A Working Definition Of Success

There are a lot of definitions out there in the world for success, but all of them make it seem so elusive to the majority of people. We need to take the time to define what success is for us and then we have to actively pursue it.

I have been studying success for a long time and one of the best definitions that I have found is the one offered by Dr. Maltz in "Psycho Cybernetics". He breaks the word down so that it is an acronym for the qualities that are found in successful people.

S - Sense of direction for goals
U - Understanding
C - Courage
C - Compassion
E - Esteem
S - Self-Confidence
S - Self-Acceptance

The first "S" in success stands for a sense of direction. We are goal seeking mechanisms. In order to stop spinning our wheels we have to have something that we are aiming for. Decide what you want out of a situation. Always have something ahead of you that you are looking forward to. Get your eyes off the rear-view mirror and develop and forward thinking mentality. Once you successfully attain one goal, set another one that will continually more you forward with your life.

"U" is understanding and it depends on good communication. To avoid misunderstanding we need to insure that we get all of the facts about a situation and leave our opinions out of the equation as they will only cause confusion. You have got to make yourself see the truth. Gather information about yourself and others in relation to the situation whether the news is good or bad. You want to adopt a model that it doesn't matter who is right but what is right.

The "C" for courage is a requirement to take action toward your success. It's all well and good to have a goal and to understand all of the aspects of it, but if you are afraid to take action, you will never achieve it. Desires and beliefs will never be translated into reality. You are going to make mistakes, head off in wrong directions and you may even cause yourself some embarrassment but don't let those things divert you from the successful completion of your goal. This characteristic is difficult for many of us; so, start with little things that will build your courage muscle and then move onto bigger and bolder goals.

"C" for compassion is based not only on the regard that you have for other people but also for yourself. The feelings that we have about others tend to correspond to our feelings about ourselves. Realize that others are just like you, they are unique personalities and creative beings. Take the time to stop and think about their feelings.

Esteem "E" is the opinion that you have about yourself. Start to see yourself as a worth, successful person. The word esteem literally means to appreciate the worth of something. As a human being you are one of the greatest creations in this universe, by accepting that statement as true you are well on your way possessing this characteristic.

Self-confidence "S" is built on experiences of success. Whenever we start something new we do not have the expertise that would engender confidence. However, we can pull up past success and realize that we have undertaken many things in our lives that we have successfully accomplished. Deliberately remember and picture those successes as you proceed in this new endeavor.

Self-acceptance "S" kind of speaks for itself. You have to understand that as a human being you are full of assets and liabilities. Accept both aspects of yourself. Most of us are better, wiser, stronger and more competent than we realize. Release the talents, powers and abilities that you already have and you will easily reach your goal of success.

We want to thank Dr. Maxwell Maltz and his book "Psycho-Cybernetics" for this acronym.

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