Steps to Success

As a success coach I often get asked variations on the theme Is there a recipe for success? Are there sure-fire strategies to get me there? Are there certain steps that will guarantee my success? A simple key?

And my answer to all of these is yes – there most certainly are. However knowing the right ones for you can often be difficult! Because when you do what everyone else does, when you look at what appears to work for a particular expert or business and operate on the assumption that it will automatically work for you too, then you can be left sorely disappointed.

Sure…….some things may work, or it may all work for a while, but very often you won’t get the same results, or your results aren’t sustainable, and this can lead to frustration and self-doubt as well as worsening business results!

Why is this? Why is it when we’re told (and when there is evidence) that modeling successful people and businesses works, that it doesn’t work all of the time or for all of us? Is it a defect in our character or in our intellect?Absolutely not……in the majority of cases it’s because we don’t have the full picture, and that full picture includes you!

What you see is the tip of the iceberg, a small portion of what makes a person or business successful, when what you need to see is under the surface…….What that person believes about themselves and their business. What they expect. What’s the mindset behind their actions. The principles, values, and ethos of their company. In essence, you need to understand more about them. Because it’s only when you have access to all relevant information that you can fully explore this in relation to you. And YOU complete the picture!

This is the missing link for many – spending limited time and effort on who you are, on knowing, embracing and loving yourself. On what you really want in and from your life. On how your business can serve your life. On what success means to you personally.

And without this you’re not able to effectively filter success information – on an emotional and spiritual level. You’re not able to check whether your own beliefs, values and motivations are aligned with this other successful person or business.

Therefore is it any wonder, when you take on board and implement strategies and actions that work for others that they don’t necessarily work for you? Should you really be surprised when things don’t feel quite right?

So where does that leave you in relation to your own success strategies and plans?

With the understanding that specific steps will only work for you when you start with you. And you use that exploration as the foundation to everything you do going forward, including building your confidence, building your business and building your financially successful future.

One very simple approach I use, both myself and with clients, is to view your life as a DANCE, broken down into a series of steps that – once you understand and have worked through – form the basis for all the decisions and moves you make. They underpin and give expression to your life and to your business and allow you to interpret and assimilate other’s moves into your own dance in an organic way, in a way that works for you!

So what are the steps in your DANCE? There are 5 that build on each other to create your Personal Success Plan.

Step #1

Discover & Define – What success means to you – personally, in your business and in your life. Direct – Take responsibility for this success by deciding who you will be and what you will do to create it.

Step #2

Authenticity – Go a little deeper and explore and define the essence of you – Your needs, desires, gifts, talents, skills, strengths, expertise, experience, and achievements. Access your inner knowing and intuition about yourself and add to/amend your plan.

Step #3

No Limitations – Explore and define your fears, beliefs, and expectations about yourself, about business and about the world. Ask yourself – Do my beliefs serve me well or limit me in any way? Let go of any that limit, and define others that will serve you and help you succeed.

Step #4

Connection – Get connected to your soul, to your core inner knowing about who you are and what’s best for you, and explore how to create a business that fully expresses who you are. Get creative in your thinking – get physical, access your emotions and get ‘out of your head.’

Step #5

Energise – Define what works for you to get and stay motivated, energised and enthusiastic. Explore how to plug that into your business so that it comes alive.

When you work through these steps you not only create a Success Plan that works for you. You also create clarity, focus and increased confidence, and the added benefit is that you feel fantastic every single day!

Very worthwhile I’m sure you agree?

Do let me know how you get on with these steps and how you’re feeling – successful and fully alive is what you’re aiming for!