Warwick Life Strategies

I found a fantastic article in the August 2010 edition of Flare Magazine that I wanted to mention today. It's called "Generation Success." Yuki Hayashi writes of 10 rules that one can follow to achieve success.

What I loved about this article was that it focuses on the hard work that is necessary to make success a reality. I believe that we live in a culture where we've become accustomed to instant gratification. All too many times when we want something we expect it to happen immediately...to fall into our laps and for it to take little time or effort. The reality is that we are often impatient and even (gasp!) lazy.

I'll highlight and expand upon a few of these 'rules'

• "Lay the Groundwork" - when it looks like someone has reached instant success, look again. Most likely, they've been working hard behind the scenes building their network, learning about their industry and the needs of the market, getting experience, and setting and achieving smaller goals that ultimately result in noticeable accomplishments.

• "Don't Take Criticism Personally" - instead take it for what its worth and if possible, use any constructive comments as helpful tips to further your career and improve your performance. Don't internalize it as a personal assault. Look at the truth (if there is any) behind these comments and do something productive with your new knowledge!

• Keep challenging yourself and diversifying while developing your abilities, following your passions, and reaching your goals.

• Take care of both your physical and mental health. You'll have a much happier and more enjoyable experience and also be more respected if you further yourself and reach your goals with a positive frame of mind.

• Be resilient. Life is full of ups and downs, but people who are "less fixated on the failures and have their eyes back on the prize quicker and with a clearer vision" achieve more success.

• Keep a supportive network. One cannot underestimate the importance of these supports in our life. Cultivate and appreciate it.

• Follow your passions and let them drive you towards success. Love what you do and do what you love. You'll give so much to the world that way and will live a more fulfilled life.

Moving you forward, WLS