Ashok Dhillon
Dec 28, 20135 min
This piece is dedicated to my daughters, Jaya and Saira, who strive for success while believing in helping others.
As we approach the New Year, we are hopeful, as we always are, because every New Year is an opportunity, regardless of what happened in the previous year or the previous many years. For some of us, the past year(s) may have been disappointing because they did not meet expectations, for others the past year(s) may have been devastating due to personal, community or national tragedies. But, regardless of our present circumstances, a New Year is always a blank page full of possibilities and promise. It is to a degree up to us to shape our future, and here we acknowledge that for some it is a lot more difficult than for others due to a myriad of reasons, yet, with hope and persistence we all can strive for a better future.
In that constant quest for our personal success, and greater humanity’s progress, we present the following famous thoughts and truisms that have inspired millions through good times and bad.
The following are lines from many sources (the commentary is ours) but we are taking them from the compilations by Gerard Smith in his book “Celebrating Success” - Publisher Health Communications, Inc. We hope they inspire you to persevere in your personal quest to achieve success however you may choose to define it, in the coming New Year.
1. Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it will achieve.
This is one of the most powerful of human thoughts as it opens up infinite possibilities for every individual regardless of their age, gender, status or circumstance. The important concept here is not only to be able to ‘mentally conceive’ of a goal, vision or an idea, but to really be able to ‘believe in it’ before its actualization. It is easier said than done, but people from all generations, all ages, all races and cultures, have done it and produced countless breakthroughs in the advancement of humans in history.
Great personal and historical advances have happened when someone ‘conceived and believed’ when others didn’t or couldn’t.
2. Dream great dreams and make them come true. Do it now.
Many of us have dreamed great dreams but failed to make them come true. But if you do not dream great dreams and seriously attempt to make them true, you confine yourself to stunting your own potential and have no chance at the possibility of greatness, even at your personal level. You must not short-change yourself, for it is better to have tried and failed than not to have even tried. Believe in number 1. above and dream big, and then work relentlessly to make your dreams come true. And for all those that have dreamed big and failed, number 3. 4. and 5. below will help you get you started again.
3. If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; put foundations under them. Yes you can.
When great dreams fail to materialize, regardless of the work or effort put in, they can seem to be ‘castles in the air’, and even if you don’t see it that way, others have a way of making it seem that way. The greater the failed dream and greater the cost borne, the greater the injury, pain and discouragement. Take time to heal. And rather than throw away the effort or the dream, work to build a foundation under the effort already put in, slowly if need be, brick by brick. What are the ‘foundations’? They are the renewed efforts, leading to the small concrete successes, that will ultimately bolster and support your ‘castles in the air’ until they turn into your tangible dream achieved!
4. Defeat may test you; it need not stop you.
Most of us experience small victories and defeats every single minute of every day of our lives and we think nothing of them, most times. But then there are the big ones, the huge victories that propel us ‘fast-forward’ in life, and the massive defeats that can crush us. When we are hugely victorious we need not look for help as it is offered un-summoned, all around us. It is in great defeat that we need the greatest help, and that is when it is most scarce, when even your own doubt you and turn away.
It is then you must look inside of you to tap into that infinite source of strength that is inherent in all human beings regardless of their background and belief. The One Source is not miserly nor is it discriminatory based on race, religion, color or caste, and in fact unlike bankers or other humans who only offer help when it is not needed, it is most generous to those who need the help the most. In great defeat you will be sorely tested, surely, but you need not be stopped, because of the infinite strength inside of you. So tap into it, take your time, and then go back to number 1. above and start all over again.
5. There is no failure except in no longer trying. The greatest mistake is giving up.
There will be times when on the road to your success you will be stopped, pushed back or even crushed. It is in those times when you will need to gather yourself up and try and put yourself together again for all that is important to you personally, and you will need to start again. One small step at a time will restart the journey.
For as long as you refuse to stop entirely, no matter how slowly you rebuild yourself, you have not failed. Never ever give up. In history many a battle was won when all seemed to be lost, because the supposedly beaten never stopped fighting till they won. If you are truly beaten in something, try something else. The goal is to succeed in life and the paths to success are many, just don’t stop.
6. Wishing will not bring success, but planning, persistence, and a burning desire will.
So many of us, for so much of our time, wish our lives were different in some way or the other (usually based on our personal perception of what we think is desirable), yet we do little to actively change ourselves, or do that which is required to achieve what we desire. Most of the time we have ready and legitimate reasons for not doing that which is required, and if we continue to have reasons for not doing that which is required, then our wishes stay wishes.
Plan and re-plan clearly (there may be failure the first few times); execute relentlessly (there may be failure the first few times); and never ever give up (there may be failure the first few times).
7. Success is an attitude. Get yours right.
It has been said, don’t remember by whom, ‘change your attitude - change your life’. This is also one of the great insights into the human condition. The results of a change in attitude of a person, produces startling change in the person almost immediately. Try it. If you are in a negative mood, the minute you think positively your mood changes immediately, changing your outlook in life. It will change back just as quickly if you turn negative again, proving without a doubt that it works. To have a productive and positive New Year, come at it in the most positive manner you can. Even through the relapses, and there will be some, keep the above in mind at all times (when you forget come back to it and refresh your memory) and by relentlessly practicing the truths above, regardless of your circumstances, you will have a very rewarding New Year.
Reflections - for your success - All the very best to you, all our readers, where ever you are, and in whatever circumstance you find yourself. Strive and rise above your circumstances and remember your fellow human beings along the way.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!