What is the Key to a Successful Life?

An ideal is not the dream that can never be realised, that certain weak-willed individuals like to imagine, if only to provide themselves with an excuse for moaning about life. Nor is it a vague and flimsy speculation in which shallow people want to indulge.

Here I am using the term 'ideal' to incorporate mission, vision, and purpose. I believe that it is indispensable for you to have an ideal, since it is the key to:

A more contented life.
A less stressful life.
A compelling future.
Living longer.
Putting first things first.
Focusing on what most matters in your life.
Preventing you from living in the past.
Allowing you to realise your future vision.
Giving you the reason for doing and being.

Your ideal is:

The overall vision, mission, and purpose for your life.
Very specific and understandable.
Always bigger than you.
Never completely achieved as it usually lasts your lifetime.
The power that determines your goals.
The continuous impulse towards a desire, which, because of gradual progress, gives you the courage to persevere.
The constant effort towards the whole, the partial realisation of which provides you with satisfaction and with encouragement.
Relatively constant even though your goals and values may change.
Not a definite goal as it exists at a much higher level.
Not egocentric.
Not an abstract, vague, hazy, or fanciful aspiration.

Therefore, an ideal is a dominant aspiration which all your efforts strive to achieve. I like to compare the ideal to a chain, of which every link, complete in itself, is added to the one before it to form a durable and constantly lengthening bond.

When you have a purpose your life has more meaning, and your ideal directs your life by becoming your helm, anchor, atlas, compass and inner core.

There is no situation in life, however modest, in which it is not advantageous to have an ideal. The shop-assistant will have thought of becoming the owner of the shop, and he will direct every aspect of his labour to that one end. Of course, an ideal once attained does not cease to exist, but merely changes. Once proprietor of the shop, our shop-assistant��s ideal will be to make himself distinguished among those who are in the same line of business.

And this same aspiration towards better things, while all the time progressing towards a single goal, can find satisfaction in successive victories, each of which is but a step in the right direction towards your goal. Without actually becoming a fantasy, an ideal can approach the realm of fancy as far as the perfection that you wish to reach is concerned. For certain artists this will be a flawless work of art which they continually progress towards, with each successive creation.

As an example, I am listing the various components of my ideal in the hope that it will help you to develop yours. They are as follows:

1. To strive for a better life and value my freedom to live my life as I choose, and without interfering with the freedom of others.

2. To respect and value the difference between individuals, irrespective of age, race, religion, or gender.

3. To become a positive influence and role model for others' perseverance.

4. To serve as an inspiration and role model for my family, colleagues, and staff by always supporting and encouraging their growth.

5. To remain loyal and dedicated to myself, my wife, my children and grandchildren, my siblings, my friends and my staff.

6. To make every effort to achieve financial independence.

7. To conduct all my commercial transactions with honesty and integrity.

Having established your ideal, you will have a challenging future ahead of you. The next thing that you need to do is the crucial step of goal setting.

Goal setting is about making choices. It is about knowing where you are going and why you are going there. When you define your goals you need to ensure that every goal is:

Specific - to the extent that you know clearly what you are trying to achieve and why.

Measurable - to ensure that you can gauge and quantify your progress.

Achievable - to make sure that you have the production capability to complete it.

Realistic - to make certain that you have reasonable expectations.

Time-based - to guarantee that you complete it within a predefined time constraint.

If you do not apply due diligence and perform goal setting, then you will not realise your dreams because you will have no clue about:

Where you are going.
Why you are going there.
When you should get there.
How you are going to get there.

Copyright 2005 Abi Motala

This article is written by Abi Motala, CEO of Vista Information Publishing Ltd and author of "How to Unleash the Power of PERSEVERANCE". Articles written by Abi have been published in both business and IT magazines. Abi has extensive business management experience at senior levels within large companies, both in the UK and Western Europe. Having spent 30 years in business, he has personally enjoyed many triumphs as well as endured many traumas. During his business life he has built a significant network of high achievers in many fields, and has witnessed the impact of both success and failure on his business associates and friends.

You can get more info at: http://www.vipinfoweb.com/howtopersevere OR perseverance@vipinfoweb.com

---

Small Steps And Golden Stones

It was a long walk but someone had to do... Read More

Universal Law Series - the Law of Cause & Effect

This is the third of seven articles in our continuing... Read More

Releasing Your Potential

In life, few people ever step up to live their... Read More

Do Good Deeds & Get Rewarded? A Universal Mystery Uncovered

Do you believe in the idea of "abundance" or do... Read More

Manifesting Your Abundance

I believe in myself, therefore, I have all that my... Read More

Limiting Perceptions and Broadening Horizons

If you live in modern society I'm sure at some... Read More

The Path of Appreciation

Without appreciation, any success you have will be in vain... Read More

10 Keys to Prosperity

1. Everyday, in everyway, bless the universe in as much... Read More

Dont Seek Success; Seek Self-Actualization

"You make a living by what you get. You make... Read More

Other Peoples Opinions

In a society where interaction is part of everyday life,... Read More

The Beast

What does one do when one is too old, too... Read More

Prosperity on Purpose for a Purpose

Whilst everyone seems hell bent on becoming "wealthy" at all... Read More

Ending the Internal Conflict

If you read personal growth or self-help books at all,... Read More

The Power of Letting What is Be Okay

Have you been in that "black hole?" That is the... Read More

Part II--The Journey to a State Called Authentic

Are you on the road yet? If not, pony up... Read More

To Be Or Not To Be, Visible That Is...

Stepping outside your old limitations and 'out of the box'... Read More

The Mind - What An Amazing Universe

You are what you think;The experts say we barely use... Read More

Faith Creates Ideas That Create Wealth

For years it seems as though the secrets to obtaining... Read More

The Manifestations Of Self

A man is captive within himself. He dwells in a... Read More

7 Simple Tips For Cultivating Tons Of Confidence

Confidence without competence is a dangerous combination. Make it easy... Read More

God Doesnt Say No...YOU Do!

There are a couple of things you've probably heard said... Read More

Do You Have Tickets To Your Dream Theater?

I'd like you to do an exercise with me.I want... Read More

Aging Gracefully Through Vastu Shastra

Aging is inevitable, but its most negative effects can be... Read More

To Live Or To Live With Purpose: That?s The Ultimate Question

Each person has her or his own place and purpose.... Read More

Antagonists And Fear

It is important to have your own values, beliefs and... Read More

The Way of Attraction - Walking the Path

"Slowly, slowly, walk the path and you might never stumble... Read More

To Be A Cut Above The Rest!

Mannerisms and personality traits go a long way in making... Read More

One of the Many Ways That The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles Gets It Right

I probably would not be able to count the number... Read More

The Top 10 Roadblocks to Attracting Prosperity and what We can Do About Them!

If it were easy, everyone would do IT; everyone would... Read More

The Magic of Breathing

So, what is magic? Is it an illusion or is... Read More

Attract Your Ideal Relationship Using the Law of Attraction

First, I'll need to explain what Law of Attraction is... Read More

Theres No Glory In Being The Richest Man In The Graveyard!

What was your energy level like today? Did you wake... Read More

Intuition: Your Best Moving Guide

Recently someone asked me, "What coaching tools do you use?""Tools?"... Read More