According to the WHO, the average life expectancy of a human being in a developed country is 76.8 years. I am currently 36.6 years old. So if these stats are correct, I have approximately 40.2 years left before I cark it.
Now I don’t know about you but I want to live the rest of my life as happy, and healthy, and as successful as I possibly can. Making sure those 40.2 years I have remaining are extraordinary.
People often ask me what does it take to be successful. “If there was one thing all successful people have, what would that be?” And I always give the same answer. Hunger. Hunger to be more. Achieve more. Contribute more. Live more. Love more. Whatever their definition of success is, they want to do more of it.
With that hunger comes commitment. Commitment to not just do the best they can but to be the best they can.
Here are 11 promises highly successful people make to themselves every day, to live an extraordinary life:
1) I will always respect myself – and others
Successful people know self-respect is the cornerstone to health, wealth and happiness. They choose every morning to know their worth. To always value themselves equal to others. Not superior or inferior, but equal. They respect their minds and their bodies. They speak to themselves with positivity. Encouragement. Compassion. Passion. They eat a balanced, nutritional diet, exercise regularly and rest. They find time to do the things that make them happy.
The moment we have self-respect – we naturally respect others. Appreciating everyone has different values and opinions and respecting those differences.
2) I will always live by my definition of success – not someone else’s
For years I was confused about my definition of success. The world was seemingly telling me success was fame, business and wealth. But none of those things motivated me. So with no desire for wealth and fame – would that mean I would never be or feel successful?
After my trip to Bali, I gained clarity on my definition of success. Success for me is not about money or achievement. Success for me is about experience, growth and contribution. Experiencing the things important to me (love, travel, making a difference, nature, adventure etc.) and helping others. And most of these experiences don’t require a huge amount of money. I don’t need to own a yacht to experience being on a yacht.
So my question is not, “What do I want to achieve in life?” but now, “What do I want to experience?”. Get clear on your definition of success and build your life around that. And fulfilment will naturally follow.
3) I will never lower my standards – for anyone or anything
I’ve made some good decisions in my life. And I’ve made some bad ones. Some really bad ones. 9 times out of 10 the bad decisions I made were because I was chasing validation from others. I wanted them to like me. Or to perceive me in a certain way. And in doing so I lost sight of who I was and what was important to me.
Successful people promise to never compromise their standards to win the approval of others. To never jeopardise their health and well-being to fit in or be liked. They set their standards. They live them and breathe them every day. Never apologising for them. Knowing anyone who really wants to be in their life will step up to meet them.
4) I will always believe in myself
Fear of failure is the only thing that stands between us and our dreams. But with self-belief, successful people are able to overcome this fear. They know, no matter how far they fall, they will always bounce back up again. They deeply believe they are resourceful and can manifest what they need to achieve their goals.
5) I will never procrastinate
Productivity is key to accomplishment. Successful people have learned that procrastination kills productivity. Instead of focusing on the pain of the task ahead they focus on the purpose. Asking themselves two key questions: “What will it cost me if I don’t do this right now?” and “What will I gain if I do this right now?”
6) I will never negatively compare myself to others
Comparing yourself to someone and getting inspired to do better and be better is OK. Successful people do this. What they don’t do is compare themselves to others and feel ‘less than’. Their self-esteem and self-worth stand solid, regardless of how they compare to others. They appreciate others will be better than them in certain areas. But they respect everyone has their gifts. And like stars in the night sky, there is enough room for all of us to shine.
7) I will always set goals
Successful and happy people know that genuine fulfilment comes from having a sense of purpose. Something to work towards. Something that is compelling and meaningful. They always set goals. And before they have finished one, they’re already setting the next. Grateful for what they have learnt and experienced, and eager for more.
8) I will always improve myself
Unsuccessful people generally have a fixed mindset. “This is who I am and what I have. Nothing will ever change.” Successful people have a growth mindset and believe they can change and experience more. They are always looking to update their skills and habits and learn new ones. Personal development is a top priority.
9) I will always be disciplined
Successful people know that nothing worth having in life comes easy. They are prepared to put in the hard work and be disciplined. Because they know they can either live a life of discipline or live a life of regret.
And as Jim Rohn said, “There are two types of pain you will go through in life. The pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tonnes.”.
10) I will never avoid pain
Pain avoidance is what keeps us stuck. But until we’re willing to go through the pain we will never get ‘unstuck’. We will never grow or experience new things. And we will never be truly fulfilled.
Successful people face the pain. Believing they will always come out the other side stronger and wiser than ever before. Knowing nothing is more painful than staying stuck.
11) I will always follow my dreams
Successful people know they get one chance at life, and one chance only. They want to live it to the max. Others will tell them what is and what isn’t possible. But they promise themselves they will always decide what is possible. And nothing will stand in the way of that.
If I was to add a 12th promise it would be, “I will never beat myself up for not being perfect.” Or “I will always strive for excellence, not perfection.” Successful people know they are human and they are going to make mistakes. There will be days where they might not follow through on one or more of their promises. And that’s OK. Life is not about being perfect. It’s about doing the best you can with the resources you have. So when you make a mistake, simply make a note of what you did and commit to doing better next time.
If you’d like to find out more about how you can live an even happier and more successful life, visit www.zetayarwood.com or email me at zeta@zetayarwood.com.
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- https://zetayarwood.com/finding-purpose-true-key-to-happiness/
Zeta Yarwood is recognised as a leading Career Coach and NLP Life Coach in Dubai, helping individuals across the world to achieve success in all areas of their lives. With a degree in Psychology and over 10 years’ experience in coaching, management and recruitment – working for multinational companies and award-winning recruitment firms – Zeta is an expert in unlocking human potential. Passionate about helping people discover their strengths, talents and motivation, Zeta lives to inspire others to dream big and create the life and career they really want.
For further information and inspiration, please visit www.zetayarwood.com or follow on Twitter @zetayarwood, Linkedin or Facebook