Four Tips for Creating and Maintaining the Success You Want

Sometimes I call success “magic in a bottle.” It is a phrase I use when reflecting on experiences from the past where everything aligned perfectly. Yes, I was not aware of this at the moment; it is upon other unsuccessful experiences where I ask what is missing. Looking back to our past, assessing what worked, what didn’t and why can help our now and future.

There are many facets of creating and maintaining success. Here are a few I have witnessed along the way.

Communicate

Be prepared to communicate in the manner someone who can move your career forward wants. You may be a texter but they are asking for an email — or you want a call and they want a text. Listen, respond, deliver.

Sometimes people are at their max bandwidth and cannot listen to more at that moment. Ask, “How about I follow up with an email or next week to discuss further?” Understanding where someone is at shows empathy and understanding. If it is time-sensitive and they are not able to engage, perhaps a new direction is best for you.

Be Prepared

Conduct due diligence by researching the who, what and how of your goal. Practice different scenarios of what you are trying to accomplish so if one goes wrong, you have a plan B, C, D, etc. This could include having different approaches to the same thing so you are quick on your feet for awkward situations or changes.

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There are many times someone asks me for a Zoom meeting or call and the first thing they say is, “Tell me about yourself.” I took the time out of my life to listen to more details of why they wanted the call, not talk about me — I am living me right now. Instead, let the person you reached out to know why: “I really like what you are doing with X and thought it aligned with Y” or “How fun that you and Z have such diverse areas of interest and talent.” What this does is help the other person know where you are coming from; they can volley back a response based on that and your reasoning for setting up this Zoom call.

Check Social Media

Check your own social media comments — this includes if you post reviews online. If your notes are not kind or your demeanor is negative, they  reflect more on you. This could be holding you back from the success you want. Why not address the person or company directly (not their boss or mother company) who is upsetting you and communicate constructively versus voicing your frustration out to the world of online forums? Yes, companies can figure out who is responding based on the wording. You do realize that the online platforms that want you to leave reviews are doing so because they often sell your data. It is your voice and your opinion — why are you giving it away? Instead, sign up for market research groups where you get paid to voice your opinion, and positive change can happen.

Approach Things as a Win/Win

Take the time to learn how that company runs (found in the “About Us” page of most sites) and what their version of integrity may be (how and why they provide their services). If their values are different than yours, you will not be happy. If they run their company differently than what you need, it may not be a good fit. For example, if you go into something expecting a certain outcome and not listening to what is being provided or how that company works, you are not going to be happy. Oftentimes I will ask, “Where did you see that (what the person expected) online?” That way  I can address it by gently letting them know we do not offer that service, but we can offer them another option.

Enjoy the journey. When you are in “it” — whatever it is — you are building your current success (project completion, goal achieved, etc.) and you are also creating future successes. A lot of times when the goal has been reached and some time has gone by, you realize those moments of building, engaging and creating were magic in a bottle.

What you choose to do with your life and your story can create the success you want.