Have you ever felt like you were part of something big? As though you were connected to something with a greater purpose?
Over the last year I’ve reflected on the 6 essential conditions that help people breakthrough obstacles and achieve success.
You can see it on people’s faces – when they’ve achieved something that was once only a distant possibility.
Whether in the workplace or in the community, it takes a great effort to build a culture where people feel they can overcome challenges and achieve big goals.
1. Vision
Whether your vision is to climb Mount Everest or to launch a product that astounds customers, every achievement starts with a vision. At first, the vision is a dream that seems like a very distant possibility, but with effort it becomes a reality. Vision statements are different from mission statements and a great vision statement inspires hearts and minds.
2. Curiosity
Some dreams can feel too big to fathom, let alone to achieve.
It would be hard to imagine running a marathon before running the first kilometer. It would be hard to imagine becoming a black belt when beginning as a white belt.
And there are always a million reasons ‘why something won’t work’. Yet so many people have achieved great things.
This is why curiosity is so important.
Instead of judging ourselves every day by the magnitude of the dream, we can instead get curious about what can be learnt from each daily action that can be taken.
3. A solid work ethic
The greatest successes come through effort. Sometimes we don’t want to hear this. In fact, faced with a choice between hard work and a quick fix to success…well, we know which one we would rather choose.
But deep down we all know that the best rewards (at least the ones we celebrate the most) are the ones we had to work for. There’s that feeling – ‘you know what, I earnt that!’ – which only comes when we’ve worked for something.
For several years I renovated my house. On the weekends I would work 12 hours in the yard – filling skips, digging out tree roots, and landscaping. I loved that time because at the end of the day I could see the difference I had created. For me, that was the reward.
Though we all may have different goals, the premise is still the same – the reward that results from achieving something is magnified by the effort we’ve put in to get there.
4. Persistence
Any goal that is worthwhile will be a challenge.
There will be times when you win. And, there will be other times where we’re all knocked flat on our back. When this happens we may feel like we just want to throw in the towel.
In these circumstances, persistence and perseverance count for more than sheer talent. A strong will is needed to push through challenging times in order to succeed. It sounds like a cliche, yet it is true.
5. Camaraderie
No one achieves large goals by themselves. Always there is a supportive team alongside them.
If we achieved everything we wanted, but didn’t have anyone to share it with, that would be a hollow achievement indeed.
What makes an achievement more enjoyable is when it comes with a sense of belonging to a group that has helped us achieve. A shared sense of spirit makes success enjoyable.
One of the time’s when I realised this most was when I trekked the Kokoda trail. It was a tough 8 day hike and my father, friend and I started with a group we didn’t know. But by the end of it we had the challenge in common, as well as the experience of helping each other to finish.
Whether it’s trekking a jungle, ascending a snow-capped mountain, or completing a massive project at work, camaraderie binds teams together.
Fortunately, there’s a wealth of research now available on what it takes to build effective and high performing teams.
So if you’re pursuing a vision in your work or your life outside of work, ask yourself what else you could do to build a shared sense of camaraderie
6. Fun
Because it’s no good working your heart out on any goal unless you’re enjoying yourself.
Some of the people I admire most in life are people with such a sense of connection with others that, in even tough times, they make everyone feel like they’re having the time of their life.
Without fun, work becomes just that…work.
***
Images:
1. Garrett Heath, Bright Color Hot Air Balloons (Remixed). https://www.flickr.com/photos/garrettheath/10262442104/
2. Jon-Eric Melsæter, Commandment Of The Day. https://www.flickr.com/photos/78707360@N00/3000222387/
3. Lukas Vermeer, Ascent (Reminxed). https://www.flickr.com/photos/lukasvermeer/13794618433/
