Ahhh, that illusive term, Success. What does success really mean? Does it mean the same thing to everyone? Of course not. Each of us is an individual, and because of that, each one of us has a different concept of what it means to be successful.

Hmmm, what determines how we interpret success? Well, it could be how we were raised or the things we enjoy. Maybe it’s what we learned in school or church. Whatever it may be, our interpretation of success is personal to us. No one else can tell us what success is in our mind.

Now let’s take that a step further and apply our interpretation of success to our profession . . . business success. I caught some of you on that, didn’t I? If you are like me, you immediately associate business success with success in general. But, others may look at a broader picture. They may look at how successful their family life is, or their hobbies, or their relationships. Maybe they base their success on popularity or how many widgets they have collected. You see, it doesn?t matter what we identify with when we think of success. As humans we all are driven to some extent to achieve it.

Back to our profession. This is probably what the majority of people think of because we put so much emphasis on our careers or our professions, how much money we make or who we know based on our job. In the United States there is a strong emphasis beginning in early childhood to be productive and to develop a good work habit. As we grow into adults, that translates into our career, job title, or profession.

Unfortunately, as we are being taught to have a good work ethic as children, we aren’t taught some of the fundamental elements of business success. Some people are lucky and come by it naturally, while others struggle continually making small advances but never reaching their full potential. Fortunately, there are many tools available for people who want to improve their existing place in the business world or move into an entirely new career. But, it takes a commitment and time to make that happen.

If you are struggling and not reaching the success you desire, it may not be your fault. But, YOU are the only one that can change your results. You can take responsibility to make the changes needed to reach your full potential and become the person you were meant to be.

To your success,

Swanie Brandt
Carmen Brandt Wolf