WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO? Written by David Stoddard
Cheshire-Puss,"... said Alice, "would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said Cat. "I don't much care where---" Said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said Cat. "---so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation. "Oh, you're sure to do that," said Cat, "if you only walk long enough."-- Lewis Carroll, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"-- ----------- There are so many people like Alice. They wander around knowing they want something different, but they just move from one thing to next without much thought. These Wanderers may come across their own Cheshire cats who are more than willing to share "their own" advice. Person "A" says, "Well, if I were you, I would…." The wanderer, trusting this person, takes person A's advice with little thought on their own. Eventually finds this does not fit what wanderer prefers. So on to person B. Then books C through E. Magazine article F. Persons G, H, I and J. And on and on and…. Well, you get picture. Related to wanderers are those who will just sit and wait and wait until either mood strikes them or until someone "tells" them what to do. "Couch potatoes" are not really lazy. They will work their tails off on things they like or what people have asked of them. They just want everything ready to go before they "have" to do anything. Then there are those who had an idea of what they wanted. They got started in a direction and began to make decent progress. Then they started "searching" for that one thing that would make all difference in their lives. Maybe it's a different job, or an additional project or a new accessory they must have. They thought "this" will make them happier or at least be push they need to get moving into what they truly want. Sometimes it worked, but mostly it only became more of a distraction and only led to more and more searching.
| | THE KEY ELEMENTS OF DETERMINATION AND SELF DISCIPLINE ON THE PATH TO SUCCESSWritten by Craig Lock
"If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he has a talent and learns somehow to use whole of it, he has gloriously succeeded and has a satisfaction and a triumph few men ever know." -- Thomas WolfeI think key words in path to success are: DESIRE, DETERMINATION, DEDICATION and SELF DISCIPLINE. Because everything starts out with "seed of desire" - reason why I started out writing - wanting to make a difference through my words. Others are FOCUS and a SINGLE-MINDEDNESS (in pursuit of one's goals). PERSERVERANCE TOO (in large "heaps".The words 'determination' and (by association) 'ruthlessness', suggesta person who wants success and power for it's own sake. This is another sort of obsession. However, a desire for power, riches and fame may have virtually nothing to do with it. By way, I feel that not all successful people and business executives are ruthless - they are not all "money grabbing corporate raiders". Most of them are "normal and good family men", who have perfectly natural reactions in that they hate firing employees. "Soft gentle souls!" Determination is often at its greatest, when a person is enslaved by an idea and wants to see idea work. Me! There is a further sort of determination: determination to see things through, to finish job. For example, a compulsion to qualify for PGA golf tour in America, to finish a building, or in my case to finish writing this manuscript...and then get it published... which is hardest part of all. Especially with way I write! I suppose all these characteristics are somewhat abnormal; because so-called "normal" people are more passive and less focussed than us "obsessive types". They are regarded as being less "mad" by majority of public, who engage in more ordinary activities and have more "normal" occupations. This thought leads me on to another question: Is top-most level of success only one worth having, or is it sufficient to merely enjoy sport for it's own sake (even professionals)? Does every player entering Wimbledon really think he or she is going to win Championship? Or is it success itself just to play in Wimbledon tournament? How realistic is vision of success to YOU? It all depends on how you define success for yourself...which is thought with which I introduced this chapter. I believe that a strong SENSE OF DIRECTION or PURPOSE IN LIFE is a very important ingredient for success. So too is a persistent personality. To be successful in whatever endeavour one chooses, first of all requires a great of talent. It might be latent, waiting to be uncovered. Perhaps, you are not even aware of it. I wonder how many budding Ayrton Senna's and Michael Schumachers there are around, who just have never had opportunity (mainly in form of money) to race cars? Motor racing is certainly "ultimate rich boy's sport".
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