Are you sabotaging your success?

I read an article a while back that presented a very unsettling theory. It stated that many people don't achieve success because of self sabotage. At first, I couldn't believe it. Who would choose to not to be successful? However, I have noticed that there are many people who talk a good game but are not following up with the actions needed to achieve success. Some are doing so because they really don't know what needs to be done to achieve their goals while others are afraid of the changes that will occur in their life once success is attained.

How do you know whether you are setting yourself up for success or sabotaging your ability to achieve success?

First, consider whether you have a plan for your success?

• If you have a plan, it should be a SMART plan. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and trackable. Your plan for success is the road map to you achieving your future goals. It may change from time to time because life happens and we all have to make adjustments. However, if you are just sitting around thinking that one day success is going to happen or that somehow you will end up in the right place at the right time and everything will just fall in to place then you are sabotaging your success. It is also not helpful to just have general goals, like I would like to become a lawyer without any plans of taking the LSAT, researching law schools or know which type of law you want to practice. Do some research and create a plan.

Next, think about who you hang around?

• You are somewhat a product of your environment. There are some people that can achieve their goals despite their surroundings but as adults if you are hanging around successful people then you are more likely to become successful. Not because you are expecting them to hook you up but because of the activities that you will participate in with them and the type of people that you will network with. If you hang around with people that spend most of their free time playing video games then you are sabotaging your success. We each have the same 24 hours each day to achieve our goals. Some people are on Boards of Directors, start their own business, and volunteer time to charity while others complain about everything that is wrong around them and consistently do nothing. If you are not using your time wisely, then you are not moving closer to your goals. No, you should not choose your friends based on how they can benefit you but you should choose friends that have similar goals and that can encourage you when you are down or be a role model for the type of life that you want to lead.

I have a friend that confided in me that she wanted to be mover and shaker in her community. She is starting her own business and also needed some inexpensive marketing strategies. I suggested that she create a plan. Not only did she need a business plan but she needed a strategy to get involved in her community. Since we had this discussion, she is now networking within her local Chamber of Commerce, attending City Council meetings, finishing her business plan and participating in the city's Leadership program. She could have just sat around waiting and wishing for her success to come but instead she is taking control of her future and making contacts with people that are going to help move her closer to her goals.

Are you setting yourself up for success?

My testimony…in the midst of the storm

Not everyone understands why older people always told you to sit down whenever a storm came through…they knew that it was in these moments that God was doing His work.
Sometimes we find ourselves in storms – the storms of life, stormy weather while we are driving, stormy arguments – but we rarely take the time to be still and really analyze the situation. We have gotten so used to driving through it or persevering that we have forgotten that sometimes we just need to be still.

I just came through a storm and I know that there are many more in my future but I wanted to share some thoughts with my friends and family. When I am going through a storm, I like to be still. Yes, that may mean that I may be difficult to contact but I need to be still with my thoughts and still with my faith. It is so tempting when you are going through something to tell your friends and get their “opinion” but that is not always the best course. Yes, I know that you will encourage me, provide me with words of wisdom and even come to my aid if necessary. However, there are some instances where God is ready to move in your life and you have to be still to hear the direction He has in store for you.

My latest storm was causing a lot of confusion in my mind. Whenever I tried to vocalize the situation, it just didn’t sound like it would come out the way I was thinking it. So, I just kept it inside and prayed about it. This storm lasted longer than I thought it would. I was ready for it to be over. I prayed for guidance and each day it just seemed like it went on and on. People say take it to Him in prayer and forget about it but that is so much easier said than done. I would find it preoccupying my mind during the day. It would be hard for me to sleep some nights because I just wanted a solution. However, my self-talk told me to be faithful. I did some things in the meantime that will hopefully prevent me from ending up in this situation again but at the perfect moment, God showed up and showed out. I couldn’t do anything but praise Him when He moved. He could have done it at any time but at that moment, I felt the power of His grace and mercy in my life.

I have some friends that don’t believe in God. I feel bad for them. Not because I think their souls will be damned to Hell…that’s not my decision to make. I feel bad for them because I cannot imagine living in a world without my faith. I see them seeking happiness in experiences and material possessions but it seems like a void that gets bigger with every attempt. I may never own a Mercedes, I may never have my five-bedroom dream house but I wake up every day with joy in my heart because of God’s grace and mercy. I know that even on my worst day, He loves me unconditionally. This fullness within guides me through my storms and I pray for each person reading this to be still in their next storm and have faith that God will move in your life too.