Many people speak about their desire or dream to achieve ‘success’ and often they attribute success to an outcome, winning a new client, winning a race, beating the opposition or obtaining something tangible. They will each have their own definition of what success means to them. But is that really success? Is the gold medal, blue ribbon, the brand new client or the premiership cup actually success? Well by tangible measurement it could be, however I would argue that for many athletes and business people, the ‘achievement’ can often be a relief and for some, a let down. The real success was in the commitment they made to stay the course, the constant and repetitive hard work they put in, the relentless persistence and focus that was exerted in order to achieve the result.
Muhammad Ali did not win his numerous world boxing titles through merely stepping into the ring and fighting – he won them through his relentless focus and dedication to training and preparation – in other words, the journey. He was once quoted as saying ‘The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights’. He knew that for him, success was all about the journey, and the journey prepared him for the ultimate result he achieved, the numerous world titles. As John Maxwell says ‘Success is determined by your daily agenda’. It is who you become along the way that will determine whether or not you will be successful. And remember, success can also be very subjective. A young ambitious leader once approached John Maxwell after a leadership seminar and said ‘John, I would love to have what you have, and do what you do’ hoping to get some words of wisdom and encouragement from John. John’s reply was direct and straight to the point – he said ‘Are you willing to do what I have done, and overcome the challenges I have had to overcome, to be here today?’. To John, it is all about the journey.
So why is the journey more important that the destination?
- The journey reveals who you are and what you are made of. What do you stand for? Why do you do what it is that you do? For many people, discovering their purpose along the journey is the real success. It is not until they are faced with challenges and obstacles that they often discover what their true purpose is, and why they are on the journey. And for many people, once this discovery is made, the destination becomes less important, as it is the path of growth and development that delivers the real success.
- The journey can often test your attitude. Do you have the right attitude to stay the course? You would have heard the saying ‘your attitude determines your altitude’ and it is so true. Study successful people such as Rupert Murdoch, Richard Branson, Mark Bouris, Gina Rinehart, to name a few, and they all have something in common – a fierce attitude towards working hard, never ever giving up, and working according to their purpose. When inevitable challenges are thrown at you, they will test your attitude & your resolve. With a fierce attitude to remain focussed, this will keep you on the journey.
- The journey forces you to take responsibility. To achieve ‘success’, you must take full responsibility for your actions and ultimately everything that happens to you. Understand that ‘stuff’ is always going to happen, and many times, it will be out of your control. However by taking full responsibility for what happens, you retain personal power over how you respond, and therefore maintain control of your own destiny, each and every day.
- The journey can allow you to inspire others. Through taking responsibility and maintaining the right attitude, you often become a model for others to follow, and they will often follow you purely based on the example you have set and continue to set. Especially as a leader, people are watching your every move – so utilise the journey that you are on to model excellence and show the way for them. They will often leverage off your example to courageously set out on their own journey.
- The journey is about who you become along the way. As Jim Rohn said many years ago – ‘After you become a millionaire, you can give all of your money away because what’s important is not the million dollars; what’s important is the person you have become in the process of becoming a millionaire’. The real success is not the end result – it is who you become in the process of working towards the end result that is the real success, along with the responsibility that comes with that.
So as you continue to strive towards your goals and aspirations, remember to enjoy the journey, to take some time to ‘smell the roses’ along the way, embrace the challenges and obstacles that will be placed in your path, along with the numerous opportunities that will come your way, and realise that when you achieve your ‘success’, it will be that much sweeter because of the journey you decided to take.
To your continued success.
Darren
Are you seeking to increase your influence? Click this link to download a FREE copy of my eBook “Lead With Influence – The 7 Strategic Keys to Unleash Your Sales Leadership Potential”.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post – I greatly appreciate it, and welcome comments and feedback. Please feel free to comment below, to follow me on LinkedIn, or to connect via Twitter or Facebook.
Darren is a Sales Leadership and Sales Performance Coach, Facilitator & Speaker. He is an experienced and committed coach with a background of sales leadership success in large organisations. He applies a genuine focus to coaching and developing high performing sales leaders who are looking to unleash the potential of themselves and their teams.
