There is NO elevator to success, you ALWAYS have to take the STAIRS: Literally & Physically
I climb two kinds of stairs every week:
The Stairmaster at the gym...
AND
The stairs of success! Meaning everything in my life including my career, friends, family, and self!
Everyone has their own definition of what success means to them. You need to figure out what you can do to better yourself and achieve the life you want. It's more than just an idea, it is a state of mind. You can’t wait for opportunities to pass you by. Instead take advantage of ALL the opportunities you have right in front of you.
A year or so ago I learned that the first step for success in my life was to do some soul-searching and focus to work on only myself. I knew my second step to success specifically in my career was to say it out loud, write down my plan, and move to LA. My current step I am on is gaining more knowledge and continuing to work hard. Just because I am not in college anymore, doesn't mean I should stop learning. I am constantly reading/writing new blogs, listening to podcasts, reading books, and attending events to prepare myself for my next job. While everyone else is sitting around, I am constantly doing small things to get me closer to my dream. This includes basically working 24/7, while also networking any chance I get. Your short-term tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments.
So, there are many factors that go into creating success and different steps for each individual to take. What exactly works for me might be a little different for someone else. I can’t give you a magic formula for success, but here are five things I remind myself daily in order to keep stepping in the directions of my dreams and success.
1. Stop relying on others: You are your biggest cheerleader. Push yourself, because no one else is going to do it for you. You are the only one looking at your face in the mirror and you are the only one able to land yourself the next promotion.
2. Embrace your fails and protect yourself from burnout: If you make a mistake, focus on all the positive things you have in your life. Work extra hard the next time, but take time for self-care so you don’t feel drained. When I am feeling stressed, I take time and go do something relaxing.
3. Practice time management & set goals: I am lucky enough that I've always had top-notch time management skills. My mom even refers to me as “planner girl.” It is important to manage your time effectively, especially if you are always busy like I am. My time is very limited and I am always doing many things at once because I like to take opportunities. I would never be able to do all the things I do if I didn’t plan ahead or set goals for the future.
4. Learning to say no: I am still working on this!!! People, like me, have a tendency to need to be liked by others. So we go out of our way to do things to please them. This leads to a problem, because you can’t finish what you need for yourself. I remember back in college, when the people I babysat for would randomly ask me to stay late certain days. I would almost always say yes even though I had tons of homework to finish, because I felt bad saying no. Of course, I still got everything done. I always find a way to finish tasks, but you can't please everyone. Prioritize your time and don’t compromise your productivity.
5. Focus on the journey not the destination: Find your passion and never give up. I often find myself getting frustrated, because I haven’t reached my end goal or dream job yet. HELLO! I am only 23 and I have so much more time to accomplish everything I want. I sit back and remind myself to enjoy and focus on the experience I am getting RIGHT NOW. The journey is preparing me for the future and the end destination.
Remember that it’s okay to fail. It means you are trying. Do what makes you happy and find something you are passionate about. You will then find and live your own definition of success.
Believing in yourself is really the first secret to success.
I've never had any trouble with that and you shouldn't either. Dream big and believe you can do it.
On that note....I'm going to keep climbing. See you at the top :)