Success is in your mind. Regardless of your definition of success, most people would agree that success starts with your thoughts, your ideas and your beliefs – in other words, your mind. The realization that the source of success is contained in something as abstract and as fragile as thoughts and ideas can be both exhilarating and frightening at the same time. It is a great feeling to realize that with the power of your mind alone you can achieve anything you want, and you can reach the success that you so desire. On the other hand, ideas and thoughts are very fragile they quickly come and go.
Is success something that can be obtained or lost as easily as a thought that passes through your head in an instant? I think the answer can be yes and no.
Some of your thoughts and ideas are more permanent in nature. These are the beliefs, the habits, the personalities, and all the other intricacies of the mind that make up the core of who you are. Knowledge, skills and abilities are other components of your mind that have a somewhat permanent component. However, some knowledge and skills can lose their strengths if not put to practice, and new skills and knowledge can be gained through study, practice and experience. A person’s beliefs, habits, personalities, knowledge, skills and abilities are critical components of success that will not fade away or be lost in a passing moment.
However, there are thoughts and ideas that can be critical to your success that can be lost in an instant. These are the observations, insights, clarifications, or just ideas that flash through your head in a moment of inspiration. Most people don’t pay much attention to these special occasions when your mind reveals to you something that if acted upon could result in a significant opportunity. It is easy to discount these thoughts as just silly ideas, and forever lose them. In your anxiousness to get on with the tasks of your busy life you may disregard these thoughts and risk losing the opportunity to act on something that may be the chance to reach the success you desire.
Take Time to Think
Successful people understand the importance of spending quality time doing high level thinking. You should schedule at least 30 minutes to one hour each day when you are alone and your mind is free from clutter and distractions. Use this time to let you mind flow and reveal to you the fragile thoughts that you may dismiss when you are busy with other things. When those thoughts come to you, don’t discard them. Let them fill your mind with the possibilities and with your dreams of success, unrestricted by any constraints.
Get in the Habit of Writing
You never know when great ideas will pop in your head. Therefore, it is very important that you always carry with you a notebook and pen to jot down your ideas as soon as they come to you. This notebook can also be very useful for writing down observations that will help you become successful. If you run into a successful person that you admire, write down the habits, mannerisms, qualities, or anything else about this person that stands out. If you observe something that is done with excellence, or high quality, be it a product or a service, write it down. Fill your notebook with lessons learned, conclusions you have reached, resolutions you have made, goals you have established, observations you have made, and just about anything that will help you solidify your thoughts around success.
If you enjoy writing, you may consider starting a blog. A blog will help you develop the habit of writing on a regular basis, of organizing your thoughts, of coming up with ideas and topics that you want to share with others. One of the advantages of having a blog is that you know your material will be read by others and this forces you to put a little more effort into your writing, to concentrate a little more, and to think a little more about the things that are important to you. This in turn may spark additional thoughts and ideas that can be the topic of a future posting. Pretty soon will you have a journal of your own thoughts, a source of wisdom that you can refer back to, and a historical recollection of each step in your personal growth.
Here is what Michael Gerber, the renown small business coach and bestselling author of The E-Myth Revisited
has to say about writing as he discusses how an entrepreneurial vision starts to take form:
“Take out your ‘Notes to Myself’ and begin to write down whatever, and I mean whatever, comes to mind. Just let it all come out. Write, write, write, to release the flood of impressions you are experiencing, because within that flood is gold from high up on the mountain above you. See it. Feel it. Think about it…. Pour your heart onto the page of your life”
Your roadmap to success is hidden like a treasure in deep thoughts inside your brain. Writing will make it easier to dig for that treasure, forcing those deep thoughts to flow to the surface, so you can capture them and use them as your guidance in your success journey.
