What are The Symptoms of Success?

Just getting back from a tour of Malaysia and Singapore. Beautifully diverse. I met a lot of successful people during the sessions. And it occurred to me that despite their different nationalities, faiths and businesses they all had something in common. They had all overcome big setbacks. As a matter of fact, their success was in direct proportion to the size of the challenges they faced.

The big idea: setbacks are symptoms of success. If you are not facing setbacks then you are probably not dreaming big enough. If you are not experiencing setbacks you are probably playing small with your life.

Without roadblocks there are no victories. Challenges forge the greatness in you. They let you know what isn't working. They force you to be creative. They are the road to your NLG (Next Level of Greatness).

So, the next time you face a setback take a moment to celebrate. I know that roadblocks can be frustrating or depressing or embarrassing. Yet, the best among us find a way to keep on acting in the rainstorm of these emotions (and like rainstorms, emotions eventually pass).

Think of the sales rep who makes the next call after a rejection or the athlete who works as hard at physiotherapy as their game when injured, or the student who changes their study habits after a failed exam. They all keep moving towards their mountaintop because they all know that the path to their greatest life is never straight.

Here are some tactics for learning and moving on after a setback.

Journal - Write about the challenge in your journal. Go through your feelings. Uncover exactly what bothers you most. Journaling helps you acknowledge your feelings and turn them into energy.

Exercise - Working out releases endorphins and gives you a sense of well-being. It also focuses you on something else and gives you a small daily win which improves your energy and confidence.

Find the Upside - After journaling and exercising you are in a better state of mind to discover the opportunity. What doors have now opened? How can solving the problem improve your game?

Watch Your Highlight Reel - Think about the last time you made it through a setback. What worked? How did you feel when you moved on? Visualize your past successes. They'll give you the confidence to move on. They may also provide clues to solving this problem.

Strategize - Create a plan. Find out a way to get the client back, to find new love, to get stronger after an illness. Whatever it is, planning will put you back in control. Then include this plan in your schedule because what gets scheduled gets done.
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Robin S. Sharma, LL.M. is an internationally-known speaker on sales leadership, peak performance and creativity. The bestselling author of several motivational books including MegaLiving, he is the managing partner of Sharma Leadership International. He can be reached at http://www.robinsharma.com

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More Motivation...
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Here's a positive affirmation you may wish to write down and recite to yourself...

"Challenges and adversity are but teachers on the path called life. While they may have the ability to side track me, in each is also the opportunity to learn, grow, and ultimately help me become the type of person I need to become in order to live out the goals, dreams and desires I've set for myself.

Not always easy, but always worth it -- today I move wholeheartedly in the pursuit of my own definition of success. No matter how I may choose to define it."