Is Success The Key Or The Lock

Success is an elusive concept. Defined differently for each person, the word alone stirs in some, vivid imagery and in others, absolute frustration. Here are a few definitions; 

• the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like
• a successful performance or achievement.

For those to have a vivid imagination and can see success in the most favorable conditions, then wealth, position, or honors might play into your thoughts, actions, and habits. You see yourself being successful, so you do the things that successful people do to achieve, attain, or realize success.

 

For those who land on the absolute frustration, perhaps you have attempted success in some areas of your life and your actions did not result in wealth, position, or honors. The performance or achievement did not succeed, in some ways, you saw failure.

 

For the readers who land in the first camp (vivid imagery) you might see success as the key. In fact, you have collected many keys in your life. Keys which have opened locks that lead to success. Athletics, academics, relationships, finance, business, ministry, teaching, coaching, parenting, these all require something…that elusive mixture of nature and nurture. You have discovered the keys which open the locks. With the opening, you are presented with more options, more experiences, and more chances. As you progress, you store up historical success and apply that experience and confidence to the next series of “life locks” which require keys.

 

For the readers who land in the second camp, absolute frustration, success can be represented by the lock. A physical representation of “do not enter.” Perhaps you tried to open these locks in the past and you had the wrong keys. Sure these keys have been designed to open OTHER locks, just not the ones you have in front of you. Sports might not have been your thing. Academics; difficult. Relationships; even more challenging that sports or academics. You tried the other areas where successful people opened the locks and determined that you should just play it safe and keep those life locks…LOCKED.

 

The challenge here is in a one dimensional paradigm of success/failure. Take a piece of paper and draw a horizontal line. On the left side write the word FAILURE, on the right side, SUCCESS. You see, many people define their lives by the single dimension of Failure and Success. Success can be elusive. It can be an addictive drug until itself. Once you succeed in one area, you demand success again and again in other areas, perhaps ALL areas. Success becomes the destination and requires more and more destinations.

 

Failure on the left hand side is also a measurable point on the horizontal dimension. Failure in one area does not mean failure in all areas. What if you could redefine the word failure? Take Thomas Edison and his ability to redefine failure. When he attempted to create the electric light bulb, he said he did not fail, he discovered 1000 ways it does not work. You see the approach to failure and success is not one dimensional. Do not let these two words prevent you from moving forward.

 

In the movie; Meet The Robinsons, there is a great scene where the automated peanut butter/jelly mixer does not work. Young Lewis the frustrated inventor volunteers to fit it. Everyone at the dinner table gets excited and offers encouragement. Lewis, confident he has solved the problem, tells them to let’er rip. The machine fails and Lewis is crushed. The Robinson family celebrates Lewis’s failure due to the excitement of trying again and perhaps getting better and better and making it work. Great lesson here about creating an environment where people can attempt and fail, only to be encouraged to try, try, try again!

 

So, you have a choice. You can view success as the key or the lock. I have attempted both and I choose to collect keys to open locks. If one key does not work, I will find another. I choose to redefine failure as just an event, not the end game.

 

Acting On A Prompting – Reflections From The 2009 Sendoutcards Conference

A few weeks ago I traveled to Salt Lake City for the 2009 Sendoutcards “United We Send” conference. About 2,400 other people showed up as well. All this because Kody Bateman, the founder of Sendoutcards, wanted a way to act on a prompting.

What is a prompting? A prompting is your inner voice, that message you hear when you think; “I really need to _______.” Whatever that need is that inner prompting is you thinking about doing something. Examples would be to write that thought down, take the time to say Thank You to someone who just popped in your mind, email someone about a memory you just had, etc. There are two parts of the prompting; one is your inner voice communicating that, and the other is the action you take based on the compelling nature of that prompting.

The challenge with most of us today is that we are just too busy to even consider that we’re hearing those inner voices. We are too busy to reflect on something internal that should be acted upon, that needs to be acted upon. For Kody, a tragedy in his life resulted in a lifelong quest to enable himself and others to act on promptings. Thus, Sendoutcards was created approximately 6 years ago as a vehicle for people to act; to take physical action when a prompting is heard or felt. That physical action is sending a card, something so simple that it is easy not to do. Sendoutcards make it easy by allowing users of their system to log into their site, select a card or create your own, write the emotion which was the origin of your prompting, then hit SEND. The rest is taken care of by Sendoutcards. They print the card, address the envelop, stuff the envelop, place a stamp , and deliver it to the post office. A few days later, your inner prompting arrives as the action, the message, the written word in the hands and hearts of the intended party. Now, how cool is that!

United We Send was the 2009 theme for Sendoutcards. Listening for your inner prompting and then acting on is does not have a racial or cultural barrier. Each of us, regardless of race, creed, or color, can act on our inner prompting. We UNITE over a common theme; we bring the world together using the vehicle of a gesture, expressed in a greeting card. For me, I enjoyed meeting people who share the same goals and dreams I have. We all found Sendoutcards in a unique way and we all want to pass along this powerful tool to more and more people.

Most of you who know me or read my posts know that I have a background in Sales and Motivation. Sendoutcards can be the most powerful tool in the sales professional’s toolbox. It can be used to communicate a genuine, heartfelt Thank You. I can be used to reach out and touch both prospects and customers/clients. It can be used as a powerful business promotional tool. Like any powerful tool, it has to be used. Having it laying around the office or in the trunk of your car is 100% useless.

What about Motivation? What I have learned in my 2 years of using Sendoutcards is that I am fine tuning my ears to hear my inner promptings. Too many times I get bogged down in the drama and trauma of life. I lose my focus and shut out the inner promptings which I should act on. Now, I am Consciously Competent to listen and act. Often, I am Unconsciously Competent; I act without even thinking about it. Like tying your shoes or driving through traffic, you do it without thinking. As a professional Motivational speaker there are times when you have to listen and act on a prompting. Sometimes it is the client I am with, the way I need to customize and deliver a specific message; sometimes it is more listening instead of talking. It is my inner promptings that lead me to successful outcomes.

What will be in store for the 2010 Sendoutcards conference? I am sure of one thing; more and more people will attend due to the success of this business. More people will want to identify with what Sendotucards has done for their lives and the lives of others. More people will collect the stories in their minds and make them the stories of their lives (Kody Bateman). I know, I will be there.