|
The most effective successful people are whole, healthy individuals who
know how and when to employ the success strategies. Similar to sunflowers,
they have personal traits of confidence and self-esteem, curiosity, energy,
integrity of effort, optimism, passion, regeneration, and wholeness.10
We are born with the potential to live true to these characteristics at
the highest level. Once you understand the traits, use the Self Inventory
to assess how you are doing with these attributes.
Confidence and Self-Esteem
As the core foundation for human development,11 full trust in self and others—
confidence—is the most important element of the healthy self. Oakleigh
Thorne II, environmental educator, tells us, “The key to finding and pursuing
a worthwhile purpose is developing self-esteem. Nature is a builder of
self-esteem.”
Conf ident people generate high self-esteem. People with high selfesteem
know their own worth; they have a favorable impression, respect,
appreciation, and belief in themselves. Thus, successful people pack high
self-esteem, with confidence, for their journey. Follow Goethe’s advice,
“Just trust yourself, then you will know how to live.”12
People in my study report that early responsibility during the growingup
years, supportive inputs from external sources, banishment of self-doubt,
and use of positive feedback loops strengthen self-esteem and self-confidence.
It is encouraging that people can take steps to create more confidence.13
Pursuit of a passionate purpose in itself stimulates assurance. No one says it
better than Mark Plaatjes, 1993 world marathon champion. “Believe in
yourself. The one who wins is the one who wants it the most—the one with
the most self-confidence.”
Curiosity
Curiosity to learn, explore, and discover propels successful people forward.
People who are curious actively bolster interest, attention, and desire
to know. Albert Einstein14 said, “I am no different than everyone else.
I just have great curiosity.” Exploration strengthens curiosity.
Jacqueline Frischknecht, divorced from a disastrous marriage and
the sole supporter of her children, decided at age 29 that she was severely
unhappy and completely bored with her life. What she needed, for her own
sake and that of her children, was to be better educated. Not sure if she was
smart enough to get a college degree, she decided to try a night school class
in Art Appreciation. Two and a half years later, she had finished a four-year
degree while working 20 hours a week and caring for her daughters. “A
major force encouraging me to find and pursue various purposes in my life
has been curiosity about the world and a desire for knowledge. Once my
mind was made up, nothing really held me back. Finances were usually difficult,
but they were overcome.” Jackie eventually completed her PhD and
now is an accelerated learning consultant, author, and former professor.
Energy
The capacity to do work—energy—is a habit of vigorous activity and
forceful expression. Your head, heart, and hands are your energy centers.
There are simple ways to increase your energy level. David Hawkins, MD,
PhD, explains in Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human
Behaviors that energy levels can be calibrated into a map of consciousness.
Low energy levels manifest as shame, guilt, grief, and fear. Courage,
acceptance, love, and enlightenment align with high energy levels. Positive
jumps in energy are possible through intention, will, choice, and motivation.
Many spiritual disciplines of the world are interested in approaches
to ascend these levels. Meditation is one such useful technique.
Optimism
Norman Vincent Peale in The Power of Positive Thinking16 popularized
and humanized the importance of a can-do outlook using examples of real
people. People with a positive attitude carry a hopeful, upbeat disposition
with the belief that good ultimately overcomes evil. Johnny Halberstadt,
professional runner, footwear inventor, and entrepreneur, has such a winning
personal philosophy. “There’s no such thing as can’t. If you want to
do something passionately you will find a way.”
Integrity of Effort
Successful people have a strong inner drive—a determined willingness and
ability to work hard to get what they want. They harness this initiative and
maintain a strong work ethic. This “industry” concept, also a fundamental
element in the progress of human development,17 is defined by Erik Erikson
as an ability to “eagerly work and produce to completion by steady attention
and persevering diligence.”
Passion
When you are passionate, you have intense zeal, fervor, and devotion. Passion
reflects interest, enthusiasm, and excited involvement.
As explained earlier, you will find what you are passionate about at the intersection
of your values and gifts. successful people have clearly defined
convictions based on their core beliefs, morals, ideology, and ethics. They
know who they are and what is meaningful to them, and they align their
values with their talents to spark passion.
Regeneration
A regenerative nature allows successful people to revive, renew, and
produce again despite adversity, setbacks, and obstacles. As a process of human development
and reinforced through life, generativity is indispensable in
all pursuits of passionate purpose. Such resilience appears to be interdependent
with the traits of confidence, optimistic attitude, and integrity
of effort.
Wholeness
When you are whole, you appreciate and unify all aspects of your nature
especially head, heart, and hands; you are connected to your inner self. The
internal and external worlds are coalesced into oneness to create stability
and strength. This concept is so significant for successful people that it
is included here as well as in the Polarity Strategy and in
the Connections Strategy.
Assessment of Self
You cannot easily build a healthier self until you know who you are now.
Start with an inventory of how well you are doing with these traits. Completing
the Self Inventory will take only a few minutes.
Use it to understand where you are now and what aspects you need
to nurture.
To Build or Not to Build
Everyone, regardless of overall scores, has the potential to develop. All these
traits can be strengthened. How? Make the choice to begin. Start with
where you are. Then use the approaches that follow. |
Disclaimer
