Success can be defined in a number of ways. If you look it up you will see several definitions that you may agree with: the accomplishment of one's goals, the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or achieving your goals. All of these definitions are correct—and none of them are. When it comes to success, there isn't a set-in-stone definition—for two reasons:

  • It depends on who you ask

  • It is ever-changing

What does success looks like for you? Learn more in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

If the question, "What does success look like?" were posed to you right now, how would you answer? Would you give a cookie-cutter definition from a dictionary? Would your answer be similar to successful executives? What factors contribute to your answer? Work? Family? Personal? All of the above?

One way to look at success is to wake up in the morning feeling inspired and excited, and to go to bed feeling content and grateful. Your definition of success might not change daily, but the sense of achieving success can change as fast as the weather in Texas. A bad day, a good morning or a great phone call can take you from one side of success to the other. That being said, much like happiness, success is a state of mind more than a destination. It may look different for many people, but to achieve your desired success there are three key principles that you must implement.

1. Cultural Laws: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast," is a statement often attributed to Peter Drucker. A person must have cultural or personal laws that support their goals. The word law is important because we must view all behaviors and beliefs that contradict our definition of success as breaking the law. The greatest enemy of achieving success is allowing those who don't agree with or support that belief to break the cultural laws. Many times these infractions are small and have a limited immediate consequence, but make no mistake: although the consequences are not immediate, they are immense and can be devastating to the achievement of success.

2. A Clear Understanding Of Success: There are two key aspects of achieving success. First, a person must be able to understand their vision of success so they can share it with others to inspire other like-minded individuals to stay the course. Once it is visualized or communicated, a game plan must be implemented and given to everyone involved that contains key activities with measurable results. This is the difference between making a New Year's resolution to lose weight and a dedicated decision to live a more active and healthy lifestyle. One is an empty goal that is based purely on a short-term desire and the other is a decision that has commitments, beliefs and key actions.

3. A Desire, And Never-Ending Commitment To Achieve It: Most people desire success, but very few are willing to do what it takes. Achieving great success in life or business will require great sacrifice, constant focus, humility to learn and confidence to challenge. In many cases, a sense of blind optimism is required when dealing with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Achieving success is realized when people are so committed and passionate about achieving their goals that no obstacle or situation can stop them.

Success can be described as when a person's purpose is aligned with action. In business as in life, one must remain positive while in search of success, and understand that once one level of success is reached, it is not the end, rather is the starting point for the next great achievement. No matter the definition, everyone can agree that "success is earned and not given."

Source: Nathan Jamail, president of the Jamail Development Group and author of the best-selling Playbook Series, is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur and corporate coach. As a former executive director, life insurance sales professional and business owner of several small businesses, Jamail travels the country helping individuals and organizations achieve maximum success.