POWERFUL WORDS OF SUCCESS
I was reading a news story today that chronicled the advice of a billionaire. There was one word, he said, that had given him a lot of power in his life. That word was "yet." He said it turns a negative statement into a positive one. For example, "I can't do it" becomes "I can't do it, yet." The first is negative, the second is hopeful. "I can't understand it" becomes "I can't understand it, yet."
(It reminded me of an old game we play at Chinese restaurants. After the dinner, everyone turns to his or her fortune cookie. Within the cookie is, of course, a small piece of paper, which purports to foretell your destiny. We always add a phrase to the end of the fortune, no matter what it may be: "in bed." So, "You will have a wonderful life" becomes "You will have a wonderful life in bed.")
Anyway, as I thought about his power word, I thought about some of the other words and phrases that can give us power on our road to success. I'll list his word first, and then on to a few others, all of which have proven themselves time and time again.
Words of success
1. "Yet"
James Sorenson is an inventor, an entrepreneur, and a billionaire. " 'Yet' can change the whole attitude almost immediately," the Salt Lake City Deseret Morning News quoted him as saying. "There are basically two types of thoughts: 'I can't do it' attitude, or 'I can't do it yet.' Put the 'yet' in it, it opens the door."
Do you sometimes find your mental conversations turning negative? Try Sorenson's approach: add a simple little word, and turn the negative into a positive hope.
2. "I Can Do That!"
Last year, a long-time reader asked me to write about something he saw on a day-to-day basis: people who said "I can't" when they should have said "I can."
As I thought about it, I remembered this all-powerful phrase.
There may be things you are not capable of doing -- being a man, I cannot give birth, for example -- but they should never keep you from doing those things can do.
It may take effort, training, money, or time -- but most things, you are capable of doing, if you set your mind on them.
Most of the limits we have in life are placed there by our own self-limiting beliefs. They are not actual limits, although we treat them as if they were.
"I can do that" empowers you, excites you, and invigorates you.
3. "I admit when I am wrong"
What's this doing here? Well, just as we need to admit our successes, we need to admit our errors. We shouldn't dwell on our errors, but when they occur, we shouldn't try to sidestep them, either.
Many leaders fail by trying to place the blame for their errors on other people. Nothing can tear an organization apart as rapidly as a leader who refuses to accept the blame when it's due.
Some of the largest business failures we have seen have come about as the result of companies trying to cover up their errors, when if they'd admitted them, taken the stock hit, and moved on, the companies would have likely survived.
Admit your errors. Never dwell on them, but learn from them, and move on.
4. "I fight all I can"
When you get right down to it, losers are the ones who quit first. When you're in a challenging position, it's easy to give in and settle for less than you deserve. But when you decide to "fight all you can," you put yourself in a position of power.
5. "I never give up"
We owe this phrase to Winston Churchill. Churchill was often compared to a bulldog, and it's not just because of his looks. Churchill's tenacity was legendary -- and during the Second World War, he infected a nation with that bulldog-style commitment to never giving up. As we reach the troubles in our lives, Churchill's credo is even more important to us. "Never give up. Never. Never. Never. Never."
6. "I choose to win"
Why is this phrase empowering? Why is it important to our success? Two things -- first off, you desire to win. Second off, you make it your choice.
Seems silly to mention it, but many people never really choose anything -- they let life do the choosing for them. When you choose to win, you choose your destiny -- and this simple phrase, audacious though it may sound, can make a radical difference in your life.
7. "I learn from others"
Nobody knows everything -- but the people around you know a whole lot -- and some of it, they'll be happy to share. Learn from your friends, family, co-workers, and mentors. Learn from others, and keep learning -- and teach them, as well.
8. "I contribute more than I take"
In order to gain worth from our actions, we need to give worth -- and when we contribute more than we earn, our success is assured. If you're making more than you're contributing, it's a danger sign that your compensation won't last. Make certain to give more worth than you receive.
9. "I love, and am loved"
What's this doing here? Where else would it be? You can be the richest person in the world, but if you don't have companionship and love, it's not going to do much for you. Each of us needs to love the people around us -- and we need to accept love as well. So many times, we give love, but can't accept it fully -- and that lack limits our ability to live life in a worthwhile manner.
10. "I persist until I succeed"
This brings to mind the famous quote from Calvin Coolidge: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press On" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
Persistence is the defining quality of success.
We should go through life choosing successful phrases and words -- and they can make all the difference in the world.
