The Green Sheet Online Edition
November 11, 2011 • 11:11:02
What defines success?
Success can be defined as reaching a desired or favorable outcome. But how do you gauge success? Meeting basic needs may embody success for some, while still others use money, career, family or inner peace as their barometers.
It is true, though, that no matter what a person is striving for, success and goals are inextricably linked.
We all know goal setting is intrinsic to sales success, but setting goals doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll always hit the mark. To ensure more frequent success, determine what is most important to you, and focus on that.
It could be signing a certain number of merchant accounts each month, entering a new niche market or even joining an organization to expand business contacts. Whatever your goal is, be specific about what you want to achieve and then put it in writing.
What you bring to the table
Achieving your aims also requires that you cultivate certain personal qualities and skills. Here are several that will enhance your chances of fulfilling your dreams:
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1. Passion and strong desire: These can fast-track success because they provide you with the impetus to fulfill goals.
2. Creative visualization: Successful people envision the future and how particular pieces will fit into their long-term picture of success, including the necessary professional skills and products that will support them.
3. Self discipline and persistence: Without these traits, you will get sidetracked. You must develop these qualities to attain anything worthwhile.
4. Positive expectations: Expecting you will succeed will empower you to overcome obstacles that would otherwise seem insurmountable.
In addition, incorporating rewards for small accomplishments on the way toward larger goals can help spur you on to the finish line.
Who you are in the end
It's also important to remember that charting a meaningful course in life requires periodic reflection. Slowing down to take a look at the bigger picture opens new vistas of possibility. Perhaps essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best when he penned the following poem over a century ago.
To laugh often and love much:
To win respect of intelligent people
And the affection of children;
To earn the approbation of honest critics
And endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To give one's self;
To leave the world a little better,
Whether by a healthy child,
A garden patch,
Or redeemed social condition;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm
And sung with exultation;
To know even one life has breathed easier
Because you have lived ...
This is to have succeeded.
Take time now to think about what a fully successful life will look like for you, and take steps to see that your vision becomes reality.
Whether you want to upgrade your POS offerings, find a payment gateway partner, bone up on fintech regs or PCI requirements, find an upcoming trade show, read about faster payments, or discover the latest innovations in merchant acquiring, The Green Sheet is the resource for you. Since 1983, we've helped empower and connect payments professionals, starting with the merchant level salespeople who bring tailored payment acceptance and digital commerce tools, along with a host of other business services to merchants across the globe. The Green Sheet Inc. is also a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals.
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