DISQUS

JohnRocheleau · 11 months ago

I can relate to this perspective on success. Sometimes my drive to succeed is very much all-or-nothing, survival oriented. I've been on that edge quite a lot. Necessity is certainly the mother of invention as the saying goes.

Of course, the reason I have been on that edge, in part, is because I have used many of those excuses (and a few others) for not taking quicker action :)

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

It sounds like you've had a taste for this whole all-or-nothing success strategy. I guess sometimes the added time pressure can do the trick. ;)

Ross · 11 months ago

Great tips for success! I want to back you all the way with the lingerie comment, too! Safe travels for your trip, sounds amazing.
All the best

- Ross

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Haha, I love the lingerie example because it gets everyone's attention. ;)

Thanks!

Stacey / Create a Balance · 11 months ago

I love what you wrote about not wanting to be disappointed. I’m getting ready to debut products and to advertise my first online retreat. I may be disappointed if people do not purchase my products and services (oh, but how I know they will), but I would be much more disappointed in myself if I never shared my gifts with the world in the first place.

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Good luck on your new product and retreat offerings. You're absolutely right that you would be more disappointed if you didn't just go for it.

Carla · 11 months ago

Brilliant post. "3. I could do that if I tried harder." is something I struggle with often. I love the solutions you gave. Definitely much needed advice for me!

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Thanks Carla, I'm glad it was helpful. I know #3 creeps up for me a lot, and was especially frequent when I was in school. ;)

Peter Normandia · 11 months ago

"Money is just a way of measuring the contribution you make to the world" .... I absolutely love this quote. That is a great way to look at things, and honestly, nothing is truer. Yes, some bad people make a lot of money, but Karma is always their in the end. In fact, to me, the key to becoming wealthy beyond your dreams is trying to figure out a way to help others. The more you can help, the more you will acquire.

Great post, once again Nathalie.

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

You got it Peter: helping others is the key. I personally like this perspective, since it takes the "bad" out of money pretty fast and makes us think of the people first. :)

Ashley @ Wide Open Wallet · 11 months ago

Mine is... "I'll never succeed at that so why bother trying" I'm trying hard to work through it.

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Wow that's a really good one Ashley! I am writing it down, since I know it can stop me sometimes too.

JustinSMV · 11 months ago

I have to keep telling myself to set goals because its a great tip to use in business. These are excellent basic tips to achieve success! Thanks for sharing.

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Absolutely my pleasure Justin, thanks for writing. :)

Very Evolved · 11 months ago

Nathalie this post has a lot of great insights, really enjoyed it. The landscape of the human brain is a very strange one indeed. Everyday I am fascinated by the apparently odd ways it works - some of the quirks you just mentioned.

Enjoy your trip

Patrick
veryevolved.com

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Thanks Patrick. I think the human brain, and sometimes our emotions can totally send us for a ride if we aren't aware of the ways they operate. :)

Kristy · 11 months ago

First of all, good for you for taking the necessary steps to achieving your goals and laying off the excuses. I often find the reason I haven't succeeded in things is that 1.) I wasn't fully committed, and 2.) I clung to any excuse I could find. I'm particularly fond of excuse number 1 on your list. However, I put a positive spin on it and say that I'd rather set myself up for success rather than failure. In most cases, I'm just making excuses. But, I do have an exception here. For the new year, my boss (whom I love to death) decided this was the year for her to get in shape and decided she was going to run a half marathon. She commissioned me to join in and I agreed. After considering this, I decided to look at all the options. Neither of us are runners and the run is in April. Now, I'm not saying it's totally impossible, but for a couple of women with weight challenges and not being runners, the chances of actually running 13 miles seemed pretty slim to me. But, looking into it more, I found that there was also a 5k we could run. They way I put it to her was that if we run the 5k, we're setting ourselves up for success because we can achieve 5k. After running that, we'll be even more motivated to go up from there. We're not quitting, and eventually we will get to the half marathon, but for now, we're taking small steps. So, number 1 can be turned into a situation that keeps you focused on your overall goal.

In regards to your second excuse, I see your point, but it's not necessarily a good thing. Look at the CEOs of all the failed banks, the CEOs of the "big three," etc. All these people have money, but their contributions to society ran the American economy right into the ground. Sure, things could be worse and I'm thankful they're not, but in regards to your point, having more money doesn't necessarily mean that people contribute in a good way and that has to be looked at as well.

Overall, great post! Hope you're enjoying your trip.

Nathalie Lussier · 11 months ago

Hi Kristy, thank you so much for sharing your views! I think you and your boss are very much setting yourselves up for success with your run. I wish you all the best, I know how great it feels to reach that finish line after all your efforts!

As for point number 2, I know there are some cases where people seem to cheat the system. Like these big shots who are in charge of keeping the economy running... But I think if we could follow the idea of contribution = money more closely, we might not allow them to take such huge bonuses and paychecks. We might also pay school teachers more, since their services are important to society. I still stand by my point, but I can see that it's not foolproof, since there are some places where it breaks down. I just think it can help us to see money in a more positive light.

And thanks again, I really value your opinions. It helps me to figure out what resonates with people, and places where I might not have thought things through fully! ;)

Davina · 11 months ago

I can totally relate to this. You know what is interesting about that mind of ours is that it also attaches us to our current "failures" to prevent us from letting go and trying again.

Social Marketing Mama · 9 months ago

I must say, this article really spoke to me. I love how you break it down, I do look at success as survival.... You must! I learned how not to try and second guess myself, I just do it...even if I'm not 100% sure....all-or-nothing attitude right!