The answers lie within you.
“The path to success is to take massive, determined action.” -Tony Robbins.
This may be true in his case, but this is not my path and it may not be yours either. And that is totally okay.
Take coaches with a grain of salt.
According to Forbes, the coaching industry is worth approximately $2 billion and growing rapidly. There are so many “gurus” out there, pedaling the keys to success and a life of wealth, freedom, happiness, and abundance.
Please know that many of them are full of it. This is not to say that the coaching model has no value, it certainly does. It is to say, however, that many coaches have minimal training and tout themselves as experts. I would be wary of anyone teaching a one-size-fits-all approach to something so unique and individual as success.
We’ve all seen videos, read articles, or even paid people to teach us how to get the success and lifestyle we crave.
The problem is, if that person doesn’t take the time to go deep and find out how you uniquely view success, and what path will be most beneficial for you, there is a good chance that what they are teaching will be completely useless.
I have attended my fair share of Tony Robbins-esque events, although never one of his. But I’ve been in the room with the lights and the music, I’ve listened to the heartfelt, inspiring words of the people on stage, telling me that my dreams are ripe for the picking and I just have to get out of my own way. Everyone claps. Some people cry. We all dance and feel the energy of possibility coursing through our veins.
Then we leave and go back to our lives. And somehow, for most of us, life goes back to the way it was before.
These leaders are great at creating shared, peak experiences. They are not great at helping you get what you want.
You know more than they do.
The reason that the lessons never stick is that the way YOU get to where you’re going is most likely just as unique as you are.
If you are like me, you might be a creative, intuitive, introverted type of person, who finds themselves lost in a world full of go-getters.
You might look at those people and think you should be pumping out content and taking “massive action” the way they are.
But the truth is, for many of us, this will never be fruitful, and will only leave us feeling drained, and questioning if we really want the thing we are working towards.
For some of us, our path to success is slow and winding. We might take a big leap, and then need time to process, reflect, and learn from our actions.
If you are a sensitive, contemplative, and self-reflective individual, you may need some time to do just that, before even knowing what to do next.
Allowing yourself to have your process will only serve you to be more fully self-expressed, more authentic, and get this — more successful in the long-term.
Inspired, joyful action breeds true success.
Rather than taking “massive, determined action,” I would offer that we take inspired, joyful action instead. And isn’t that really what success means? Doing something that brings you joy and inspiration?
The world doesn’t need more Tony Robbins, the world needs more people who are willing to be authentically themselves and share their gifts with others.
Maybe you love to bake, or paint, or walk dogs. For you, success might mean serving your community on a daily basis. It doesn’t all have to be so grandiose.
It is better to understand yourself, your TRUE desires, and your best ways to accomplish them than to compare yourself to the loudest few who have muscled their way to the “top”. That might not be you. And that doesn’t mean you won’t get to where you want to go. It is too easy to look at a successful person and compare ourselves to them.
For Tony Robbins, his medium is large crowds, bright lights, loud music, and larger-than-life events.
For me, success is writing an article that inspires and empowers some people to live more fully as themselves.
And I’ll tell you this, when I do receive feedback from readers, it inspires me to write more, and with joy.
For you, it might be simply identifying what actually lights you up and not judging yourself for it. There is no one-size-fits-all version of success, and there is no single path to get there. Lucky for us, the paths and their destinations are infinite.