We hear on a continual basis that success is a journey. Success is a journey, and the only way journeys are accomplished is when we take one step at a time. We put one foot in front of the other. It sounds simple, right? Why do so many give up then?
So let’s review what the stepping stones of success are.
Here are the nine stepping stones to success:
1. Health
If you ain’t well, you can’t sell. I believe that how we do some things is how we do everything.
If you’re not taking care of yourself, then how can we take care of your promises, your commitments, and your obligations? How can you take care of your existing clientele? How can you take care of your future, and prospective clients?
The reality is, that health is all-encompassing. Health is the foundation we stand on. It is the vehicle that fuels our body, our mind, our soul, and our spirit.
How you take care of your health and yourself is definitely a representation and a reflection of how you will take care of others.
2. Reciprocal Relationships
Surround yourself with people you know you can lean on, and that know they can lean on you too. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Show up in relationships from the standpoint of, “What can I do for you?”
Avoid showing up with the What’s in it for me? mentality. If you show up with this type of mentality, you’re going to get nothing. Tap into a digital mentality. Think about what’s in it for others. What can you do for others? How can you be of service to others?
Put as much as you can into those relationships.
3. The Ability to Create Wins for Yourself
Allow yourself goal attainment and goal achievement. You can do this by making sure you have a plan and then breaking it into small wins.
Make sure your goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound.
Take these goals and break them down into bite-sized pieces. This teaches your unconscious mind that you are capable of achieving goals and then it trains you to strive to achieve the next!
4. Surround Yourself with a Successful Network of People
This is similar to reciprocal relationships and also very different. I’m sure you’ve heard this before if you take the average of the five people you spend the most time with and you average their earnings, that will be your earnings.
Surround yourself with people who have the same success mindset as you (maybe even better.) Surround yourself with people who do more, make more, think more, and achieve more. Surround yourself with people who challenge you to show up every day as the best version of yourself.
5. Self Management
There is no such thing as time management. The reality is that all people have the same amount of time in a day. There are 24 hours in each day. It is your choice how you use them. We all have responsibilities.
People will always say, “I don’t have time to…”
There is no such thing as not having enough time. The truth is you’re not managing your time within your priorities.
6. Communication
One of the biggest mistakes people make is they assume communication happens. Listen to understand and speak to be heard. Most people listen to respond and never really hear what the other person is saying. They are too busy formulating a response in their head.
7. Show Up with a Servant Heart
So many entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and business owners show up to sell their product, service, or solution. Instead, strive to really understand the needs of the prospective client.
When we understand what a person needs, wants, and desires, we can better assess if our product service or solution will be of service to them.
It’s all about becoming an educator.
8. Patience and Persistence
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and business owners make is they give up too soon. They get frustrated and irritated when they don’t achieve overnight success.
Be patient. Success is a journey and it happens one step at a time. Make sure that what you are doing, each step, is moving you forward and moving you forward in the right direction.
Give yourself grace and love yourself through your learnings.
9. Personal and Professional Development
The personal drives the personal and the professional serves the personal. In order to be successful, you must be a student of life. Allow yourself to evaluate what has worked and what hasn’t worked.
Be a lifelong learner. Allow yourself to invest in yourself. It’s about more than watching a YouTube video or reading a book. You are the vehicle of your success – where are you headed?