Climb Your Own Success Ladder

By Jennifer Good

To me, the quickest path to startup success can be summed up in just a few words, “Always be climbing your own success ladder.” Allow me to elaborate:

Every day, we are faced with decisions that will either move us closer to or farther away from our goals. As a self-employed individual or entrepreneur, you may sometimes feel like you are hardwired to try to attain success in everything you do. However, the path to success isn’t always so clear. Entrepreneurs can get so caught up in the “business” of the business that they forget about the overall vision.

Luckily, everyone has a different definition of success. To keep you moving forward, it’s important to truly define what you would consider a successful outcome. Why are you striving for whatever it is you’re trying to attain? If the answer to this question has anything to do with someone else’s life or expectations, it may be time to reevaluate your goals.

If you’re in the process of creating a new startup, you have to always be asking yourself the tough questions. You have to define what YOUR vision is and what YOUR company is truly about so that you can evaluate its true potential at each stage. If you don’t, you may find it’s all too easy to get caught up in other people’s ideas and start to change your vision to make those people (investors, key team members, etc.) happy.

Why would any entrepreneur slip away from their vision? For most people, fear is the main roadblock. For some, the problem may be a lack of education, while for others it may be an issue of confidence. At some point, however, you are going to have to decide whether or not you have the courage to create YOUR something amazing. You’re going to have to make a life choice that matches your true desire. Are you ready?

More than ever before, today’s culture is set up to support the individual seeking his or her own personal dream. Economic trends have forced many people to break out of their comfort zone and venture forth on their own. Overall, this is a very exciting time for those with the courage to find their own path to greatness. Anyone with the desire and willpower to go after their goal can be rewarded in many ways.

So, whether you’re working toward your dream or still working up the courage to take that first step, take a few moments and let the words of these great minds motivate and inspire you to find your own greatness:

• “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.” –Buddha
• “The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” –Socrates
• “The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose.” –John Mason Brown
• “Know thyself means this, that you get acquainted with what you know, and what you can do.” –Menander
• “We are either progressing or retrograding all the while; there is no such thing as remaining stationary in this life.” –James Freeman Clarke
• “Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.” –Washington Irving
• “The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.” –Richard M. DeVos
• “Many men go fishing their entire lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.” –Henry David Thoreau
• “If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” –John Maxwell
• “Anyone can live heroically and successfully for one day. The man who achieves a high purpose makes that day the pattern for all the days of his life.” –Source Unknown
• “Growth begins when we begin to accept our own weakness.” –Jean Vanier
• “If you’re going to doubt something, doubt your limits.” –Don Ward
• “The world makes way for a man who knows where he is going.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” –Jack Canfield

Jennifer Good writes on many topics related to content marketing, social media, leadership, and productivity for leading publications. You can also find her at JenniferGood.com.