*** The Four C's of Success

This is my first article for SelfGrowth.com since I became the Official Guide for Career Development. In this article I will be sharing the ideas on career and life success. They are based on the advice I provide my coaching clients and my Common Sense Success System (http://www.Commo
SenseSuccessSystem.com/freedvdoffer). This system is based on what I call the “Four Cs of Success:” Clarity of purpose and direction, Commitment to taking personal responsibility for your own success, Confidence in your ability to succeed, and Competence in four key areas.

Clarity

Clarity of purpose and direction is fundamental to your career and life success. Success begins with a clear picture of how you define it.

When I was 25, if you asked me what I wanted to be doing when I was 50, I would have told you, “Running a one person consulting, coaching and speaking business from my house.” Guess what? I have been running a one person consulting, coaching and speaking business from my house every since 1988. My clarity of purpose propelled me toward my goal.

I have a friend who is a serial entrepreneur. He started a software business when he was 27. He has since started and sold four companies. His clarity of purpose lies in the challenge of creating something new, building it into a viable sustainable business and then moving on.

I have another friend who recently retired as the Executive VP of Human Resources for a Fortune 50 company. When she was in college, she decided that she was going to join a good company and work her way up the ladder. She took an entry level HR job when she graduated. It took her over 25 years, but she eventually became the most senior HR person in that company. Her clarity of purpose and definition of success was different from mine and the serial entrepreneur’s, but she reached her goal.

My second friend told me that her son has yet a different definition of success. He is not interested in climbing the corporate ladder, or in being an entrepreneur. He wants an interesting job where he can contribute, but he doesn’t want to spend inordinate amounts of time at work. He wants to spend as much time with his family as he can. His definition of success is different from his mother.

All four of us are professional successes – according to our clarity of purpose.

There is no one correct definition of professional success. There are as many definitions as there are people in this world. Your definition of professional success is what’s right for you – not anyone else. That’s why defining your clarity of purpose is so important. Your clarity of purpose provides both a foundation and launching pad for your professional success. The old saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know when you get there” is a cliché but true. Getting clear on your personal definition of profession success is the first step to becoming a professional success.

Commitment

It’s simple, really. Success is all up to you, and me, and anyone else who wants it. We all have to commit to taking personal responsibility for our own success. I am the only one who can make me a success. You are the only one who can make you a success.

Stuff happens: good stuff, bad stuff, frustrating stuff, unexpected stuff. Successful people respond to the stuff that happens in a positive way. Humans are the only animals with free will. That means we – you and me – get to decide how we react to every situation that comes up.

Committing to personal responsibility means recognizing that you are responsible for your life and the choices you make. It means that you realize that while other people and events have an impact on your life, these people and events don’t shape your life. When you accept personal responsibility for your life, you own up to the fact that how you react to people and events is what’s important. And you can choose how to react to every person you meet and everything that happens to you. The other three Cs work only if you commit to taking responsibility for your life and career.

Committing to personal responsibility also means using these ideas once you learn them. I’ve written this article to provide you with useful information and knowledge on success. But, as the U.S. Steel pencils my Dad brought home from work used to say, “Knowing is not enough.”

When I was a kid, I was really fascinating and puzzled by these pencils. “Knowing is not enough – what the hell does that mean?” I used to think. I spent hours struggling with that idea. I was too stubborn to ask a grown-up.

When I got to Pe

State, I took Philosophy 101 my freshman year. We had to read Johann von Goethe. One day, as I was plowing through an assignment, I came across this quote: “Knowing is not enough, we must do. Willing is not enough, we must apply.”

Boy was I glad I took that course! It solved one of the profound mysteries of my childhood: “Knowing is not enough.” You have to take what you learn and use it, or what you’ve learned isn’t very valuable. That’s what committing to personal responsibility is all about, using your knowledge to achieve your goals.

Self Confidencer
If you believe in yourself and your success, you are likely find ways to make that belief come true. If you want to become self confident you need to do five things. 1) Become an optimist. Learn from, and then forget yesterday’s mistakes. Focus on tomorrow’s achievements. 2) Face your fears and take action. Action cures fear. Procrastination and inaction compound it. Failure is rarely fatal. Do something, anything that will move you closer to achieving your goals. 3) Surround yourself with positive people. Build a network of supportive friends. Jettison the negative people in your life. 4) Find a mentor. A strong mentor will help build your confidence and guide you along the way. Mentors are positive people by definition – because they are willing to share their knowledge and experience to help others grow and succeed. 5) Become a mentor. It’s never too early to begin helping others. You have learned things that can greatly benefit others. Be willing to share what you’ve learned to help others from having to learn it the hard way – through personal experience.

Competence

There are four key competencies that will help you become a career and life success:r
• You have to be able to create positive personal impact.r
• You have to be become an outstanding performer.r
• You have to be a dynamic communicator – in conversation, writing and presentations.r
• You have to build strong, lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with the important people in your life.
If you want to create positive personal impact, you need to do three things. First, you need to develop and constantly promote your personal brand. To create your personal brand ask and answer the following question: “How do I want people to think of me?” The answer to that question is your personal brand. Once you have your personal brand, make sure to constantly and consistently act in a manner that reinforces it. Second, be impeccable in your presentation of self – in person and on line. Show others that you respect yourself and them by your appearance, your conduct and your on line presence. Third learn and practice the basic rules of etiquette. Once you know the rules, you can relax in social settings and get down to the business at hand.

To become an outstanding performer you need to do three things. First get and stay technically competent. You can by becoming a lifelong learner. Second, perform. Become the person who is willing to go the extra mile. Make sure your work is first class. Don’t settle for good enough. Show pride in your work. Be an outstanding performer. Third, get organized. Manage your time, life and stress well.

If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to master three basic communication skills: conversation, writing and presenting. Become a dynamic conversationalist by listening more than you speak, asking questions and then responding appropriately. Write like a journalist. Use short subject-verb-object sentences. Write in the first person, active voice. Use the smallest word that communicates precisely what you want to say. Write as if you were having a conversation with your reader. Finally, you will become a great presenter if you do two things. Tailor your talk to your specific audience. Practice. Practice will make you good. More practice will make you great.

There are three important keys to building strong relationships. First, get to know yourself. Use your self knowledge to increase your understanding of others. Second, give with no expectation of return. People will respond well to you when you demonstrate a willingness to help them out. Don’t think quid pro quo. Instead, think how can I help this person? Finally, resolve conflict with a minimal amount of problems and upset to relationships. You can do this by focusing on where you agree, not disagree, with the person with whom you are in conflict.

In Conclusion

In this article, I’ve provided you with a quick overview of the Four Cs of success: clarity, commitment, confidence and competence. I have developed this system to help you create the career and life success you want and deserve. Feel free to send me an e mail at Bud@BudBilanich.com. Ask me you most burning career and life success question. I’ll do my best to answer all of the questions I receive.