How To Be Successful in Your Life
Growing up we are taught that if you work hard you will be rewarded with a successful life filled with promises of fat paychecks to go towards a nice home, your children’s future, a luxury holiday or even to purchase that new designer bag. Working hard, earning big bucks and having all the material objects in the world does not necessarily equate to happiness yet those can contribute to a successful life depending on what your priorities are.
To me, the meaning of success is to build a career in design that I enjoy, work towards being my true authentic self and to make this world a better place with the skills I have. But to you? it may mean something entirely different. Maybe it’s to have a beautiful family, travel the world or even to start up your own business. Success is incredibly centric to happiness and it’s also incredibly subjective.
The increase in technology within the workplace is changing the fundamental nature of work. Tech is creating far too many opportunities our parents could ever dream of. The countless, overwhelming options have also left us very frustrated, disillusioned and confused with the working world. Stressful environments, competitive attitudes, too much choice and short-lived careers; it can be a huge disappointment to grow up and realise that most of what we’ve been taught about how to be successful isn’t applicable to the modern world we live in now.
When you work hard but your efforts are not valued, or someone takes the credit, or you get taken for granted you get exhausted it leaves no emotional energy to rake in all the perks.
Is it the world around you continuously letting you down? Or is there a way you can counteract all these struggles, move past them and reach for success?
There are many different tactics for how to be successful in life, but the strategy that works best for you may depend on your view of success itself.
Here are 3 simple ways to work on yourself so you know what you need to succeed.
1) Build resilience & a growth mindset
Success is a result of hard work. Those who have a growth mindset can change, grow, and learn through an effort to overcome mistakes with experience. People who possess this mental strength see challenges as opportunities. When things get tough, look for ways to improve your skills and keep working toward your own goals. By understanding yourself, your needs and your own goals you get to tune out the unnecessary noise and become more focused in life. If you are capable of growth and seeing failure as lessons you are more likely to achieve feelings of success.
2) Improve your Emotional Intelligence
E.Q can help us look after our well-being by taking charge of our emotions. It helps us manage effective relationships when it comes to conflict resolution and requires self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy and social skills.
Paying attention to your own emotions. Focus on identifying what you are feeling and what is causing those feelings.
Managing your emotions does not mean bottling up or repressing your feelings, it means letting yourself feel the emotion and then letting them pass without judgement. Emotions are normal and you can look for healthy and appropriate ways of dealing with what you are feeling if it gets too much.
Listening to others. This not only involves hearing what they are saying but also paying attention to nonverbal signals and body language.
Drawing on brain and behavioral research, Daniel shows different factors work at being smart – one he terms “emotional intelligence.” This includes self-awareness and impulse control, persistence, zeal and self-motivation, empathy, and social deftness. These qualities mark people who excel in life, whose relationships flourish, who are stars in the workplace. Lack of emotional intelligence can sabotage the intellect and ruin careers. The greatest toll can be on children, for whom risks include depression, eating disorders, unwanted pregnancies, aggressiveness, and crime.
3) Focus on Internal Motivation & Rewards
Rewards such as money, awards, and other external motivators can be helpful but many people find that they are most motivated when they are doing things for personal satisfaction. If you are doing something because you enjoy it, find it meaningful, or because you enjoy seeing the effects of your work, then you are driven by intrinsic motivations.
The secret ingredient for success and satisfaction is self-determination. When you are the captain of your ship, you get to decide which way to sail. By taking the reins of your life you will be able to lead a successful life and work towards goals despite whatever the outcome is.
If you are happy with your business, with your millions then you are successful
If you are happy living in a cabin in the forest with only the wildlife to keep you company you are successful
If you are happy travelling the world backpacking, or with a family of 3 kids or even living at home taking care of your parents then you are successful.
No matter what you do will rake in the fruit of your experiences for the ultimate personal growth because at the end of the day the thing that makes life worth living is well….living how you want to live.
References:
Jobs and the future of work
Comments are closed.