“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal” -Earl Nightingale

Los Angeles is a wonderland.
Actually, Disneyland, the happiest place on earth, is right here!
(OK…Disneyland is just south of Los Angeles in Anaheim, but we take credit for it.)

For the most part, it is the center of the universe in terms of fame and ‘success’; and if anyone says otherwise we just ignore them!

As I said before I LOVE the fact that people are succeeding and making their dreams come true all around me. In fact, one of the high points of my life is I had a chance to go and visit the Skywalker Ranch, where all 6 Star Wars films were made. And the thing that struck me most about it was the overwhelming sense of peace in the place; it was very clear that every single person working there was the best in the world at what they did, and were living their dream.

In the video below, I give several examples of what real success is, so I’d like to talk more here about what success is not, and what is keeping you from living the real thing.

 

So let’s start with what success is not:

Success is not control over other people.
Success is not winning the approval of others.
Success is not fame, although fame may come along with it.
Success is not power, but power may come along with it, too.
And most importantly:
Success is NOT just money, although money certainly plays a part.

So, then, what IS success?
Simple: success is a feeling. More specifically, a feeling of fulfillment.

And because it’s a feeling, you can choose to feel successful at any time  and by extension, you’ll BE more successful!

I know that may sound too simple, or too good to be true, but I mean it.
Consider, people like Ghandi or Mother Teresa who died with very few worldly possessions, but had a tremendous impact on their world.

Or, the counter point is true: Bill Gates and Warren Buffet have contributed billions of dollars to humanitarian work of all kinds.

So what do these people all have in common? 2 things: following their passion, and service to their fellow human beings.

Because for reasons I explain in the video below, success is doing your best at what it is you’re doing. TRUE success, is doing your best at your true calling, or life’s mission.

So assuming you already know what it is that you want, why aren’t you pursing it?

Up until now, you’ve been programmed  to lead your life in a certain way. Your culture, your parents, your own background and experiences have all shaped you into the person you are today good, bad, or indifferent.

The sum total of all of your experiences adds up to what has been called your ‘self image’, or how you see yourself.

If you ever find yourself thinking “I can’t do that, I’m not that type of person” that is your self-image. Or, if you think something is “just not for me”, that is your self image talking, too. Actually ANYTHING you do is your self image talking.

So when it comes time to change, you can experience a lot of inner resistance to creating a new and better you.

Maxwell Maltz wrote an excellent book called psycho-cybernetics that deals with this exact thing, and I am sure I’ll deal with it again more extensively in the near future, but for now I can tell you how to get started.

1.Decide what you want 
2.BELIEVE you can have it
3.Set your goals, make a plan, get after it.

Now I know that may sound easy, but it really IS that easy.
If you have trouble, just start a little smaller. If you are having trouble believing you can be a millionaire, set your sights on making $100,000.
If that’s too much, set your goal on $1,000, or $100.

Build up small wins, until you have enough confidence to pursue bigger ones.
Have you ever heard the expression “you can peck with the pigeons, or you can soar with the eagles”?

It’s up to you to decide what you are going to make of yourself and this life, so get after it!

What do you think ? Feel free to comment down below!

You are great, and I love you!

And if you love me back, click ‘share’ up at the top!

B. Dave Walters

Writer, Life Coach, and Talk Radio Host

Find out more about me:
http://about.me/BDaveWalters

Ask me anything:
http://formspring.me/BDaveWalters

Pages I support:
Jesus and Buddha  — Interfaith dialog

Gnostic Theism — Religion and Spirituality for the 21st Century (Join the Movement!)

Love One Another —  A group for the coolest Spiritual people on the Internet!