Common Sense Ideas for Becoming the Career Star You Are Meant to Be

Today is Wednesday, so this post is on outstanding performance.

The Secret is the hottest selling book right now.  It has sold more than two million copies in three months.  The video for sale on line has been downloaded more that 1.5 million times.  Oprah has done two shows about it.  Newsweek devoted six pages to it.

In case you don’t know, The Secret is based on the law of attraction.  Briefly, the law of attraction holds that you create your own reality through your thoughts.  Rhonda Byrne, an Australian TV producer, wrote the book and produced the video.  The Secret is based on a book written by Wallace Wattles in 1910 called The Science of Getting Rich – that tells the reader how to let his or her thoughts and feelings get you what you want.  According to Ms. Byrne, the secret is simple: Ask, Believe, Receive.

To me, the idea behind The Secret is very similar to the idea behind positive affirmations.  I am a big believer in positive affirmations – thoughts we can repeat to ourselves daily or several times a day to help us get what we want.  I urge my coaching clients to develop positive affirmations for the things they want in life. 

Recently, Dan Robey did a great post on affirmation on his Power of Positive Habits newsletter.  According to Mr. Robey, good affirmations have three things in common. 

1. Good affirmations are stated in the present tense.
2. Good affirmations express a positive statement.
3. Good affirmations are short and specific.

When I first started my consulting business in 1988, I used to repeat the affirmation “I am a successful consultant”, several times everyday.    I had it done up by a calligrapher and hung it in my office, right above my desk.  As you can see, it met all three of Dan Robey’s criteria for a good affirmation.  And, it worked.  I created my own reality – a successful consulting practice.  Rhonda Byrne would say that the law of attraction worked for me.  Dan Robey would say that I experienced the power of affirmations.  And I did.

However -- not to diss the law of attraction or the power of affirmations -- it took a lot of work and effort.  I believe that the affirmation helped.  The positive vibes I sent out into the universe helped.  The law of attraction helped.  But more importantly, it was my willingness to develop a plan and work it that led to my success.

In my current office I have hung a framed quote from Paul Meyer, founder of Success Motivation International, right by the door.  I see it every time I enter and leave my office:

• “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act on…must inevitably come to pass.”

The first three parts of Mr. Meyers’ quote “vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe” are right in tune with Ms. Byrne’s take on the law of attraction.  However, I believe that Mr. Meyer has the missing ingredient to The Secret.  And that ingredient is the words “and enthusiastically act on”. 

“Enthusiastically acting” means setting goals, tracking progress towards them and meeting them.  It means setting new goals once you’ve reached the old ones.  It means doing the work necessary to make your affirmations come true.  To use Mr. Meyer’s words, “Develop a dogged determination to follow through on your plan, regardless of obstacles, criticism, circumstances or what other people say, think, or do.”

There are several common sense points here.  The law of attraction is powerful and helpful.  Affirmations are powerful and helpful.  However, it is the willingness to do the work that will make you an outstanding performer and help you become a success in your life and career.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com.TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.