Success is simple, not easy.
I’ve been studying success and excellence for decades – the theories, the principles, the thoughts, the steps. You can go back thousands of years to Solomon. You can look at what Steven Covey wrote over 20 years ago. You can read the latest best-seller.
Guess what?
They are essentially the same. The principles for success, the steps to achieve excellence, are universal. I really like how Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A, breaks success into three simple steps.
The 3 Keys to Success:
- Desire and Drive
- Develop the Know-How
- Take Daily Action
Key 1: Desire and Drive
Your desire and drive are measured by your time and energy. You can’t just talk about it. You have to follow it up with action.
Are you spending the time and energy it takes to be excellent?
Key 2: Develop the Know-How
If you want to live with excellence, if you want to be a success in anything in life, you have to know how to be a success.
You learn how to be a success in any endeavor by studying success models. Find experts in that area, study what they do, and improve on it. Coach Vince Lombardi, in his Lombardi 5, describes it this way:
- Know what to do.
What do you do every day, every time? - Know why you do it. You have to believe and understand your why before you take action.
What is your motivation?
Why is it important? - Know how to do it well.
Who is already doing what you want to do, and doing it with excellence?
Study them. Learn from them. - Develop the skill.
Practice and repetition is the only way to develop skill in anything. - Take action. You have to do it.
Repeated, daily action is your key to success.
Key 3: Take Daily Action
Taking daily action is also called diligence. Your commitment to success cannot be driven by your feelings. You have to take action each and every day, regardless of how you feel.
Living with excellence is simple, not easy. If you apply these three keys to your profession, to any area of your life, you will become better and better. You will live with excellence and success. You will be a benefit to others.
You have to decide. Most people say they want success. Most people say they want to live with excellence. Most people want it, but they don’t want to work for it.
What about you?
Here’s my challenge to you…
Make the choice to seek excellence today. Make the choice to work for it.
Good Selling!