I hear this expression a lot: “You’ve got to be in it to win it!” It’s not usually applied to success with your endeavors, but it should be. You’ve got to be in it to be a success in most things in life. If you are not totally immersed in what you do, you will probably fail to reach your highest potential. You have to jump in at the pool and you must SWIM, not sit on the sidelines merely observing others. You must really immerse yourself in whatever you decide to take on to be a real success.
Here are some ways to know that you are not immersed—that you have not found your purpose:
• You don’t want to get up in the morning because your life lacks luster,
• You don’t think of innovative ways to solve problems or handle obstacles to your success,
• You don’t talk about (or think about) your activity, subject, or job with any enthusiasm,
• You don’t want to learn anything new,
• You have addictions and can’t seem to break away from either drugs, alcohol, bad relationships or whatever has you caught up, and
• You feel directionless, even hopeless.
A halfhearted approach will only get you halfhearted results. Half apply yourself and be ready to face disappointment and possibly—no, probably—failure.
To be a success in anything—relationships, career, spirituality—you must become immersed.
In case you didn’t figure it out, immersion is closely aligned to purpose and intent. Napoleon Hill, the author who spent a lifetime studying and writing about the habits of wealthy, successful people, said “There is one quality which one must possess to win and that is the definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” That implies immersion, it implies resolve.
I’m not saying that purpose and success have to be tied to wealth. Mother Theresa was widely successful at what she did. But that was because she was immersed. She decided early what gave her purpose and she jumped in.
When you are not fully immersed in your goals and your purpose, you will be doomed to fall short of them; success will elude you. You may get to the pool, but you will probably not go in the water.
What is it that you love to do? What could you do day in and day out and then end each day with a smile? That, then, is where your purpose lies. What is your goal? What is your target? Don’t hesitate to design your life so that you are immersed and you SWIM.
The football coaching great, Vince Lombardi said, “Success demands a singleness of purpose.”
So, how do you learn your purpose in order to become fully immersed in living a successful life? Try using a few of these ideas:
• Discover where your passions lie. What do you happily do?
• Meditate, pray, ask a higher power for guidance.
• Recognize which of your skills give you pleasure and design around them.
• Ask others what they think you are good at. Do their opinions match what you think?
It has been proven that in order to have a happy life, you must have a purpose, and to be successful, you must immerse yourself in accomplishing your goals. The whole idea of purpose and immersion and reaching goals may feel complicated but it really is quite simple: You have to show up at the water and then you have to get in there and SWIM!
If you can see yourself in any of what was discussed here, please leave a comment. And remember if you need help in getting into the water, don’t hesitate to contact me. I can help you uncover your purpose and achieve your goals.
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