“The man who would succeed must think success, must think upward. He must think progressively, creatively, constructively, inventively, and, above all, optimistically. You will go in the direction in which you face.”–Orison Swett Marden
We need to be intentional with success. The other day, I wrote about focus. Without proper focus, success will surely evade us.
We cannot go about our day haphazardly. We must chose our goals wisely and be specific.
Specificity is a principle of adaptation in exercise: the body system makes specific adaptations to imposed demands (also known as the “S.A.I.D. Principle”)—i.e., if one wants to build muscle strength, one must lift near maximal resistances for few repetitions; if one wants to build muscle endurance, one must lift submaximal resistances for many repetitions. Likewise, in the pursuit of success, specificity applies.
One who would be successful must direct oneself toward completion of the task at hand. There is a saying that “if you fall on your face, at least you are moving forward.” Success is not guaranteed, and failure will inevitably occur along the way; however, if our thoughts are focused on success, we will ultimately succeed.
Daily goal setting is essential. Write goals down. Be intentional. Prioritize.
Journaling and daily planning is fundamental. Taking pause (ideally, at the start of the day) to consider what is important and what needs to be done today will make sure that the non-essentials don’t interfere with the plan.
Orison Swett Marden is clear that we cannot desire success and simultaneously doubt that success ours to possess. No. We need to be confident that success is ours for the taking. Let no one tell you otherwise—especially the annoying voice of doubt in your head. Claim your success with your actions. Let nothing distract you. See it. Believe it is yours. With effort and focus, success will be your.
Carpe momento!