It’s your CHOICE.
Sometimes we taste it,
Sometimes we touch it,
Sometimes we feel it,
SUCCESS.
That intoxicating, yet elusive feeling we experience when we achieve our desired goal, task or dream.
My question to you is – Are you making the right choices?
Each day we are faced with many choices. Some are big and some are small but remember – and this is key – EVERY ONE of these choices is important. Your character is being built, tested and forged by each one you are presented with.
Make a commitment to yourself and choose…but choose wisely. Your success depends on it.
Here are 21 choices you must train yourself to make in order to Succeed.
These aren’t a magic list that I have pulled out of thin air but choices that SUCCESSFUL people make each and every day… Olympic Athletes, CEO’s, Pastors, Generals and World Leaders.
(They’re universal… so YES they do apply to YOU)
1) Get up early – Stop hitting the snooze button and start your day. Most “noise” starts after 9am so by getting up early you can get the “average” persons day done before they even arrive at work.
2) Eat Healthy – Find out what works for you and stick to it. Think of food as FUEL, and fill your body with it. Eliminate everything that doesn’t make you “run smoother”. Try lean meats, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds and a little fruit. It’s that simple and more than enough to keep you running at peak performance.
3) Risk – When you choose to take a risk you also accept the chance to fail. In making this choice, you learn. If you aren’t choosing to take a risk once in a while you simply aren’t learning.
4) Add Value – You can do a little or you can do a lot but is what you’re doing actually adding value? Take a second and make the choice that pushes you to add value. If you acknowledge it, you’re adding it.
5) No Excuses – Ever. “He that is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else” – Benjamin Franklin – Read this – 3 simple steps to kill the quitter inside
6) Tenacity – It’s not easy to keep going when everyone and everything seems to be against you. Your persistent determination is what sets you apart from those who only wish. Make the choice to keep going when others quit.
7) Get your rest – You can only do so much on coffee and exercise. Your body needs to shut down. If you can’t get 8 hours a day then figure out how to incorporate a Nap. Winston Churchill said so eloquently – “Nature has not intended mankind to work from eight in the morning until midnight without that refreshment of blessed oblivion which, even if it only lasts twenty minutes, is sufficient to renew all the vital forces.”
8) Purpose – This is what drives you. It fuels your decisions and satisfies your passion. If for some reason you are finding yourself making choices that are leading you away from your purpose STOP IMMEDIATELY and get yourself back in alignment. Every choice you make must be aligned with your purpose on this earth.
9) Accept yourself – There is no use hoping you’re going to be someone else. Face yourself. This is YOU. Once you choose to accept this undeniable fact then and only then can you work on being the best YOU that you can be.
10) Self-Discipline – Just do it. The slogan has certainly been well used and for good reason…IT WORKS. If you want to do something make the choice and do it. Discipline yourself – start small and learn how to do it for you. Read this The battle of self-discipline
11) Support – We all need it but few of us allow it into our lives. Choose to allow yourself to be supported. You’re not “Atlas”, you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.
12) Honesty – It’s easy to tell a white lie. For some, those “white lies” have become a way of life. Make the choice to be impeccable with your words and see your influence grow.
13) Exercise – This isn’t a choice. Simply put, if you’re not choosing to exercise on a daily basis you’re killing yourself. I’m not saying that you have to go run 10k, lift heavy things off the ground or pass out after a killer spin class. What I am saying is, find a way to MOVE your body. “Humans must be able to perform basic maintenance on themselves” – Kelly Starrett.
14) Do your best – Personally, I find this to be the most important choice for me each day. I’m constantly training myself to question if “I’m doing my best” when involved in an action. It’s this constant questioning that forces me to push that one ounce further or be that much better than I thought I could be.
15) Faith – You must believe in yourself and the direction you’ve chosen. If you doubt for a moment it will come back to haunt you. How many times have you NOT followed that “gut instinct” and found yourself in an undesirable outcome? We intuitively know what is right for us. Stick with that choice.
16) Be Decisive – Out of all the traits that successful people have the ability to be DECISIVE consistently ranks as one of the highest. A decisive choice means ACTION, and it means NOW. Leave the waiting to those who can’t pick a flavor of ice cream. Chocolate Chip Mint… Move on.
17) Ask advice – A mentor, mastermind or confidant needs to be part of your arsenal. The ability to have someone to bounce ideas off of is essential in helping you reach your goals. You aren’t expected to have all the answers and you don’t start out on your path with a detailed road map. The choice to be vulnerable and to ask for advice from a trusted adviser is when your true strength sometimes materializes.
18) Attitude – Only you can choose how you’re going to start and end your day. You can get out of bed ready to take on the world but then stub your toe while getting into the shower and WHAM… watch out world “Godzilla” is on the move. OR you can choose to condition yourself to keeping your attitude in check. The simple act of breathing for a second (mindfully breathing) can prevent you from escalating your attitude into places you don’t want it to go.
19) Play – Make the choice to fill a portion of your day with play. Define what play means for you and honor this daily. Play can be tasting fine wine, enjoying a new foodie experience, Coaching your child’s sport, 10 min of Solitaire, Picking up the Stratocaster, it doesn’t matter what it is. Just make the choice to put play ahead of a mindless distraction or yet another project on your tic list.
20) Appreciate – Appreciate what you have and stop choosing to “try to keep up with the Jones”. We’re living in an ever-increasing entitlement society where more, more, more is becoming the norm. You’ve worked hard to accumulate what you have. Enjoy it. Choose to appreciate what you have rather than moving on to the next bright and shiny thing (whatever that thing may be). How about just appreciating YOU. Check out the words of wisdom over at Simple Mindfulness
21) Say NO – Learn this one. You can’t be all things to everyone at all times. It may be a hard choice, but one you must learn if you truly want to be a success and role model for others.
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If your week isn’t filled with making the right choices on the above list then get ready to be happy with where you are now. You’re going to stay there for a while.
Yes, I’m being BOLD throwing that out there at you! Sometimes it takes BOLD action to move forward and I’m making a choice by writing this to you.
I want to know what choices you’re making that are driving you towards success. Tell me in the comments below and enlighten me with your top tips.
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As always, I welcome all comments and thoughts.
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Kathy says
I appreciate your drive Alan… how you focus on the power of choice… knowing that we drive our own life. And, I would like to invite expansion on point #15: Faith. Our Faith comes from somewhere… gut instinct comes from somewhere… and as we find that somewhere – we tap into something truly amazing that propels us to living magnificence. Yours, in training 🙂
RavenWolfab says
Thanks Kathy.
Wow. Way to put it. I think that everyone’s “somewhere” is a great way to look at it. This place, this somewhere is just a little bit different for us all. I remember a close friend of mine saying “My relationship with God is just that MY relationship, it isn’t open to anyone else”.
I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. If we choose to allow ourselves to tap into this “somewhere” I do agree – Life gets even more magnificent.
Cheers,
Alan
Scott says
Awesome! Thanks, Alan!
RavenWolfab says
Your welcome Scott. Thanks for taking the time to visit today and I’m looking forward to seeing more of you.
Best,
Alan
Kim says
Love this list Alan. Would have been happy with ten but all 21 are great! Yoda would be proud.
Kim
RavenWolfab says
Thanks Kim.
If only I had a Yoda guiding me. Those mind tricks would be so much easier. Glad you enjoyed the list. What are some of your tips? Pass on your wisdom as well… oh wise one.
Cheers,
Alan
Mike says
Alan, thanks for your site. Just found it this morning. 45, back hurts, shoulder hurts, really not liking the 40’s very much and quite honestly I’m mad as hell and need to make a change. VERY much appreciate your site. I’ve been kicking around joining crossfit or the Y. Something has to give, I’m not going out like this!
RavenWolfab says
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the note. I’ve been where you are and can relate. The most important thing is to never quit. We all have our ups and downs – those won’t go away – it’s how we deal with them that counts. Keep asking yourself good questions and work hard on getting better every day. Happy to help in any way that I can.
Best,
Alan