The road to success is paved with...

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"Whenever an individual or a business decides that success has been attained, progress stops."
- Thomas J. Watson

I read this quote today and it reminded me that so many of us think about and talk about success and what to do to be successful, but not very often do we think about the journey to success (other than take action, take action, and take some more action!). If you think you want $1,000, get $1,000 and you'll find that you want $10,000. Get $10,000 and you'll want more.

Or maybe you won't. And that's okay. But I doubt it.

I don't know about you, but every time I reach a goal, small or big, I enjoy it, of course, but then I need to move to the next thing. If I have nothing to move towards, the feeling of the latest achievement can only keep me warm for so long.

What I want to say is maybe stop thinking about "the goal" and "the success" for a moment and smell the roses. Enjoy the small progresses you make every day, enjoy even the small failures, and don't be in such a hurry to get to wherever you're going. It will feel good, yes, to finally get there, but nobody will give you back the days you forgot to enjoy. And, ironically, as soon as you get to where you're so fiercely going to, you'll probably want to set out to a new destination.

So I agree with Watson. He put it very nicely. But I think rarely does a person or a business decide that success has been achieved. Enough of it, that is.
#road #success
  • Profile picture of the author mitz
    I often think about this because when I started to earn about $1000 a month I got stuck there for a while..

    It was not until I thought about why and raised my goal and then went for it that it changed. Later I got rid of the goal for money and made achievement goals.

    People always say not the aim too high but I say the skies the limit now!

    I am no hurry and my goal is now to build a great business only. I do enjoy my successes more than the money now. I am just having fun.
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    Have a great day!
    Making money online by building one Wordpress Website at a time.

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    • Profile picture of the author sabinavarga
      Originally Posted by mitz View Post

      I often think about this because when I started to earn about $1000 a month I got stuck there for a while..

      It was not until I thought about why and raised my goal and then went for it that it changed. Later I got rid of the goal for money and made achievement goals.

      People always say not the aim too high but I say the skies the limit now!

      I am no hurry and my goal is now to build a great business only. I do enjoy my successes more than the money now. I am just having fun.
      Sounds like a good plan! Thanks for sharing .
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  • Profile picture of the author FIP
    Good post Sabinavarga

    My personal and professional focus, although obviously working towards tangible and intangible outcomes, invariably is based around process or processes.

    The ego seeks outcomes - often immediately. It needs to see something...now.

    This is where the value and importance of the journey or the process is completely overlooked and devalued.

    Once an outcome is achieved or reached its often - "whats next?"

    Whilst this is good in terms of productivity and achieving outcome focused goals, it can totally miss the point of what its all about.

    A lasting example for me when I finally 'got it' was when I was playing cricket in a grand final. I'd had a great season and topped it off by batting for most of the day scoring 90 odd runs....
    My team went on to win that grand Final and I remember feeling 'empty'....

    I remember thinking; "Is that it?"

    The outcome was nowhere near as enjoyable as the process/processes of getting there.

    Outcome focus can leave some feeling empty or in some way feeling that something is missing..

    What often is missing is an appreciation of the journey towards that outcome or destination. By acknowledging that you get a richer, fuller more appreciative experience.
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    "If one advances confidently in the direction of his own dreams and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined - he will meet a success unexpected in common hours"
    -Thoreau

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    • Profile picture of the author sabinavarga
      Originally Posted by mitz View Post

      People always say not the aim too high but I say the skies the limit now!

      I am no hurry and my goal is now to build a great business only. I do enjoy my successes more than the money now. I am just having fun.
      Saying "the sky is the limit" ca be intimidating but it will also keep you busy for a while .

      I think that when you're relaxed and having fun yet still focused it's when you're most productive.

      Originally Posted by FIP View Post

      A lasting example for me when I finally 'got it' was when I was playing cricket in a grand final. I'd had a great season and topped it off by batting for most of the day scoring 90 odd runs....
      My team went on to win that grand Final and I remember feeling 'empty'....

      I remember thinking; "Is that it?"

      The outcome was nowhere near as enjoyable as the process/processes of getting there.

      Outcome focus can leave some feeling empty or in some way feeling that something is missing..

      What often is missing is an appreciation of the journey towards that outcome or destination. By acknowledging that you get a richer, fuller more appreciative experience.
      Thanks for the story! I know the feeling you're talking about. After I experienced it a few times I realized the same: enjoy the process at least as much as the outcome.
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  • Profile picture of the author MyNiches
    I like to set a ton of smaller goals along the way. My to-do list even has things like "Watch the next episode of The West Wing...", just looking at a piece of paper at the end of my day with a bunch of things crossed off is a really rewarding feeling. I find that when I lose track of this, it's easy to fall into a rut - especially when the passive income is holding up well, but I really like your quote to remind myself not to become stagnant and resting on whatever project has most recently been successful, but rather to always strive for the next one.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sarevok
    You're absolutely right.. It's important to ENJOY your LIFE AND YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS.

    But never be content. Unless you can truly afford to be.

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  • Profile picture of the author rising_sun
    Banned
    Very very effective lesson ,
    trying to follow it and I need more open discussion like it.
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