Re-Thinking Success

May 30th, 2008


Flying

It's all too easy to focus on the rejections in life and forget the successes. Why is that? Are we afraid of being considered a show off, too big for our britches, self-absorbed, annoyingly happy? It's funny the ways our egos will bring us down by saying things like: the higher you go the harder you'll fall, who do you think you are? It Reminds me of this wonderful quote:

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

-Marianne Williamson

I do think it's important to share when we're struggling sometimes, if only to release it and move on, I think it's equally important to share when we're soaring. In the past, I might have felt jealous when I read about the success of others, but I've learned along the way, that there truly is enough success out there for everyone. So here are my thoughts about re-thinking success. I'd love to hear yours!

How to Re-Think Success
:

Define it
: What does success mean? It's different for everyone and so it's important to define it for yourself. Keep a list of successes small and large that you want to attain in your life and check back on them periodically to see where you're at. Most importantly, when you do check something off that list, celebrate it! I know that I forget to do this quite often. I'll brush one success off as no big thing, automatically thinking on the next thing I haven't accomplished yet. But it's important to revel in your successes, no matter how small.

Re-Focus: At the end of the day, instead of focusing on what you didn't do, focus on what you did accomplish. Write it down! There's something oddly satisfying about writing your "already done" list. Instead of knocking yourself down for the things you didn't check off your to-do list and feeling crappy about it (and yourself), you can instead feel great about what you did do. It's so much easier to continue forward when you're focusing on your accomplishments. Beating yourself up, tends to lead to a vicious cycle of feeling bad, procrastinating, and then feeling worse. Don't go there. Feel great about what you do and keep growing!

Live it
: You know that expression, "Fake it til you make it"? There is something to it. Acting as if you've already attained your goals is a powerful way to move into them. This falls into the "Law of Attraction" category I suppose. I haven't read "The Secret", but I've read about the topic of attraction in other places, like Martha Beck's Steering by Starlight and I've had my own experiences of it along the way. My feelings about it are a little hard to put words to, but what I have grasped is that when you can imagine that feeling you'd have if whatever goal or success you want has come true and then live in that frame of mind, wonderful things can happen. When you act from a place of love and success, success comes to you. When you act from a place of lack and desperation, that's what comes.

Celebrate it: It's wonderful to not only celebrate your own success, but also the success of others. When your friends have success, join them in celebrating. The good mojo and inspiration will soak into your skin and light you up. My friend Jessie is rocking and rolling with her new business and I'm so thrilled for her. And as a side benefit, her success gets me so excited about my own work!

Do it
: There's something quite powerful about doing what you love. It shows. It inspires other people. Just by doing it, whatever it is, you are a success. There's a wonderful sense of accomplishment and self-respect that comes from working on those projects big and small that make you glow with joy. Celebrate that joy. Celebrate the success that you are. Let your own light shine.

In the interest of sharing success, one of my greatest joys is hearing from someone who has felt some sort of connection to my art. That happened yesterday when I sold a print of Betwixt and Between (above) from my etsy store and I got a super sweet message from the buyer about how she'd found my art and what it meant to her. What a wonderful treat that is. (And a good reminder to let sellers of art or other goods know why you purchased their products. It means a lot!)

17 Responses

Wow Leah ! I feel like you (or is it the Universe ?) wrote this post for me today ! For the last week, I have been struggling with guilt about what I am NOT doing ! I have been beating myself up pretty badly and it sucks !

This morning, I decided I was going to shake that off – enough already ! As my guru mom always says, “What’s wrong with you is besides the point. What is right with you is the starting point!” I really needed to remember to celebrate that ! Reading your post gave me that added boost too, so thank you for putting your inspirational message out there today !
Little bits of synchronicity – Before I visited you today, I was posting a fun, “get to know me”, ABC thing on my blog, and had just written part of the very same quote by Marianne Williamson as my favorite quote. Ah, ain’t life’s little messages grand when we are ready to listen !

Thanks again for always shining your light !
Kim

You should write a book. Seriously.

I learn so much from you every day!

Leah,

Beautiful, brilliant post. I love Marianne Williamson. I believe it was a prayer to attact great love she had that I said for maybe a week and WHAMO I met my husband in a way which can not be explained.

I have always said “fake it til your break it” to anyone dealing with depression who does not want to be there. (as a pharmacist I see a lot of this as they are “waiting” for the magic pill to cure them)

I also “beelieve” through our art, we met for the importance we will be in each others lives.

Karen

What a great follow-up to your last post. What you wrote here reminds me of what we do in our Ladies Who Launch Incubator – imagine it. speak it. do it. celebrate it! It’s the magic formula to successfully launching anything!! And I love that you also brought up re-focusing and looking at what you have already done. I was getting so tripped up on not feeling like I was getting anything done on my projects that I started a practice of just putting a bead in a bowl after I finish something. It’s very therapeutic! And even the little things count. :)

Wonderful post, so many great points! I really believe in the law of attraction as well having read The Secret. It really makes sense that if you think and believe in something as if it has already happened, it will eventually happen. Both good and bad! So, might as well believe in your success and your happiness and live life like it is already yours :)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and words around this topic.

I really like the part about making a list of your accomplishments—instead of focusing on what I didn’t get done—thanks for the idea!!! this is an inspiring post!

Brilliant! and so true.. I just copied onto my blog something I had received in my mail. (might be on the “other” blog:-) Anyway, the bottom line is really to focus on what the solutions are rather than the problems. Positive stuff, the successes rather than all that is wrong… not so easy sometimes.
I also got so sidetracked this year, but hey, better late than never and although I have been extremely creative, it hasn’t been for my Self. For my Soul… Photographs, journaling, painting.. recommitting to my creative self. Good to come back here and get inspiration !!!
Doreen
http://anartisticyear.blogspot.com/

Leah-
This is an incredible, inspiring post. Your reflectiveness drives you to your dreams. I love the quote that you started with. That is something we all should read every single morning.

More on flying:
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly……..Chesterton

I really like the idea of making a list of accomplishments – it is so easy to focus on how much we haven’t gotten done, when meanwhile, we’ve accomplished quite a bit.

I agree with Jim Doran: you should write a book. You are truly a teacher and creative inspiration. I have to admit that sometimes I feel like people might really start to dislike me when I write about my successes. The truth is that I have a lot of failures too. Yes, even with my new business. And I still have a lot of fear and doubt and the whole nine yards. But I find that, somehow, but writing about all the good stuff that’s happening, it helps to raise me out of the things that worry me. And, as you know, the better (more positive and authentic) our energy is, the better (and more authentic) things are likely to be. I find this whole conversation that you’ve started incredibly interesting and deep. I also find your thoughts incredibly comforting and helpful. The way I see it, on some level, we’re all in a similar place (that is, there is something universal that connects all of us). I love celebrating the successes of my friends and fellow creatives because i reminds me: if it can happen to them, it can happen to me! :)

as for your “things I did” list…I think that is a great idea and is something that I might adopt. Every night I make a list of “things to do” for the next day and write down my intentions. What a great idea to take a couple minutes to celebrate the little successes of what I DID accomplish!

I also want you to know that I think of you often. I think of your tenacity, incredible commitment and your ability to stick with your art, no matter what–and it inspires me beyond words. Thanks for another wonderful post and thank you also for your kind words.

You are a shining star! :)
With love,
j.

I agree with Jim Doran: you should write a book. You are truly a teacher and creative inspiration. I have to admit that sometimes I feel like people might really start to dislike me when I write about my successes. The truth is that I have a lot of failures too. Yes, even with my new business. And I still have a lot of fear and doubt and the whole nine yards. But I find that, somehow, but writing about all the good stuff that’s happening, it helps to raise me out of the things that worry me. And, as you know, the better (more positive and authentic) our energy is, the better (and more authentic) things are likely to be. I find this whole conversation that you’ve started incredibly interesting and deep. I also find your thoughts incredibly comforting and helpful. The way I see it, on some level, we’re all in a similar place (that is, there is something universal that connects all of us). I love celebrating the successes of my friends and fellow creatives because i reminds me: if it can happen to them, it can happen to me! :)

as for your “things I did” list…I think that is a great idea and is something that I might adopt. Every night I make a list of “things to do” for the next day and write down my intentions. What a great idea to take a couple minutes to celebrate the little successes of what I DID accomplish!

I also want you to know that I think of you often. I think of your tenacity, incredible commitment and your ability to stick with your art, no matter what–and it inspires me beyond words. Thanks for another wonderful post and thank you also for your kind words.

You are a shining star! :)
With love,
j.

Hi Leah, thank your for these interesting and re-assuring and encouraging words. Wonderful paintings too, they shine:), yes
Have a wonderful weekend;
Andrea
Even if I don’t leave a comment, I regularly come here to look at your art:)

this post rocked. thank you very much. i’m going to print & put in my personal journal. i’ve been struggling for a while…oh since about 2001 (but that’s a whole ‘nother oprah show!)…and before that i used to be so audacious & outgoing & of the Fake It Til You Make it ilk. and i’ve been trying to pick myself up by my bootstraps every year, month, day after that. your site & your art & your words are inspiring & encourage me to keep on “fakin it”!

I love these affirmations. When I got three things chosen/judged to be in the juried art show I was floating on cloud nine. I saw my husband look at me (me thinking he was thinking) will she ever come back down to earth? It was a wonderful high.
I pinch myself now and then to tell myself it yes really happened…I have the ribbon and the envelope the check came in to prove it…tee hee…
and it inspires me to try, try again!
See my latest work in progress on my “getting my feet wet” blog. ;-)
I love your paintings and I wish you great success in sales to come.

2 words ..
Thank you !

Post a Comment