Very often we ask ourselves why others are so much more successful with their lives or the things they do than we are. For example a former colleague who just updated his LinkedIn profile with a new job because he got promoted -again !!- now possibly earning twice than we are. Or celebrities appearing out of nowhere and making sky rising careers. Who doesn´t know these situations and who hasn´t experienced the -very human- chain reaction concluding from it…
The initial reaction is confusion and if we still can´t find any answers this could easily turn into envy. In the end these negative feelings are turning against us. We are questioning ourselves and finally feeling insecure and bad about our own abilities. To ease this feeling we very often try to convince ourselves that there must be something else these people are using, something we don´t have or know about. Or possibly they are just lucky or using powerful connections.
But what happens when we have the chance to talk to these people? Very often our high impressions and all our enthusiasm drops within a second. Because we discover that they are not very different to us. Even more we often discover that they have even less abilities, education, experience, training or personality than we actually have.
Gone is the picture of the hero. But this leaves us with even more question marks.
So how can they be successful?
What did they do that we can´t or haven´t?
Of course there must be something special, some wonderful magic tool or special, almost supernatural ability no one else has discovered yet.
Otherwise their achievements would be impossible, right?
This is the point where we all start our quest for this ‘secret ingredient’. We spend unbelievable amounts of time in questioning and researching, reading and experimenting. We embark on a journey without real direction, just travelling from one hint to the next, fuelled by our hunger to erase those question marks occupying our mind.
Can I ask you?
Have you ever asked the people you glorify what the secret behind their success really is?
Let me tell you…I always try to ask when I get the chance, I even read biographies to get behind it.
And 99% I got the same answer from them.
There is none!
No magic wand, no magic potion, no flash of outranging super power.
It is just them as a person and their dedication, their unbroken will to make their plans happen.
So much for the bad news.
The good news is that if we can´t fall back on our theory about the secret ingredient the conclusion must be that it is possible for every one of us to succeed.
This is the hidden truth and this is what personal development is all about.
Finding your personal power.
Which you will find in your personality, heart, skills, experience, ambitions and gifts.
Develop, combine and channel these elements and you will enable yourself to do whatever you set your mind on.
Look around you and you will find someone who will happily accompany your journey such as a coach, mentor or someone from your personal support network. This special person will help you to move forward and give you the necessary emotional support and motivation. Even more powerful is the function to hold you accountable for taking the necessary steps you have committed yourself to.
With this article I would like to encourage you to abandon your thoughts and feelings about the secret ingredient because it does not exist.
Instead, use your energy to develop your own special personal power. It will be the most powerful gift to yourself and the people around you.
In case you would like to find out more about how to begin your journey please feel free to contact me. I look forward to discuss your personal development plan with you.