Determination Breeds Success

“For six years after that, Perry held a string of odd jobs in order to finance the show, and sporadically lived on the streets when he couldn't afford to pay the rent. Almost everyone, even his own mother, begged him to quit the theater and find a steady 9-to-5 for good.” ( Ebony, January 2004).

Is hard work still the building blocks to success? Some under 30's don't think so; and especially if you are a modern day teenager who thinks that becoming a successful rap artist, starts with rhyming some words, with a beat, make a CD, and let a few friends listen to it. Or those that start businesses, or organizations who think that it just happens and they get tired when it doesn’t happen overnight, or within a few years. When you hear success stories, they seem so glamorous but if only one could have been there when that person was climbing that ladder to witness first hand what they had to endure.

I am amazed at the entrepreneurs I encounter who want what the achievers have but aren’t willing to volunteer, or work at anything until they get where they want to go. They want the glitz without the hard work Not to mention those who tell you to give up; sometimes they can be the people you love most. All they see is that you have nothing to show for all of your effort. It may not be that they want you to abandon your dream but they are tired of seeing what they think is your suffering, lack. .

There are real dreams and there are fantasies. If you give up before your dream is accomplished, then was it a real dream or a fantasy? A dream is fueled by those who say you can’t do it (www.clcwlifechangers.com). When you are struggling, or doing without while others seem to be so much more successful, you refuse to feel sorry for yourself. That is not the time to focus on your circumstances but keep your eye on the prize. Sometimes you may get discouraged, have a pity party, but the dream won’t let you stay down. It is easy to give up, to quit, but to get back up and fight takes something special.

Success requires an investment in yourself, whether it is financially, or improving yourself through education, networking, or polishing your speaking skills, strengthening your weaknesses. The wannabes expect others to invest in them when they are not willing to invest in themselves.

As a coach I get hundreds of calls from writers who want to produce a book, yet what stops them is they don’t want to financially invest in getting the job done (typing, proofreading, editing, research). They are looking for a publisher to buy the rights to their book, do all the work for them, with the least effort on their part. There is no gain without pain. On my wall I have a sign that reads, “No effort means no money when you work for yourself”. When you are striving for a goal, you realize as an entrepreneur you are not trading hours for dollars; it is your effort that becomes your asset. That effort builds up momentum and produces the dollars. So you make every effort count.

You have to decide what will make you successful. If you have never written it down, stop, take a moment and do so right now. It is in that effort that you find that success for you may not be about material wealth, but it is about what brings you joy, what you are most passionate about.

Whatever your idea of success, do not be envious of what others have but define your idea of success. When you do that you will discover that you are more successful than you think.

Thank you, Tyler Perry, for persistence and determination, two very important keys to success no matter what level.