The Principles of Success : 'The Winning Mind'

Article Title: The Principles of Success : ‘The Winning Mind’

Author Name: Craig Lock
Category (key words): Success, Motivation, Inspiration

Web sites: www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books/74-craigs-books http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock + www.lulu.com/craiglock
The submitter’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at wordpress.com
Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, 'spiritual writings' (how 'airey-fairey'), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig!)
Publishing Guidelines:

We hope that the following article (an extract from Craig's manuscript on sport psychology 'The Winning Mind') may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site.

This piece may be freely reproduced electronically or in print. If it helps others "out there" on the pathway to success, then we're very happy.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

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THE PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESS: "THE WINNING MIND"
How to use the power of your mind to win in "the game of life".

"I'd rather attempt something great and fail...
than try something ordinary and succeed."
- inspiring words from Norman Vincent Peale
(US preacher and author)

"Inside each of us are powers so strong,
treasures so rich, possibilities so endless,
that to command them all to action would
change the history of the world."

What is success? I am not going to try to define success. I think a precise definition is impossible. Is it winning a Gold Medal at the Olympic Games or winning Wimbledon, or being awarded a Nobel prize? What else? I believe personal success could be anything at all--it does not have to involve public recognition. Who is more successful? A millionaire who is unhappy, or an unnoticed person who has led a simple, happy life? The simplest definition of success I think is 'to set out to do something and to succeed in doing it'. It really doesn't matter what, or how humble the undertaking ...

Believe you can succeed and you will. Achieving success in whatever endeavour you choose may be the goal of life, because it gives you freedom from worry. Could that be?

Success means different things to every one of us. Some people believe it is measured in financial terms, i.e. having wealth; others believe it is helping others rather than helping themselves. A bit of both perhaps?! Or it could be simply achieving for achievement's sake? Success is such a personal thing. To many people, it is the very root of their being—the reason for existing is to achieve something worthwhile in our lives. To the vast majority of the population it doesn't matter much whether they want to be successful or not; that's OK by me, as long as that is what you really want and you are happy with life.

However, most people want and are motivated to a great extent by public recognition and a relentless pursuit of achievement. How many people too are really happy? How many people are really doing what they want to with their lives? (Incidentally, the
ability to imagine, makes us different from animals).

No matter what motivates you personally...whatever you choose to do with your life, don't expect instant success. The years of struggle, commitment and learning in excelling at whatever endeavour or trade you choose, is no easy task. I would wholeheartedly agree with that statement. It takes a lot of courage, character and discipline to achieve success in any field. Nearly all successful people have doubted themselves at some point and wanted to give up. Yet they carried on. So many people give up within an inch or two away from the gold in the seam down the mine--a "whisker" away from success. One thing is for sure: success breeds SUCCESS, as it gathers a momentum of its own and you get on a "winning streak", when everything seems to fit into place.

I like all of the following quotations. They all stand for what success means to me personally. So I'll share them with you...

"Success is the continuous journey towards the achievement of predetermined worthwhile goals."

- Tom Hopkins, American motivator

"To live your life in your own way To reach the goals you've set for yourself To be the person you want to be - That is success."
- author anon.

"There is one only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way"
- Christopher Morley

Great words of wisdom there!

Most of all, I believe success is a matter of personal growth. If every day you are developing or growing just a millimetre (or acquiring a "teeny weeny" bit of knowledge for improving yourself that you didn't have before), I believe one is successful. So
dwarfs can be very successful people too (OOPS - sorry, but I'm "totally un-PC").

Just being a slightly better person each day for me is success. I've got a very long way to go then!

"Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself in what you ARE and BECOME down the 'river of life' – how and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the often rocky path-way of life's magical and mysterious journey.
Light YOUR path brightly."

Craig Lock (“Information and Inspiration Distributer”, Writer for Self Empowerment, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder)

"Do not follow the well-beaten track of others towards success - like the rainbow, it is often an illusion always just beyond our reach. Make your own path and let your spirit blaze a brilliant trail towards the pot of gold, the prize for the gift - one that is uniquely you and YOUR successful journey down the river of life.

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - an inner flame that burns brightly...with purpose, desire and passion.
True champions live the dream, the vision of who and what they can one day become.... even a long time before it happens."
- craig

"The roots of true achievement lie in the will to
become the best that you can become."
- Harold Taylor

“Together, one mind, one life at a time, let’s see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials.”

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