I am a consultant. I get hired because people want some extra help in “becoming successful” — either they are NOT achieving the success they want and desire help finding out why not, or (less often) they want to pro-actively make sure they are using all the resources they can to ensure success.

But is long term success REALLY what they want? Inevitably there is a moment when I suggest to the client that what they are doing isn’t working and challenge them to do or see something differently. Instead of thanking me for my brilliant advice and immediately taking it, often the client will try to convince me that their perception, their instinct, their approach really WILL work.

Ok, I am not omnipotent, and have (on occasion) been wrong. But truly, I wouldn’t go through the discomfort of offering unwelcome advice unless I honestly thought the client was more likely to get what he wanted if he took that advice. And ultimately, convincing me he is “right” will do nothing towards making the client more successful.

So this phenomenon has caused me to question the way these clients define “success” — is success feeling right in the moment, or getting the desired result in the long term?

Long term success is hard. The path to success frequently requires us to travel through the unknown, to attempt things we don’t know how to do or (even worse) haven’t done successfully before. There will be many points along the way when it doesn’t look like success will ever be achieved. And there will be many people along the way who want to question or criticize…and there will be little to hold on to that will help reduce the unknown or build the confidence.

So, then — what should a person do if they want to succeed? The hard truth is, success seems more a function of being able to clearly see and analyze the true situation — even if that clear seeing and questioning only increases the person’s discomfort. Success seems to come more when one is willing to, at every crossroads, look honestly at what is going on and what is needed…and take the step that seems called for, even if it is the hardest step to take. It can mean saying “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure I can”…and then doing it anyway. It can mean saying “no” to those who want to believe they can do what is easy or what another company did or what they are good at…asking them to face the truth along with you.

For those of you who REALLY want to succeed, I share the words of Christopher Hansard in The Tibetan Art of Serenity about the Seven Steps to Achievement:
1) Learn how to make decisions that are free of fear
2) Choose pursuits that you love and give them the best that is in you
3) Sieze your opportunities based on a clear and serene mind
4) Learn to live in perfect comfort with your higher levels of power
5) Know that there are mental and spiritual energies dormant in you that will only wake when there is a need
6) Be willing to go beyond your limits
7) Be prepared to fail greatly so that you can achieve greatly