subject: Building Your Support Pillars To Success [print this page] Every successful business is built on a solid foundation. There is a story of triumphs and milestones, as well as struggles, heartaches, and frustration behind every flourishing endeavor you read or hear about.
No one achieves success with a hit-or-miss attitude. It is important to come up with a well-laid roadmap for your business. You have to set a clear path ahead of you. You have to create your support pillars for success, so your business rests on a strong foundation and not just placed over sinking sand.
Building your business is like building your home. Your moves must be grounded upon those support pillars properly placed according to the master plan, just like the support pillars in your home. Without support pillars, your home will not stand for long nor will your success live.
There are 5 Support Pillars of Success one for each corner, and one in the center (for good measure). Let's take a look at each of them:
Support Pillar: VISION - The Center Post
Your vision must be clear to where you are headed. Formulate your vision by finding out what you really want in life. Of course, most of us want wealth but money is only just a little part of wealth. You have to think much deeper than money. Those who have made it BIG didn't have money as their primary vision. They had something more in mind wrapped around VALUE. They created their vision by finding out how they can be of value to others. Money is a byproduct of successful value!
When you create your vision, set goals for yourself. Have long-term goals, subdivide them into shorter interim goals and let these be your steps to your destination. That way, your overall goal will not become too overwhelming.
This planning stage I liken to this:
Question: How do you eat an elephant?
Answer: One bite at a time!
Support Pillar: MINDSET 1st Corner Post
Belief creates. If you believe in something, you will be able to create it. Belief is not merely a collection of thoughts it is a conviction. Your beliefs allow you to choose where you spend your energy.
When you discipline your mind to focus on your beliefs, you are creating your MINDSET. Everything you do is channeled towards that mindset your thoughts, your emotions and your actions.
Your mindset will push you to leave your comfort zone and think outside the box. Your mindset will encourage you to explore and discover. Allow yourself to be uncomfortable, uneasy and unsatisfied, as these feelings will be a driving force for you. Your comfort zone, that is if you stay in it, will stop you dead. Believe that your true power comes from within you. You need to stretch yourself in order to achieve. That's what a positive mindset will do --- bring the best out of you.
Support Pillar: ACTION 2nd Corner Post
Having a vision and mindset are great, but they're nothing without ACTION. Successful people are always on the move. They are always in action. Your vision and mindset need to be translated into action so you can see results. The intangible has to become tangible.
Think about the 80/20 Rule. Success is 80% action and 20% learning. Learning guides, but actions bring results. So where do you start?
The easiest way is to make a daily list of "to dos". Note down your top priorities daily, it's a simple as that. Remember it is like eating an elephant! When you have too many things going on, you tend to lose focus. When you lose focus, you lose your grip on forward action. By staying organized you will set your daily tasks that are your priorities for that day. Each day have a concrete plan of action well organized in your hands. By focusing on these action steps, you will create forward motion. This will bring results.
Support Pillar: MOMENTUM 3rd Corner Post
Now, not too fast! You may be excited to take action, but it is important to create momentum. Like an airplane taking off, you cannot be in mid-air with just one leap. Build on each step there's no zero to sixty here. Do what you can NOW today. What you can't do today, do tomorrow.
Be happy with your daily accomplishments. Don't compare yourself with the others. You are different; you are distinct. You are unique. There will be challenges and uphill battles you will face. Just make sure your focus is heading you in the right direction.
Anticipate success and be pro-active. Measure your success on how consistently you move toward the direction of your goal. Yes, it is about consistency. It's the most important aspect of success. It's where others have failed because they were not consistent, but were derailed by discouragements. So keep watch of your momentum, and make sure it's headed for success.
Support Pillar: MASTERY 4th Corner Post
The first 4 pillars are not enough to provide a basic foundation for success. It takes all 4 corner pillars and the center support to see you through it all in good times and bad. Mastery is another important support pillar to success. When you master yourself, you will be able to do most everything.
Mastery is constantly hearing your inner voice, and taking responsibility for your current reality. It's not about controlling yourself and the world around you. Mastery means you are always grounded on reality not soaring above with half-truths.
A person who masters oneself takes on challenges. In fact, he looks for them and learns from them. A person who has mastered this accepts rather than resists, and takes appropriate action being proactive and not reactive!
People who have achieved this mastery know their strengths as well as their weaknesses. They instinctively use these strengths in creating value for others.
They become genuine and authentic and people will accept them freely, be at ease and open up to them.
That is how things get done Are you up to the challenge?
