Achieve Success - The Spiral of Success

"Achieve Success - The Spiral of Success"," Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible"

If you were to describe your journey through life so far, would you say you have been on a gentle canal-boat cruise, enjoying sunny days and lazy lunches at country pubs along the way or a solo crossing of the Atlantic - in a kayak?

How smooth or bumpy your ride has been is something only you can decide.


Feeling in control can be described as being in your comfort zone.
 Everything in your comfort zone is familiar and everything is reassuringly predictable: safe: there are no surprises here.
 Having a comfort zone can be a positive thing in your life if you learn to use it as a place where you can pause for a moment and catch your breath; a place where you can take stock of your achievements so far and consider your options for the next leg of your journey.
 If your comfort zone becomes a place to hide rather than a place to reflect, you effectively shut yourself off from all opportunities to discover your true potential.


"Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights"
 Change takes them out of their comfort zone and makes them feel vulnerable.


Think of the spiral of success as a spiral staircase.
 For those who fear change, facing the climb up those stairs feels like facing an experimental jet-pack flight wearing equipment supplied by Bodge-It and Scarper Inc.


You don't need to leap up the spiral of success in one enormous jump, you take it one small, manageable step at a time, just like climbing a spiral staircase.
 So where does the confidence to take the first step come from? The answer is yourself.
 Think positive.
 Decide where it is you want to go and then plan your journey.
 Think of each step as a stepping-stone towards your final destination.
 Break the journey between the two points into small steps.
 The next step is to build your confidence by adding to what you already have.
 The building blocks of self-confidence are:

Knowledge

Knowledge is power.


Skill

Identifying your own unique skills can be very empowering.


Experience

With experience comes knowledge.
 Accomplishing goals builds confidence.
 Believing that change is always possible allows you to remain optimistic through turbulent times.
 Believe, and have confidence, in your ability to take the next step.
 Each time you step out of your comfort zone, doubt can creep into your thoughts: 'Am I ready for this? Can I do this?'

Doubt stems from a lack of self-belief and could lead to a hasty retreat back into the comfort zone.
 Take a moment to reflect on your achievements so far.
 Those voices in your head are simply a sign that you are preparing to take the next step, you're getting ready to step out of your comfort zone.
 Silence the voices by telling yourself that you are ready, you can do it and then get those butterflies flying in formation - fly with them! You've worked hard and earned your right to make your way up the spiral of success; you deserve to be there.


For example, I had been teaching classes on sports psychology with professional football coaches for a number of years when I was asked by the Scottish Football Association to deliver a talk.
 The subject matter was something I'd given talks on many times before and I confidently prepared to begin with my back to the class as they filed in behind me with much rustling of papers and scooting of chairs.
 This for me was an oh-shit-moment.
 The talk was a great success.
 Success is not an instant accomplishment, it's a continuing journey but it's still your journey to take - remember to enjoy the view on the way up.