"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really: Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success." –Thomas J. Watson, Sr.
Many people wait around for luck to come their way, and, after many years, they are still waiting. Whereas I do not believe in luck, as such, I’d ask them to take action while they wait for luck to arrive. In fact, a wise man once told me that the more he worked, the
luckier he became.
With the foregoing in mind, I’d encourage you take charge of your life now. Do not sit back and leave things to chance or hand control of your life over to someone else. This is your life. It’s real and not a dress rehearsal. So, step up to the plate and take charge. Be the best you can in each inning of your life from this day forward.
I’ve used the letters of the word “Charge” to underscore this point:
C - Commitment and competence: Be committed to whatever you do and endeavor to be the best at what you choose to do. Don’t worry about if you can do it or if you have the skills. If you’ve thought about it you can do it. And know that commitment engenders competence to achieve that which you desire.
H - Honesty, humility and hunger: These are essential attributes for success in life. Be honest in everything you do and be humble while being hungry for the success you want to achieve;
A - Action, asking and attitude: It is very seldom that something constructive happens if you just sit back and do not act. And you must embrace lifelong learning. Learn from others. Ask questions of those who have succeeded doing what you want to do in life. And, develop and attitude by being constantly grateful and thankful to the Universe;
R - Resilience: Bend but never yield. Be determined and thick-skinned. Never lose your focus. Keep your eye on the prize. And do not let failures keep you from achieving your success. Regard them simply as learning experiences on your way to accomplishing what you want;
G - Generosity, golden rule, guts and gut-feeling: There's much power in being generous to your fellow human beings. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." You must have the guts to pursue a project but always follow your gut-feeling; it provides the best guidance; and,
E - Empathy. Have empathy for others. We are all interconnected. Therefore, we are our brothers’ (and sisters’) keepers.
Finally, love what you do; be passionate about it. Blaze the trail, if you must. There's much satisfaction to be gained from taking the path not yet travelled. And never ever accept that it can't be done because someone said so. Rather, prove them wrong.