Five Uncommon Ideas for Success

Almost everyone wants success. Everyone’s definition of success may be different. Maybe it is having loads of money in their bank, or it could be the power they wield over others, or vibrant health, or great relationships, or how much they could contribute back to society… I have seen that people’s ideas of success frequently change over time. Mine did for sure. What doesn’t change though is the methodology to consistently create success. In this piece, I want to explore five uncommon ways to get to whatever is your current definition of success.

Showing Up

By just being there and putting in the effort, you are already ahead of most people. People tend to give up when things don’t work. This article itself is an example. I was at my wit’s end about what to write this week… and for a few days, because I had no ideas, I didn’t open my computer and sit to write – waiting for some idea to come. Today, I decided, I would show up. I would sit there, open the editor and write something. And as I did that, the idea for this article formed in my head and I began to write.

Sometimes, it may happen that you show up and nothing worthwhile comes out of it. That’s perfectly alright. Just the act of showing up is enough. Do it enough times and you can rest assured that what you want will eventually manifest.

Resting

People usually associate success with hard work. I always tell all my coaching clients that they need to first schedule their rest times into their calendars. Eight hours of sleep each night is non-negotiable. Half an hour to an hour of meditation each day will ignite creativity and productivity.

Taking Craniosacral Therapy sessions once in a while from a trained practitioner, and supporting that with the Bach Flower Remedies to clear emotional debris will maintain you in great form.

You may have the best cell phone in the world, but it becomes just an expensive paper-weight if it doesn’t have a charge. You are perhaps the most advanced form of organic technology on this planet – but without giving yourself the time to recharge and rejuvenate, you reduce yourself to the worst version of yourself. Success will elude you, and you wonder why this is happening when you have been working so hard.

Relaxing holidays are fantastic resources. Get a lot of sun. Do some forest bathing. Laze around on the beach. Eat good healthy food. Take massages. Unwind completely. Spend time with people you love and who love you. Do this at least twice a year for a few days. All this will ensure that when you get back to work, you are recharged and ready to take on challenges with a fresh mind, a renewed sense of purpose and a refreshed perspective.

Being Generous

Attrition is a humungous problem.

My solution?

Generosity with money and praise will ensure people don’t leave your team. Giving people a little more than what they feel is fair will create fantastic goodwill and loyalty. This is a fabulous long-term strategy because you will be richly rewarded through your people’s eventual expertise. This of course is a function of the time and effort that you have invested into training them.

Praising people and acknowledging their efforts creates fantastic serotonin and dopamine highs. This further motivates them to give their best. When you do this, you are working with their brain chemistry rather than against it.

By no means does this mean that you only be goody-goody with people – if someone is not performing, generosity doesn’t mean you let it be. Pull that person up and do whatever it takes to ensure they perform the way you require them to. If you only praise, then the people who are doing great work will feel cheated.

Praise should be earned. But once earned, it should be given generously.

The Power of Community

Learn from Nature. There are some species that thrive and thrive and thrive. Remarkably, these are not the parasites or the really deadly strains of bacteria and viruses. The ones that survive and proliferate are the ones that form symbiotic relationships with each other and with the environment.

The same goes for success. When you think of creating value for others, they will gladly pay you for it. When you think of only yourself and what’s in it for you – you will find that very few people will want to have anything to do with you. You almost sabotage yourself. In the short term, you might taste some success, but in the long term, you are almost certainly doomed to failure. Don’t make the costly mistake of underestimating the power of community.

The best business relationships and the most successful ventures are based on a clear understanding of what each party gains from the association. When both parties feel they are benefitting, then trust is built and that is the foundation of any long-lasting relationship… and Success.

Exercise

But I don’t play professional sports. I am in the business of selling Water Purifiers. Why should I exercise? – I hear you say.

We were made to move. Through the millennia, as our bodies evolved to our present forms, we moved. A lot. We were either running after something we wanted to eat or running away from something that wanted to eat us. As we ran, we developed great ability to notice stuff in our environment through our senses. This means that we function best when we are moving.

Cutting-edge neuroscience has revealed that when you exercise, your brain generates new neurons. This phenomenon of neurogenesis was thought to be impossible just a decade or two ago. When you exercise, not only are you rewarded with a stronger, healthier body, but also with a more robust brain. You will experience less brain fog, develop a better memory and have a keener, sharper intellect.

This means that a regular routine of exercise will actually allow you to take better decisions. And better decisions mean a higher probability of success.

What are your uncommon strategies for success?

Let’s have some ideas in the comments below.