Stealing From The Thieves - Copying Success

When faced with a setback, or other adversity in life, many people are hard pressed to find a way to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again. Conversely, after achieving a level of success, many people begin to worry about how to keep their momentum going. A big part of both these problems is that most people think that the path around adversity, or towards continued success, is one they alone have to blaze. They fail to realize that they are far from being alone on the path they've chosen. If they look around, they will realize that the path they're on has been trod by many feet and is, in fact, already blazed.

It's true that there is no one path to success. At the same time, it's also true that there are no completely new paths to success. When you find yourself facing a setback, you don't have to invent a completely new and unique workaround. Someone else has gone this way before you, has probably run into the same obstacle you now face and has overcome that obstacle and moved forward. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, consider looking to that person for advice. It's the easiest way to get yourself in gear again.

The term "stealing from the thieves" simply means that everything that seems new in the world is old, recycled or re-purposed. In some sense, there are no new ideas. There are only old ideas that have been rediscovered. If you think about it, nothing is innovative. It's simply been co-opted. This is an idea that got a start in the arts, but is applicable to the human urge for self-improvement, as well.

It's been said that in rock and roll there are only three chords, everything else is window dressing. This holds true in life as well. No matter the path you've chosen in life, no matter the setback you're facing, there are only a few proven ways to overcome what is stopping you. Everything else is smoke and shadows. So, if you look to people you know, people you admire, or people you'd like to emulate, you'll likely find not only a potential solution to your current problem, but also the inspiration to continue on towards your goal. In other words, find someone who is successful and copy their methods for success. In all likelihood, you will find yourself succeeding too.

Taking a minute to pause and reflect is important; it is also important to have guidance and accountability in place so that you can have help "seeing" the next best step. That's what a life coach or success mentor can do for you...in my coaching practice, I guide women with age-old practices, such as questioning and reflection to identifying states of mind and practicing Kaizen in all areas of life.

The next time you experience a setback, look for the lesson...try to observe the situation from a different point of view...get up and brush yourself off and take the next best step...your journey continues.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Lisa