Shades of Success, Inc.

Success: It's in the Eye of the Beholder

Success is an elusive word with many meanings.  Sometimes the meaning of success depends on goals society defines as markers of success (social status, financial wealth, professional achievement).  Other times the individual decides how to define success on her own with or without the influence of society's demands (work/life balance, follow your dream).

In other words, success--just like beauty-- is in the eye of the beholder. 

Our own definition of success is similar to this picture:  It has several interpretations.   Hint for those who have not come across this popular optical illusion before:  it's a woman.   For some it's an old woman and for others it's a young woman. (Leave a comment if you are having trouble spotting the women and I'll help you).

No one way of defining success is better than the other.  What matters is that you are comfortable and excited about achieving success...on your own terms.

Success: Product of Choice?

During a search in You Tube for videos worth viewing, I came across Stephen Covey's three-minute tidbit about success.  He claims that we are the only ones responsible for our success (editorial comment:  whatever success means to us personally).  I wholeheartedly agree with him.

Covey goes on to say that success is the product of choice.  You may be wondering (as I was, choice of what?) Covey refers to the choice to become successful or not.  Now you may be saying, 'everyone wants to be successful.'  And that is exactly the issue.  Wanting to be is not the same as being.  So, the choice to succeed = clarity of purpose + relentless determination to accomplish purpose.

There is a catch: The purpose will vary according to what your definition of success is.  Most of us get stuck and borrow accepted definitions of success from family, peers or our own culture (e.g. status, financial wealth, possessions). 

Clarity of purpose requires the courage to reflect and self-evaluate your current career and life path.  Your definition of success does not need to be different from others.  It just needs to be what you voluntarily, willingly and courageously have decided for yourself.

 

Neuroscience anyone?

I recently came across this new online training technology, Maestro Conference. Its main value is to create an interactive experience for online learners.

As a promotional effort to get people interested in trying this tool, Maestro Conference has created an online seminar event during the whole month of July. And this is a no cost to those who subscribe. The range of topics varies from spirituality to the neuroscience of success. If you want to learn more about Maestro and browse the remainder seminar offerings, click here.  You have lots to learn and nothing to lose!

The Biggest Lesson Learned from my Year at Harvard

Today is Commencement Day at Harvard University.  I should have been one of the hundreds of graduate students wearing a cap and gown, glowing with pride to receive a degree from such  prestigious institution.  Instead I am writing this blog post cheering for my colleagues and friends.

Why didn't I graduate this year?  Because I made a choice last December:  To slow down the pace of studies while being a mother to my son, Arturo.

It was no sacrifice.  It was a choice.  And that was the biggest lesson from my experience as a graduate student:  To expect the unexpected even when you think you have accomplished what you want.  You and you only can decide how to manage the challenges ahead. 

The key is for you to decide how to handle every twist and turn and not to let circumstances determine how your experiences turn out.  Proactivity and open mindedness are essential to self-managing unexpected challenges.  Trust me on this one.  I have spent many sleepless nights reflecting on this issue while changing diapers and rocking my little one to sleep.

Failure: Success in Disguise?

Rejection. Failure.  Loss.  These are words that, unfortunately, have become part of our daily conversations.  After a while one could become trapped in this downward spiral thinking and see every occurrence as a negative.

What if failure, rejection and loss were to be perceived as ways to prepare us for success?  At least so it says Harvard University.  Their Success/Failure Project offers lots of resources and research to prove this argument.  You might want to take a look.  What do you have to lose?

Dealing with Rejection

If it is any consolation, every one has experienced rejection in one way or another.  Even Harvard students are coming to this realization according to an article in The Boston Globe.

 

The article does a good job in suggesting reflection and introspection as ways to learn from the experience.   

Making Fear your Friend

The title of this post may sound a little corny, but let's reflect on its meaning for a moment.  Science tells us that when humans experience fear, we tend to become paralyzed or take off and run away from the source.  What very few of us do--or even consider doing--is to try to manage our fearful feelings and figure out a way to emerge victorious from the battle against fear.

Pam Slim's excellent blog entry titled, The Upside of Fear offers an alternative way to look at fear.  And let's face it. We are feeling a bit unsettled these days.  We need to fight the feeling to whine endlessly.

We are the authors of our lives.  Let's get to work on our masterpieces!

Resources to start the year on the right foot

I hope everyone is well rested from the holiday season and with a renewed desire to start the New Year on the right foot.  In that spirit, here are a couple of online resources that I recommend for entrepreneurs:

Startupnation is, in my opinion, a comprehensive resource for anyone thinking about starting their  own business and for those who already have embarked on the entrepreneurial path.

Pam Slim's Escape from the Cubicle Nation blog is full of information that makes you think and take action as you embark on your quest to become a thriving entrepreneur (in Pam's words).  Pam goes beyond giving advice to people who want to free themselves from corporate oppression.  Her wisdom can be applied to those facing career dilemmas or looking to face their fears.

Happy reading!

The ABC's of Empowerment

When asked to give a talk about empowerment at a recent event, my immediate reaction was,  "how much time do I have?" 

Empowerment is a loaded word.  Wikipedia has a few interesting definitions.  In a nutshell, empowerment means to give power to someone. This meaning implies that someone lacks power in whatever form it may be:  economic, social, political, etc. Empowerment in this example is an external change is someone's life.

I consider personal empowerment the key to reaching all other forms.  Personal empowerment manifests in increased self-confidence, ability to learn from mistakes, ability to manage one's life and make changes as needed. These are all internal changes within the person, which are hard to notice.

Can we really empower ourselves? How?  Why is it hard to do? 

Yes, we can give power to ourselves! We just need to become aware that we are the CEO's of our lives.  We can activate our self-empowering thinking by learning to appreciate our skills, abilities and strengths. By the way, do we know what those are?

Think of empowerment as a transformative experience. Like the caterpillar becoming a butterfly.  It takes some time but the result is life changing.

60th Anniversary - Declaration of Human Rights

Today is the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.  I just read the whole document and although every article of the declaration sounds logical and practical, as they say, it's easier said than done.   On the other hand, it is somewhat perplexing that we needed to have a written document to remind us of the basic and elementary rights of everyone who inhabits the planet.  Maybe because we take them granted.

The United Nations website has lots of interesting historical information and suggestions about how to participate in celebrations to commemorate the event.

A suggestion of my own:  Take ten minutes to read the Declaration, reflect on it and figure out ways to incorporate its principles into your daily life.  We don't need to leave our families and live in the middle of nowhere to fight for and uphold human rights.  Start right in your community.