This success formula has been used for many years by my clients; hopefully you'll find it useful too.
Step 1 of the Success Formula: Awareness
Have you ever driven down the road and realized you don't remember actually driving the last five minutes? It can be a frightening experience to realize that you have been on autopilot and have no conscious recognition of time and events. Many people live their whole lives like this: walking through their life in an unconscious state, unaware of their impact in the world. Fortunately this is changing. More and more people are awakening to the fact that their life can be enhanced.
At some point in your life you may wake up and think - this just isn't working. It might be life in general or only one specific area - e.g. health, relationships, productivity, finances. You'll have a question something like - "How on earth did I manage to find myself here?" Asking this question means, you have awakened yourself to a need to change if you are going to live your potential and a fulfilled life.
We each have traits, characteristics, habits, attitudes that block us. Awareness is the first step in liberating yourself from their unintended and generally negative impact. Becoming Aware means you openly welcome new information and ideas (even those that cause you inner conflict).
Step 2 of the Success Formula: Insight
Awareness isn't enough though. You also need self-reflection and insight in order to begin to make some choices about how you want to direct your life.
At this stage you are on a quest. You are gathering information about yourself, your life - answering questions like "Why do I think like that?" "Are these beliefs still valid?" "Could there be a better/different way?"
During the insight stage you'll be devouring books, seminars, self-assessments, courses etc.
You are about to commence the Hero's Journey
A hero's journey is one of self-discovery. Much like some of the characters from your favourite myths and fables, movies, books, favorite religious stories ... Frodo from the Lord of the Rings, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, William Wallace from Braveheart, Jesus, Muhammad, Bhudda, Nelson Mandela, Edmund Hillary. Each of these characters real and fictional began a journey, sometimes deliberately, sometimes by chance, but eventually through all that they experienced they came to know themselves so much more fully. Their journey becomes a journey of self-discovery, more than or maybe because of their adventures, trials and tribulations they experience along the way.
A Hero's Journey rarely seems to be without adventure, risk and it's challenges - it simply never seems to be a walk in the park. Yet as the Hero progresses through their journey and faces and overcomes their challenges, a tremendous sense of who they are and inner peace arises. A degree of self-approval and joy seems to result and always they inspire many people along the way, often unwittingly.
Whilst generally you won't be facing any physical dangers on your hero's journey, certainly you may take some emotional and mental risks. You have the opportunity to look quite deeply and who you are and the impact you have on your world.
With self-discovery you now begin to move through to self-responsibility
Step 3 of the Success Formula: Self-Responsibility
Whilst Awareness + Insight are terrific if you do nothing with them, then nothing changes. So now is the all important stage of Self-Responsibility. One the most empowering gifts you can give yourself.
Your journey, to be of real value, requires your commitment, energy, time and desire to do things differently - to APPLY your insights and learning - to be open to looking at things with fresh eyes, heart and thinking.
Knowledge without application is simply information. To truly integrate the knowledge you are gathering apply what you learn as this ensures that your time is well spent. Make the decision to apply what you learn within 24 hours, otherwise it will simply be a terrific idea that goes begging.
As you apply what you learn, people will respond to your changed energy and as you bring out the best in yourself, so too you will bring out the best in others.
As you progress you may come to the same wonderful realization, that many people on the personal growth journey experience, which is, as you change the way you behave and feel, so too will the people and the circumstances that surround you change. A client recently commented: "Now I realize that all this sh.t in my life is created by me, it makes it very hard to hide from myself." With self-responsibility you can no longer hide from yourself, using blame and excuses.
The Success Formula = Powerful Performance
It is the small and sometimes, seemingly insignificant, actions taken each day which propels an individual to breakthrough to stardom or the pinnacle of success in their life and/or chosen career. These small breakthrough steps are contained within the three separate, yet integrated, stages shown in our success formula.
Enjoy your journey, for as you change your life will take on a new richness and vitality that you will treasure.
Blink
Del.icio.us
Digg
Furl
Google
Simpy
Spurl
Technorati
Y! MyWeb