How can I be successful?

(This question was being asked for so many times in different seminars)

The question that I would always toss back is "what is your definition of success?" Generally, people would say they want to be richer, higher level in corporate hierarchy; they want to be successful in a certain project or they would like to make an extraordinary success in a business.

If your definition of success is similar, which is measured by these practical parameters, then my advice would be simple and can be done by everyone. 

"Consistent execution" and "Persistent learning"

Honestly, idea is not a problem, execution is. And that execution is a massive action. "Massive"! But not just one or two times when "available"!

Besides, thing changed in Macro requires us to be patient in Micro (daily activity). Say keeping on posting thought on LinkedIn is micro, I have to do it everyday. But I won't suddenly get 1 million followers (macro) over a night. Every success is a process. Be persistent and learn how to be better!

As said, my advice is simple and can be done by everyone. See the trick? Nothing about you know it or not, it is all about you do it or not!

Generally, people would define their own meaning of success in term of practically measurable parameter as above. However, there are still some people defining their life success in a more subtle way. They refer “happiness” to be life success.

If that is the case, the following 2 points is my perspective.

1. You can't feel happy everyday, but you can be happy everyday.

Be more proactive in life and if you are always driven by outside environment, you are not taking control of your life. Finding out your drive which makes you happy is essential. People's drive could come from "certainty, uncertainty, love and connection, significance, growth and contribution" (from Tony Robbins). If you are able to realise your top drive, it doesn't mean that you are always in a perfect state, but at least you would be easier to have a sense of progressing. You don't need anything from outside, but you would have our own eternal standard to let you "be" happy.

2. Go beyond happiness to strive for fulfilment.

The ultimate failure is to be materialistically rich, but spiritually empty! If you strive for your own happiness everyday which is aligning with your own drive, I believe there is nothing wrong. But ultimately does this happiness sustain? Human kinds are social animal and we are not robots. We do have our feeling and when people's sentimental part reaches the highest level, it should be "self-actualisation" and believe it or not, the moment of time when we are genuinely actualising our own value in life is to contributing others. Sometimes, in doing a certain thing, it is not solely for own happiness, but after all those sweats and effort to work for others, the sincere thanks to us makes us realise our mission in life. This is called fulfilment.

Remember, success is not a condition, but it is a decision, totally depending on whether you would like to start doing it now or not. However, success is not a state, but a process. Be patient and keep it on. 

Alvin Leung