Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.  - George Sheehan

Have you ever wondered why certain people achieve great success and stand out so significantly from the crowd? The answer lies in the principles that they embrace and practice on a daily basis. In my next several posts, I want to turn your attention to the following ten life-changing principles.

Successful people: 

• Live with integrity
• Go above and beyond
• Take risks
• Make things happen
• Focus on solutions
• Invest in their own growth
• Live generously
• Embrace change
• Fail forward
• Persevere to the end

For many people, success is all about reaching the destination and achieving the end goal. For others, it is more about the journey itself – taking time to smell the roses along the way. At BreakthroughCoach, we embrace both sides of the coin. Reaching the destination is important, but how you achieve that goal along the way is equally significant. In other words, getting there and how you get there must be considered in your success journey.

Defining success 

Success means different things to different people. For some it means wealth, riches, fame, a big house, or a fancy car. For others success is more about making a difference in the world around them, creating a legacy of influence and positive change. For many people it is a combination of both.

One of the greatest challenges in communication is that of language. Words can mean very different things to different people. As a result, the essence of the message can get lost in translation. Consider the following examples.

• When Coca-Cola first shipped to China, they used a brand name that when pronounced sounded like “Coca-Cola.” The only problem was that the characters used actually meant “Bite The Wax Tadpole.” They later changed the name to a set of characters that means “Happiness In The Mouth.”
• The Pepsi Cola Company experienced a similar challenge. When Pepsi started marketing its products in China, they translated their slogan, “Pepsi Brings You Back to Life” almost literally. The slogan in Chinese really meant, “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave.”
• Chevrolet also struggled to get it right. The Chevy Nova never sold well in Spanish speaking countries. “No va” means “it does not go” in Spanish.

Lost in translation… A reality most of us have experienced in one way or another. Success can be defined many ways. We can be successful at work, in school, and in our relationships. Some measure success by their level of happiness and contentment. Others depend on their sense of purpose in this world as their barometer for achievement. Some evaluate success by how much money they make and how much wealth they accumulate.

There are many different ways to define success, and you have to determine what that looks like for you. The success principles in this section will help you take significant steps in that direction.

How do you define success? 

A great definition of success is “a favourable outcome to a pursuit or endeavour.” If this is true, then what are you pursuing? What are you endeavouring to accomplish ? Do you have a clear picture of what success in that area looks like? How will you know you have achieved it?

Take a moment to reflect on these questions, and then write down your answers. Starting with a clear definition of what success means to you will enable you to better implement the principles that we will cover in future posts.

Coming up next… Successful people build with integrity!

Eric Deschamps – Business Coach/Advisor, Ottawa