The Life-Force of Success

If there’s one thing I’ve come to appreciate more than anything else this past year, it’s the value of hard work.

Hard work pays off. Hard work is about takling obstacels one at a time to chip away at big goals.

When people ask me how I’ve ended up where I am today – my first response is “hard work”.Yes, there’s more to it than that, I’m also extremely fortunate to be where I am, but above all I work hard – nights, weekends, whatever it takes to do great work.

The value of hard work cannot be substituted. It's the life-force of success. It’s also the biggest deficiency for most people. The lack of desire to work hard, especially in a society that demands immediate gratification, holds us back.

Don’t let it. Hustle through all of those late nights, work-filled weekends, failures, and successes. You’ll learn more about yourself and you’re capacity to succeed than you ever thought possible.

Moment of truth: How has hard work paid off for you this year? What are you working toward right now?

How Badly Do You Want Success?

Those who are hungry, driven and committed will create opportunites to improve themeselves. Success requires drive, determination, and persistance. Understanding that defeat comes far in advance of success is neccessary.

Understanding that failure isn't final is critical. Success will come when you least expect it and only after a firm commitment to doing the work.

Low-Risk Experiments

Trying sushi, a new outfit and going on a blind date are all low-risk experiments.
So is an internship.

Chances are you've never experienced the practical application of your eduction. If you wait to approach a specific field or industry without experience, you might find that you have no joy in performing the tasks centered around education and expertise. Even worse, you may find your chosen field repulsing. Seeking low-risk opportunities to explore is the key for long term happiness.

Try new things, document what works and refine your focus moving forward.

Simple Doesn't Always Mean Easy

Most everything in life can be classified into a simple process. There will always be time tested principles, today's latest trends and a multitude of noise as you approach the beginnings of life beyond college.

Everything that is necessary to secure a job is simple. Taking action and following through is difficult. Success requires dedication, determination and the ability to be decisive.

The mechanics are simple.

Start early, build upon your past experience, and plan. Develop a killer resume, write a persuasive cover letter and wait for an employer to draw the conclusion that your the ideal candidate.

It's not rocket science.

The razzle dazzle is in your ability to be persistent-- to execute and follow through when everyone else is content to only initiate.

Gone Is The Map

If you're waiting for a college, employer or boss to validate that you do good work, you're handing over too much power to someone who doesn't care nearly as much as you do.

Your passion is unmatched.

We spend a lot of time organizing, applying and hoping only to wait and wait and wait for the system to select us, approve of us and grant us permission to realize the practical application of our passion.

Now is the time to take action. Success comes to those who are knowledgeable, motivated and do well to communicate and share their passion with the world. Gone are the days where we could follow the map down the well worn path to success. Students today require a compass that must point true north.

Enormous and exciting changes will continue to redefine the entirety of industries as new industries take center stage. It's time to navigate into the future given the multitude of available resources.

If you want to record an album, record it. If you have a book to write, write it. No need to wait for someone in a cubicle halfway across the country to decide if you're worthy.

The truth of the matter is that you are worthy. You have the potential to achieve your innermost desires and there has never been a time where there has been less of a barrier to entry than now.

What will you share with the world?

Do You Have A Calling?

When it comes to fulfillment in relation to work, many agree that there are three broad categories. We typically view work as a job, a career or a calling and it's easy to confuse these categories as we navigate from college to career. Here's my take:

• You work a job for the money. You watch the clock and dream about the weekend.
• You carefully prepare for a career with high goals seeking promotion, prestige and sometimes status.
• You passionately follow your callings and continually stoke the fire within. You work because it is meaningful and intrinsically fulfilling.

What kind of work do you want to do?

I continually refine my goals in light of my calling and position myself to freely pursue that which is most meaningful to me. Currently life is in transition, but this doesn't keep me from practicing wise habits.

The best advice I can give is to know your purpose, know your calling and make decisions that move you towards your desired reality.

The Goal of Hiring Committees

Recruiters, selection committees and hiring managers all have one goal in mind:

To find the most qualified candidate as quickly as possible, as easily as possible and as inexpensively as possible.

This means that they heavily resort to word-of-mouth referrals and target communication within their own audience. To have the best odds at getting a job, it's your responsibility to cultivate relationships with those who can help put your name in front of the person doing the hiring. By the time your name crosses a potential employers desk, the dedication you've invested into helping others, understanding your purpose and defining your strengths will have you positioned towards success.

It seems simple, right? But many miss the entire concept of networking. WHen networking there us be a mutual benefit to both you and those with whom you develop relationships. If you approach networking with a self-centered attitude, you'll lose every time.

Start Where You Are

Last week I met one-on-one with three students to discuss where they are in life and where they are headed. The discussions were loaded and full of unpacking and processing the details that have constituted their life up until this point.

In my last post, “What’s Keeping You From Being Great?” I suggested working through a few personal details that will ultimately position you towards success. In this post I’ll walk you through the pinnacle of these details.

Knowing your purpose.

According to Napoleon Hill, there are three clear ingredients necessary for success:

1. A defined purpose.
2. A burning desire.
3. A definite plan.

Most of us can define our passions- what we love doing, what inspires us and what excites us -and most of us can make plans, but we get hung up at step one. Defining our purpose.

What do you want to do? How do you want to contribute? What story do you want to tell? What legacy do you want to leave?

Defining your purpose is nowhere near as easy as it sounds. Answering these questions requires that we really know ourselves. It takes guts and unwavering courage demanding deliberate decision making. It’s risky.

But it’s worth the risk. If you move through life not knowing what you want and why you want it, you’ll never arrive at the destination you desire. Once you’re confident in what you will accomplish, nothing, absolutely nothing will stand your way.

When I chat with others about how I arrived where I am today as a student, young professional and freelance photographer I share with them how I defined my purpose.

In the winter and spring of 2009 I experienced a season of focus and self examination. This preparation, this bare bone honestly led to taking drastic steps in health, education, and personal development.

My purpose isn’t to make photographs, launch websites, design publications, send invoices or answer emails.

My purpose is to develop. My purpose is to inspire and motivate anyone and everyone who will listen to achieve their purpose. I believe I can make a difference. I believe that the only way to be truly fulfilled is to help others along the way. Once I established my purpose, I worked backwards to turn that purpose into reality.

So today, if you’re unsure of your purpose, take a step back and think about the big picture. Don’t hold back. Think big and dream even bigger.

You have the three keys to success: a defined purpose, a burning desire and a definite plan. Start with step one. The only thing holding you back is yourself. And there’s no better time than now.

What’s your purpose?

What's keeping you from being great?

You've suffered through the process of deciding what field of study to pursue in college. Now you're facing the challenge of finding a company culture where you enjoy practicing your passion.

It's tough work. It requirers your best.

Given this, what's holding you back? What's keeping you from being great?

This week how about identifying your strengths? How about examining where and when you do your best work? Taking time to discern these seemingly simple details will help set yourself apart when it comes time to start talking with potential employers.

When you know who you are, the value you add to society and why you'd thrive in a certain company culture it allows employers to draw their own conclusion that you are the best candidate for the position.

Secure Your Success (In Any Field)

Success is measured by the beholder, but there are common threads that are undeniable to becoming successful. Here’s a list of ten things that you should be doing right now.

1. Do the work.
Bite your bottom lip and make stuff happen. Professionals develop, ship, send, publish, post and deliver. Amateurs sit around and wonder.

2. Educate yourself.
Education lives long past your earned degree. From experience, my greatest educational moments have been active and self directed. Don't just seek information, knock down walls to get it.

3. Make your own rules.
If you set out to do something worthwhile there will be resistance. Don't be afraid to forge your own path. As you do, be respectful. There will be many well intended souls who will fight for your attention and direction. Politely fend off the naysayers.

4. Iterate.
Try, try and try again. Nothing will spring from you fully formed. You must continually try and fail. Spurts of momentum often come in fragments at inopportune moments over days, weeks, months, years. Be ready at all times to "Hit Publish."

5. Look inside.
Understand that the best way to make forward motion is to look inside yourself. The answers are within, not out there.

6. Know your craft.
Never risk vision and big-picture-thinking at the expense of understanding the fundamentals. You’ve got to know the nuts and bolts of what your doing.

7. Take a deep breath.
Life, work, job hunting and every other responsibility you have can easily lead to anxiety. We all know anxiety is counter productive. So when life is getting hairy, take a breath. Everything is going to be okay.

8. Take delight.
Everyday is a day worth living. Yes, some days are draining but your life should be fun. Strive to add elements to your life that are stimulating, positive and energizing. This season of life can be rough. Take delight in what you do, and for that matter, what others do as well. Celebrate successes- pop champagne or Diet Coke when you break through tough challenges. Stay up all night when the ideas are flowing. Enjoy the process. If you don’t take delight, your career will be short, either by choice or by fate.

9. Seek out good people.
No one is on a solo journey. Developing your work, your career, your life, will involve others. Make effort to know, connect, collaborate with, mentor under, the best people you can find.Good people tend to attract other good people. Food for thought: It's been said that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose your friends wisely.

10. Help others.
When chasing success it's often too easy to focus on yourself. Most people who achieve success are concerned with helping others. Helping others cultivates understanding, humility and compassion. Don’t just reach and pull yourself up. Reach to the sides and below and do so often.

Now, put it to practice. Value elements of success that will launch you into a remarkable life.

Week Two: Book Giveaway Plus Your Questions