Success: Are You Keeping it Real?

"The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration." -- Thomas Edison

If the dozens and dozens of inspiring memes, quotes, tweets, and posts that pass before our eyes on a daily basis are to be believed, success is just outside our grasp. We simply have to picture it, chant it, claim it, or in some similar fashion take hold of it. Question: How's that working out for you?

While we know that the attainment of lasting success is not nearly this easy, our thoughts, plans, and actions -- or the absence of such -- can give passive support to such notions. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for inspiration, but it better be backed up with a whole lot of perspiration and a healthy dose of persistence. The temporary glow we get from the meme of the day cannot long light our path. We like it, we share it and then we move on. What are we moving on to? Chances are we go right back to the place we were before. True?

As leaders, business owners, and business professionals, we must become what Growth Coach founder Dan Murphy calls the "keepers of reality and seers of truth".* The reality is, success is hard and it doesn't give up its best fruits easily. We must move from soundbites to sound principles and see our business and ourselves not as we wish it to be, but in the bright light of reality.

In the quote above, Edison mentions some important benchmarks that can help us to not only see our current reality, but to use as tools in crafting a new and more preferable one. We all have blinders or blind spots that keep us from seeing the most accurate picture, or at the very least from seeing the situation objectively. Using the checklist of forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, we can begin to get a true assessment of the habits we employ in the operation of our business and the likelihood of its success.

A careful and complete SWOT Analysis can then reveal our Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats -- and give us opportunity to act in the manner Edison prescribes. Seeing the real picture is a critical step in creating a better one -- for ourselves, our customers, our employees, and our stakeholders.

When we have an honest purpose, backed up by careful forethought, an effective system, deliberate planning, and accumulated intelligence and knowledge, we are moving from the simple soundbites of success to the sound and strategic principles that when combined with consistent and persistent action help ensure it. Which would you rather like and share?

Let us truly be the Keepers of Reality and the Seers of Truth -- as it pertains to our own business, and in consistent and unwavering support of others.

*Download a free copy of Dan Murphy's book, "Becoming a Strategic Business Owner".

About the Author: Terry Crouson is the Owner and Head Coach at Silver Coach Solutions, LLC and is currently doing business as The Growth Coach of West Metro Detroit. He is dedicated to helping business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and self-employed professionals find their way by finding their why. He is a highly respected business coach, speaker, facilitator, and community builder. Terry is certified in the Strategic Mindset Process, and is also a DISC Certified Behavioral Consultant.