OK, so we’ve covered three of the four cornerstones for building sustainable success:
Values * Strengths * Purpose
When we clarify our strengths and then use our values and purpose to help shape our decisions, shape the work we’re made to be doing, success just keeps feeding itself.
That doesn’t mean every day is sunshine and unicorns – there is definitely effort and time spent dealing with challenges and obstacles – but the even the parts of ‘the work’ some people might find tedious, you find interesting. And in doing ‘the work’ we get stronger ourselves and in our craft. And that’s why doing ‘the work’ is the fourth and final cornerstone for building sustainable success.
Let’s call it “Practice”
Some people might call it ‘process’ though. Here are a few examples of what the process, what crafting a practice looks like for those who’ve reached society’s definition of ‘success’
Have you heard that story about Jerry Seinfeld’s process? He’s asked in an interview what about his creative process has changed in his 30+ years of writing. He answered that he still uses the same process, which is to sit with a legal pad and do nothing but write. If he has nothing to write, he will just sit until he does. The interviewer said that sounded like torture. “It is,” Seinfeld admits. “But you know what? Your blessing in life is when you find the torture you’re comfortable with…Find the torture you’re comfortable with, and you’ll do well.”
Another take on this concept of Practice comes from Mikaela Shiffrin, the world’s best skier. She said in a recent interview:
“Winning lasts just one hundredth of a second… but the real fun is in the process. If you don’t like the process, you should probably find something else to do.”
Success – fun in Mikaela’s case – isn’t in the achievement (winning), it’s in the process.
What is the activity, the work, you love doing… especially when everyone else gets bored with it, or finds it toturous? Think about what activity you are always looking to sneak in more time doing. You cannot WAIT to do more of this thing! (And if you need help uncovering that thing, check out the Strengths cornerstone).
Whatever that activity is, that’s what you want to be practicing, on purpose, with dedication. It likely already aligns with your values, strengths and purpose if it comes so naturally to you. Just make the practice of it more intentional and you’ll be building sustainable success.
So why is an intentional practice so important? We all know it helps us get better at the craft, but there’s more to it than mastery.
Practice builds character.
Repeatedly showing up to do a thing means you will encounter challenges and opportunities along the way. Do something long enough and you’ll experience all sorts of scenarios, some good, some not so good. As you address those challenges, you’re getting gritty, resilient, formidable. All traits which strengthen your character. And these also lead to…
Practice builds confidence.
Repeatedly showing up to do a thing builds confidence. As you set up a practice ‘routine’ you are making a promise to yourself. And the more you keep your promises to yourself, the more you trust in yourself. Then as you address the challenges mentioned above, you see how you handle those challenges, which then gives you confidence. After all, isn’t confidence just knowing you can manage the outcome? That you’ll be fine, that your response to that action is something you can handle?
Practice leads to creativity and innovation.
Ever notice that those who come to a solution quickly are usually those who’ve been doing the thing for a while? The more we practice our craft, the more we uncover various solutions to the challenges we address. Then there’s that muscle memory (whether it’s physical muscles or brain-type muscles) we build up. So then as we have better control over the standard challenges, our brains have more ‘space’ to make more interesting and innovative connections.
Values, strengths, purpose and practice – the four cornerstones to sustainable success. Get these defined and intentional and watch your impact blossom!
