Determination: One of the Three D's to Success

Today I want to talk about determination. It’s not an exaggeration to say that determination is one of the most important qualities you can possess if you want to succeed in life and business. Early in my corporate career, I worked in a team of high performing individuals. At the time, I was having health issues and didn’t perform at the same caliber as the other members of the team. I could tell something was off in the team dynamics as it related to me, but I didn’t know what. Since I was close to the team leader’s assistant, I gathered up my courage and asked her to tell me what was wrong. And boy, did I get an earful (in a soft, caring, and supportive way)! It was hard to hear, but I finally knew what was wrong and what I needed to do. Having that clarity gave me the determination to make the changes I needed to make, starting with getting my health in order.

Let’s start by setting the stage and defining what determination means. It is the quality of being determined to do or achieve something, having a firmness of purpose. Simply put, it’s about refusing to give up until you reach your dream.

Whatever goal you decide to achieve, whether you want to become a C-suite executive or want to launch your own business, it’s going to take determination. Success is both a choice and a decision. It’s choosing to do the right things when things get hard and making decisions one after another; small ones, big ones, each taking you closer to your destination.

Determination is one of the 3 Ds of success. Along with having the Discipline to do the things you need to do on the days when all you want to do is stay under the covers, and Drive which is the desire that propels you in the direction of your dreams, Determination will get you across the finish line.

Benefits of Determination

Determination gives you something to hang on to when things don’t according to plan. We all know the road to success is complicated and convoluted. We all wish for a straight line to the top, but we also know that it will be filled with detours, stops and starts and potholes. All have the potential to derail us if we don’t have it in us to keep moving forward. On the flip side, no obstacle is too great for someone who had made the decision that success is the only viable outcome and is determined to make it happen.

There will always be difficult times during your journey that will require you to draw on hidden wells of determination to overcome whatever challenge or obstacle is blocking your path. When that happens, you become resourceful. Tony Robbins says that when we want something bad enough, it’s not about the resources we have at our disposal. It’s about how resourceful we are. When we’re chasing our dream, if it is big enough, we find a way to make it happen. That could be acquiring the skills and things we need to make our dream happen or enlisting others to support us in our mission. We must get off the fence and realize that the only way to succeed in anything is to give it everything you’ve got.

How to Nurture Determination

First, you must set the right goals. It’s OK to have great big goals, but it can be intimidating as we try to figure out the way forward. Have goals so ambitious and so big that no amount or number of failures will make you stop. Once you know your great big goal, break it down into bite-size smaller goals. Once you have that, determine what your next best action should be and keep working through that until you have a map. Essentially, work backward from what success looks like, to the first step you need to take.

Then, take responsibility for your life and push through when things get hard. Life will not hand you your dream on a silver platter. You’re going to have to earn it. But the key is deciding not to be a victim. Most likely if you have that big dream, you will have to grow into the human you need to become to make it happen, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride!

Finally, you’re going to have to forget about the haters. Everyone can be a critic, but you don’t have to listen. You don’t have to listen even to that little voice in your own head asking, “who are you to have this big dream?” Become laser focused on your target, keep your head down and your ears closed.

High performers have become really good in 6 habits, which enables them to succeed. Here are some ideas to help you on your success journey:

• Get clear in what you want to achieve: when we don’t know where we’re headed it’s hard to map out the journey. It’s also necessary to adjust course along the way, much like a pilot adjusts the plane’s trajectory throughout the flight. Even a 1-degree difference can have a huge impact on where it ends up. Same with us. If we don’t keep our eye on the ball, it’s easy to get sidetracked
  
  
• Make sure you have the energy to give it all you’ve got. Eat foods that are good for your brain, like fatty fish, fruits and veggies. Drink plenty of water to keep your brain happy and alert. Exercise to stay on top of your game. Lastly, don’t forget you also need to rest and recharge your batteries. You are no good to yourself or others if you run yourself into the ground
  
  
• Have the courage to make hard decisions. Sometimes, all your choices suck. If you’ve been hemming and hawing at something, just make the decision based on the best information you have at that moment. If things aren’t moving the way you’d like them to, don’t be stubborn. Give yourself permission to adjust and make a new decision
  
  
• Do the right things, the important things. Get rid of your distractions and if you can’t, schedule them in your agenda. Nobody can go full bore 100% of the time. We all need to relax and take a break, so we can continue to show up as our best self. When we are productive in our activities, we actually keep things moving forward. That’s what I mean when I say, “do the right things”. If you choose to be busy, you’re inviting chaos and stress into your life. So, identify you Must-haves and Nice-to-haves and delegate everything for which you are not essential
  
  
• We seldom get it all done on our own. You’ll probably have to have difficult conversations, sometimes with the ones you love or friends and colleagues who may not have the vision as you do. When that happens, it’s the perfect opportunity to enlist their support, share your vision, explain what you want to do and solicit their help in making it happen. Most people are happy to help, so don’t be afraid to ask!
  
  
• Underneath it all, know why you are doing this. Whether you are doing it for intrinsic reasons, such as having fun or new experiences or extrinsic such as money or power, find you why and take a few minutes each day to sit with it and think about it. There are no right or wrong reasons. Only your why

Final Thoughts

I left my corporate job after 30 years in a fascinating industry to pursue a passion. I am determined to make this work. While I do not know how long it will take until I succeed, I have decided it will work and I will find a way to make sure it does. That’s why I am writing this on a Saturday, instead of parking my butt on a beach somewhere with a good book. I believe in what I am doing. I believe in my mission, and I will find a way to succeed! Too many people are counting on me. 

Don’t let impatience, discomfort or uncertainty pull you down and make you give up on your dreams. You’ve got to fight for what you believe. As you’ve heard before, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, so how much fight do you have in you?

I’d love to hear one of your success stories, how about sharing one with everyone so we can all celebrate you!