Before we go on to talk about sustaining success, let us define what success is. Success is finding your purpose in this life and fulfilling it. Okay, let me break it down. It is to identify your unique niche and calling in life and strive to reach the pinnacle of it. So every step in the direction of improving your chosen line of endeavor is a success. “Success is not just the destination; it can be the daily experience of your journey!”
I believe that success that cannot be sustained is not real success. Enough of the telling of the tales of the glory days; the good old days! Is there nothing happening in your life today?
Why does the lottery winner often find himself back at square one in a few, short months or years after winning the lottery? He did not find the keys to sustained success. His was a temporary, transient experience of riches. Sometimes it is better not to taste than to have tasted it and lost it.
I am about to give you four simple steps to achieve and sustain success! For success to be sustained it must be owned. You must own your success. It cannot come from without, it must come from within. If you do not own it, it can be taken from you. But if you own it, even if they take the produce of it from you, you will be able to simply reproduce it. Okay. Let’s get down to business.
1). FIND YOUR PRODUCT
Basically, economic prosperity is attained from the platform of buying and selling. Even before the advent of money as a medium of exchange; the trade by barter was simply the exchange of products. Your bargaining power was dependent on the quality and quantity of product you possessed and your ability to convince your neighbor that he needed it. It is all about buying and selling. Every moment someone is buying or selling something. I believe that every one has a product in you. Sometimes your product could be that thing that you are overlooking because it comes so easily to you; but you fail to realize that it is not that easy for others. I write, teach and speak with ease. I took it for granted till I realize that many would spend sleepless nights trying to do what I do as second nature. One of my products is life empowering information packaged in easily understood media. I am an “infopreneur” What is your product? It could be the way you speak. It could be your ability to make friends easily. Oprah found out that her product was her personality, look what she has done with it! It could be your unique way of seeing things. What is your product? Find your product!
2) MASTER AND REPRODUCE YOUR PRODUCT
Once you have been able to identify your product, you must now master that product. Before you go to the market place you must master your product. The closer a product is to its natural state the cheaper it will be. The more refined and processed a product is, the more people are willing to give in exchange for it. That is why canned food is more expensive than the same food in its natural state. Too many people go to the market place with their product prematurely. Working and mastering your product is never a waste of time. With every refining process you put your product through the more value it is gaining. In the process of refining your product you might discover some by-products that may even be higher economic value than the original product. For example, the many by-product of refining crude oil potentially could generate far more revenue than the crude oil itself! Let’s go back to the main point. You must master your primary product to the point where you can reproduce it at will, at the same level of quality or increasing levels of quality, never lower. This is the principle upon which franchising is based. McDonald discovered a product, mastered the product, and then started to reproduce it. The product had been so mastered that when you step into McDonalds anywhere in the world it is the same. If you have mastered your product, mass reproduction should not reduce its essence or quality.
3) MARKET YOUR PRODUCT
Now that you have found, mastered and are able to reproduce your product. It is time to go to the market place. It is not sufficient to be a local champion. You have to get your product out there. Market your product! Do not just go to any market place. Identify with clarity what need your product meets and go to the market place of that need. You sometimes have to be able to show people that they need what they were not aware that they needed. Market your product. Take it far and wide.
4) HANDLE THE COMPETITION
Do not be overtly optimistic about life and the market place. There will definitely be competition. There will be those that will be doing similar things to what you are doing. But I found out that no two people are really doing exactly the same thing. There will always be a difference. In dealing with competition, do not try to pull down what others are doing rather, know the strength and uniqueness of your product and emphasize it! For example there are many teachers, writers and motivational speakers like myself but there is only one me. I have a unique way of processing information and presenting it. I simply emphasize my strengths. I magnify my office!
If you apply yourself to these four steps, sustained success will be a reality in your life. Get to work today! Find your product! Master and reproduce your product! Market your product! Handle all competition! All I have done is put you on the path to sustained success.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
“Success is not really a destination but rather a journey” – John Maxwell
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