| There is no shortcut to success. Unlike every | | | | * Get up two hours earlier. |
| episode with Indiana Jones, there is no Holy Grail | | | | * Call three more people and ask for help. |
| of aspirational whimsy whereby you plot a few | | | | * Quit working on things that distract your focus. |
| strategic moves and end up with all the pieces on | | | | Be intense! Taking shortcuts is the wrong reaction |
| the board. Success is a mindset. Not a point in | | | | to fear. |
| time... | | | | When faced with the audacious challenge of being |
| Everything we ever been told about success | | | | successful, we find ourselves at the crossroads |
| usually revolves around a single point in time. | | | | of fight or flight. As soon as you decide you want |
| When we set a record, crash through the ribbon | | | | to be something, you face resistance from the |
| at the finish line, win the trophy, land the biggest | | | | world. That resistance turns into oppression - |
| customer in the history of our business... It's all | | | | people actively fighting against your success. |
| about our "spot emotional index". Around key | | | | It's OK to be afraid. But taking shortcuts is a flight |
| dates like graduation, end of the quarter, and | | | | reaction; not you fighting for your own success. If |
| bonus time, we feel successful IF there is a | | | | you are running away from own success, it's |
| physical memento to indicate that we were | | | | impossible to believe that you are taking steps to |
| successful. Without the trophy it can be hard for | | | | actually move you closer to your dreams. |
| us to gauge "success"... | | | | Use fear to help drive effort and focus toward |
| That's why I go back to the idea that success is | | | | your mission. Use fear to build mental muscle |
| less a date on the calendar and more of a | | | | around your purpose in life. Relish fear! It is your |
| philosophy. It's important that you adopt a | | | | nitrous on the raceway of life... |
| successful mindset rather than aim for public | | | | Taking shortcuts conflicts with the outrageous |
| indicators of success. Flashy public indicators of | | | | effort needed to be successful. |
| success attached to a pile of debt leave you | | | | The inherent idea that you can realize your |
| unable to to do the hard things that are required | | | | wildest dreams without a passionate investment |
| to realize your dreams. You can either look like | | | | of mind, body, and soul is just nutty. You can't |
| "the man" or turn your dreams into reality. You | | | | get more from your life by doing less. |
| can't really have both... | | | | When you slow down and cheat yourself out of |
| Turning ideas into dreams and dreams into | | | | the self-investment necessary to build a brilliant |
| success is hard enough. It's a gut-wrenching, | | | | destiny, you just won't ever find yourself where |
| bloody nose battle. It requires an absurdly special | | | | you want to be. To be successful, you have to |
| kind of toughness. And when you are fighting for | | | | work so hard your eyes have blisters. Against all |
| your dreams and the world is beating the life out | | | | odds you have keep trying - when you're sick, |
| of you you might be tempting to try to take a | | | | when you're broke, when you have no fans. It's |
| shortcut. | | | | raw sweat equity. |
| You find yourself asking, "Isn't there an easier | | | | Taking shortcuts conflicts with everything that |
| way?" And why not? Shortcuts look great on TV | | | | outrageous effort leads to. You do nothing that |
| when Bo and Luke Duke take the dirt ramp up | | | | means anything and still get everything. Taking |
| and over the washed out wooden bridge and | | | | shortcuts doesn't mean you end up where you |
| beat the bad guys who want to shut down their | | | | wanted to be. |
| moonshine business. Real life though is a little | | | | Since there is rarely a certain, unchanging "end |
| different. Shortcuts hurt you - not help you. | | | | point" for success, you can't take a shortcut to a |
| Here are a few key things to consider: | | | | destination that doesn't exist. Ever thought you |
| Taking shortcuts is you admitting failure up front. | | | | really wanted something, only to change your |
| It's pretty mentally damaging. If you really | | | | mind once you see what you got? You thought |
| thought you could realize your dreams, you | | | | that you would be happy - and you weren't. |
| wouldn't be tempted by the thought of taking | | | | Why? |
| shortcuts. Admit it. You've had the same doubts | | | | Success is process - a mindset. And while success |
| that I have had. Can I do this? Can I make this | | | | includes milestones, the emphasis is on the |
| happen? Do I have the guts to try one more | | | | journey not on the original destiny. Most of us |
| time? | | | | dream too small. We take our destiny and shrink |
| When your answer to these questions is a | | | | it down into a small container that the critics can't |
| shortcut rather than focused intensity, you are | | | | get to. Life has an amazing way of helping you |
| admitting to yourself (and soon to others) that | | | | realize your dreams in ways far from what you |
| you are a failure. You may throw out your chest | | | | could have ever imagined at the beginning of your |
| and claim to be on top of your game. But you | | | | dream. It's bigger. It's better. There's no way to |
| know, deep down, that you have given up before | | | | get there with a shortcut |
| you even started. | | | | So dream bigger than ever! And don't steal your |
| If you want to get your head back-on-straight | | | | chance at an amazing destiny by taking a |
| look doubt in the eye and fight for your destiny. | | | | shortcut. It's not fair to you... |