The Formula For Failure and Success

(Excepted from the book The Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle by Jim Rohn)

Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.

Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.

On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!

Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter. Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter.

Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing. In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives. Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices. The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.

But we must become better educated than that!

If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again. Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents' warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.

Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices. With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter.

Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day.

Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.

Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future? The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.

But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct. Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success-oriented disciplines. In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.

One of the exciting things about the formula for success - a few simple disciplines practiced every day - is that the results are almost immediate. As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks. When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence. Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.

The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future. If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence ? not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine. Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn's Weekly E-zine, go to http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com

---

Hispanicus Economicus

Something's missing! As a Hispanic in this great country, I... Read More

How to Lose Your Money, Fake Your Destiny with Great Success

Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work... Read More

7.9 Things I Learned About Success From Darth Vader

Unless you have been living in a cave, you have... Read More

Expect Success to Stay Self-Motivated and Get Great Results

If you called my office you will hear my voice... Read More

It is a Challenge to Succeed

(excerpted from The Challenge to Succeed audio series)It is a... Read More

Moving to the Other Side of Box

Few books have impacted my perspective on human psychologically and... Read More

Success Showdowns

I confess, I love westerns. There is nothing like those... Read More

Discipline

I've been thinking a lot about what I believe to... Read More

Keeping Your Mind Tuned for Success

Absolutely no one can underestimate the power of the mind... Read More

Success: How To Succeed Most of the Time

We set goals, strive for them and only consider ourselves... Read More

How Do You Measure Success?

Success isn't all that it's cracked up to be... I'm... Read More

The 7 Ultimate Laws Of Success

There are certain laws that when obeyed will bring great... Read More

The Bulging Right Pocket

It was one of the worst periods of time in... Read More

Plan to Succeed

Have you ever made plans in your career but never... Read More

?Defining and Feeling Successful? (However you define success)

Formula For SuccessThe winners in this life know the rules... Read More

10 Principles of Success

How do we define success? Webster's dictionary defines success as... Read More

How To Start, Survive, and Finish Your Journey To Super Success

"The more you hate, the more you love."What an ironic... Read More

The Secret Key (Part 1): An Overwhelming Purpose

Imagine that you are in a dimly-lit room. You don't... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Clown Around

Clown around Among the Plains Indians, heyoka, or sacred clowns,... Read More

If Only, If Only, If Only

Remove these words from your vocabulary!The words "If only ?"... Read More

Measure Effort To Achieve Success!

Let's say you're moving forward in your efforts to achieve... Read More

Promethean Hispanic Fire

In the Greek tale of creation, a Titan (Greek god)... Read More

Whats the Secret of Your Sucess?

I'm going to begin this article by sharing a little... Read More

There is a Technique that can Change Your Life, says Author

Do you feel like your stuck?No matter what you do,... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Create A Nurturing Environment

Create an environment that is so inspiring and nurturing that... Read More

What is Your Process of Discovery?

When Julie looks through the lens of her camera she... Read More

Create Credibility for Success

Back in my early marketing days, finding the magic ticket... Read More

Success: What Are You Afraid Of?

What are your fears? Fear of failure? Fear of success?What... Read More

Learning How To Fall: You Have To Learn To Fall Before You Can Ride With Confidence!

About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More

Unlock Your Potential Through Self-Awareness

Signs of DiscontentYou don't need a degree in psychology to... Read More

Tiger Woods Secret to Success

Did you see or hear about 'The Masters' golf tournament... Read More

Identify Your Unique Factor and Succeed

What makes you unique? Answering this question will provide the... Read More

How to be Professional?

Is it difficult to be professional?I think from my experience... Read More