Six Areas of Success

Business Mindset, Get Out Of Your Own Way

Have you ever noticed how in some areas of your life personal success is easy, and in others, it’s just not? Sometimes we just aren’t honest with ourselves about what the true problem really is.

For example, I’ve wanted to lose weight for about 3 years now. I’ve tried all kinds of plans on and off and it wasn’t really working. I had chalked it up to the fact that I just couldn’t really lose weight and that it wasn’t going to happen for me. But then I came across the six areas of success as described by Angeles Arrien in her book The Tarot Handbook.

As I looked at the six areas needed for personal success, I realized that I hadn’t really been trying to be successful in losing weight. Not really. At any given moment in time, I didn’t have step-by-step processes in place, or I wasn’t being flexible with my body, or I wasn’t being consistent.

Since that day, I’ve used these principles as a gauge to analyze any area of my life or business that isn’t working so well.

Here are the six principles and the questions that I’ve created to go with them.

1. Success is achieved through discipline and step-by-step procedures.

• Do I have step-by-step procedures in place? Have I been exercising discipline in following them?

2. Success is achieved by being open and flexible to options that we may not have entertained, and opportunities that present themselves.

• Am I open and flexible to new options presenting themselves? Am I flexible enough to surrender to outcomes coming in a way that I may not have predicted?

3. Success is attainable as a result of following what has heart and meaning in our lives.

• Am I paying attention to my heart? Am I following that which has meaning to me?

4. Success is attainable if we will stay in our authenticity and truth.

• Am I being authentic and honest with myself and others?

5. Success is attainable if we will organize our communication so that context and timing are all aligned.

• Is this the right time for this to happen? Am I communicating with enough people to get the support I need?

6. Success is attainable if we will put consistent energy into personal and professional issues rather than to expend marathon energy or inconsistency into our life situations.

• Am I being consistent in my actions or am I expending a lot of energy sometimes and not enough energy at others?

What is one area of your life or one thing that you are struggling with? The more specific you are here, the better.

Answer the following questions about that thing or area:

1. Do I have step-by-step procedures in place? Have I been exercising discipline in following them?
2. Am I open and flexible to new options presenting themselves? Flexible enough to surrender to outcomes coming in a way that I may not have predicted?
3. Am I paying attention to my heart? Following that which has meaning to me?
4. Am I being authentic and honest with myself and others?
5. Is this the right time for this to happen? Am I communicating with enough people to get the support I need?
6. Am I being consistent in my actions or am I expending a lot of energy sometimes and not enough energy at others?

Photo: flickr, Dana Orlosky