6 Steps to Push You Towards Success and Happiness

Summary: The road to success is not always easy, but it can be fun and worthwhile if we are pursuing something that fills us with passion and meaning.

Successful entrepreneurs are some of the happiest people in the world. Even though they work hard, work longer hours, and the definition of success varies, there is no doubt that there is something about them that drives them to work beyond the requirement of waking up early and staying up late.

The most successful entrepreneurs seem to have an ability to learn from mistakes, reinvent themselves, and persevere. Most have failed at some point, driving them to grow and learn for next time. By looking deeply at their habits, motivations, and characteristics, we can learn how the steps they have taken have shaped their future to be what it is now.

1. Failure is not an option. In order to succeed, you can’t let failing be a possibility. There may be setbacks but each time you can reevaluate and adapt your goals as you move forward. Not allowing failure to be part of your life will change your point of view to where you want to take advantage of every opportunity that gets throw your way.

2. Passion is the driving force to being successful. When you don’t love what you do, there is no motivation to make it the best. There will still be aspects of any job that you may not love but if the overall objective of the job makes you happy, then it is worth pursuing.

3. Pursue something that gives more than just a high paycheck. When your career has meaning, you will be willing to stick with it and put more into it. The company TOMS is a great example of a job that serves a higher meaning. Their business model of one-for-one gives shoes to children in need with every purchase. Intertwining a more meaningful purpose with your personal goals will leave you feeling more satisfied with the work you do.

4. Word harder than anyone else is willing to. The best don’t become the best overnight. They put in countless hours to training, learning, and becoming the best in their field. There are sacrifices made in order to take every possible moment and turn into moments of perfecting their skills and building relationships that will help them succeed.

5. Along with sacrifices come priorities. When you ask yourself if the party or event will be an effective use of time, then you will understand what role it has in your future. Being able to prioritize time, business responsibilities, and tasks allows you to get the most value out of your endeavors.

6. Take a moment to relax and reenergize. Staying on top of your game 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year will be exhausting and wear you out. Entrepreneurs continually acknowledge the balance of work and play as part of what keeps them successful. Studies show over and over again that we need a break from our hectic work days to rejuvenate. This includes taking the weekends off as well as taking our vacation days.

Photo: jongordon.com