everything your way. It means taking pieces of advice from the people you admire and channeling their energy and ideas into your work ethic, your inspiration and ultimately your success.
There you have it. When you boil it down, success is truly all about your mindset, your passion, and how hard you work to achieve it. Just as I’m excited to see where my life takes me, I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you all do with your lives. In the words of Thoreau, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.” Define your own path to success and live it.