Success Doesn’t Depend on Talent

Welcome back! It’s hard to believe we’re starting the spring semester already. It seems like just last week it was a hot August move-in day!  I’m sure many students learned some things from the fall semester- and not in terms of academic topic knowledge! It seems everyone comes back at the beginning of a new semester ready to make themselves better. Which is great! But sometimes, that leads to high expectations, and in turn, feeling deflated when things don’t turn out as planned. It’s important to keep your definition of success in mind. What kind of success do you want? What can you do to help yourself reach your goals?

Joseph Anthony, a contributor for Business Insider, wrote a thought-provoking article called “7 Traits of Successful People That Require No Talent At All.” To help you determine what you can do to help yourself accomplish your goals for the semester (and beyond), here are some things you can do just by being you, instead of relying solely on practice or repetition!

1. Give your best. Focus on giving 100% and resisting distractions.
2. Choose to be positive. Accept that there will be challenges, and be ready to adapt.
3. Be willing to learn. Ask for help or guidance! No one enjoys seeing another person struggle, and you can learn from anyone’s experience.
4. Take action. Once you set your goal, follow through on your plan. Don’t let your passion- and aspirations- fade away!

These are only four of the seven great suggestions that Anthony points out.  Read them all here, and see what else you can do to make this semester truly the best semester ever! What other tips can you offer to help others be successful?

Advertisement

Make a To-Do List!

And I’m not referring to your average, everyday, chores list. We all agree that finding a good work-life balance is essential in surviving to retirement. But your personal life should not just consist of washing dishes and taking out the trash. Why not make a Bucket List? It is a list of everything you want to do before you… kick the bucket. This will make your life outside of work much more interesting, give you something to look forward to during the week, and inpsire you to try new things. And it’s great conversation starters when networking or interviewing.

Making a Bucket List can seem daunting at first, but there is nothing you are required to do, and no certain length it has to be. It is totally meant to be things to challenge and make YOU happy! They can be places to travel to, books to read, food to try, movies to watch, and physical activities. You don’t have to do things that scare you, but you may want to include opportunities to face your fears. For example, I’m terrified of drowning and open water, so I put a glass bottom boat ride on my bucket list.

To get you started, here are some ideas: read Moby Dick, bungee jump, learn to play pinochle, learn to play the guitar, try out for American Idol, witness Fashion Week, build a treehouse, climb a tree, catch a fish, see Mount Rushmore, learn the constellations, learn to speak Italian, make your own BBQ sauce, fly a kite, see your favorite singer in concert, or bowl a 300.