What is it you truly desire to be, do or have in your life?

Success means very different things to different people so the first step in achieving success has to be to decide what this means to you. Knowing where to put your focus and your efforts is crucial and a great help when it comes to making everyday decisions.  A great exercise to get some clarity is in the preceding post “How to Create Your Best Year” 

Can you complete these sentences?

When I am successful

I am (a state of being) ….

I do (activities) ….

I have (possessions) ….

It is safe to say that if you are not already being, doing and have what you desire, you are going to have to make some changes and this is where many of us run into trouble because we can’t change in isolation. As soon as we start to make changes we affect those around us and our environment and we often hit a brick wall and decide maybe its easier, safer, better to stay as we are. Exit our dreams and desires.

In the 1970’s Dr Clare Graves, expanding on the work of Maslow, developed a table of eight values and thinking systems that affect human existence and development and both cause us to want to change as well as giving us reasons not to.

“At each stage of human existence the adult is off on his quest of his holy grail, the way of life he seeks by which to live. As he sets off on each quest, he believes he will find the answer to his existence. Yet, much to his surprise and much to his dismay, he finds that as he solves one set of human problems he finds a new set in their place. The quest he finds is never ending.”

Dr. Clare W. Graves 1914 – 1986 

In the book “101 Days to Make a Change” Roy Leighton and his co-authors suggest that when we want to make changes, we may need to look at each of these levels and rather than ask “Where am I?” ask “Am I open or closed to change at this level?”

1. Survival – Getting the basics right. Are you waving or drowning?

2. Tribal – Who are your people? Do you make a positive impact on those around you?

3. Self – Who are you? What are your non-negotiable values?

4. Order – Are you building a life on solid foundations?

5. Enterprise – Are you moving forward with self knowledge?

6. Community – How can you deepen your relationships and build bonds?

7. Complexity – Do you see the bigger picture or always sweat the small stuff?

8. Holistic – Do you have an existential outlook?  Can you see the interconnectedness of everything?

If desire is the starting point of all achievement, self knowledge and the ability to change go hand in hand. Are you part of this never ending quest?

Next: Steps to Success #2. Self Belief is the Key to Success

More details of the The 12 Steps to Success can be found here

If you have any queries about this or the process of  making changes please leave a comment below or join the discussion on Linkedin http://lnkd.in/7AR7ex