I was recently talking to a friend who is making a move both personally and professionally and in the course of the conversation we talked about how blessed we both are.  That got me to thinking, why am I doing so well where others are hitting so many bumps in their roads.  And here are five things that I believe have helped me on my continued journey.

1. Value yourself and others around you – I am a big believer in “what comes around goes around” and that is how I live every day.  My philosophy is this is me, good or bad, and it will always be me.  People who try to be what they are not are transparent and obvious.   To be successful you need a firm base and not comprise it.   You also need to be aware of those around you and have respect for them.  I can enter a room and talk to everyone from the CEO to the cafeteria worker.  Can you?  Each and every person has something to offer so why not take the time to find out what it is.  Pick your friends based on who they are and not what their status is.
2. Never forget your roots and what brought you to where you are – I know of someone who is very successful in the sports world and was continually stating “I will never forget my roots” but that is exactly what this person did and probably will never realize it.  The sad truth is that it is they who are missing out by not being grounded and only thinking that they are.  Too many people do a downward spiral because they forget where they came from and how they got to where they are.
3. Be thankful every day – Every morning and every evening I take a moment to think about all the wonderful things I have in my life.  Some things such as family, friends, great health and a wonderful job are taking granted by so many and I don’t want to be one of those people.  And while you are being thankful, make sure people who matter know it.   I have lost a few friends was too early and was glad that they knew how important in my life they were.
4. Stay positive and focused living life with no regrets – I do live in the moment and always see the glass as half full.  First I feel this way, I don’t have the time or energy for naysayers or to let the little things consume my day.   I will never sit back and let life pass me by, I may not be successful at everything I try but I would rather fail miserably than not try at all.  I think it is sad for those folks I know who have big ideas and dreams but never what to take the steps to see where they lead.  And sometimes that means confronting your fears head on.
5. Goals and learning will help you grow – I don’t have a “vision board” so to speak but I do know what I want and within what time frame.  When I started my business, my goal was to get it up and running within six month and once I hit that I changed to helping X number of clients in the next six month.  If your goals are not clear you will never achieve them.    Also, expand those horizons folks, it does not have to focus on one thing in particular but learning never hurt anyone.  Buying property and an old house has me moving in a new direction that is now allowing me to think outside the box even more.  My next gig, learning about Canadian geese since I now seem to have two new friends who want to share my surroundings.

I may not have millions of dollars or a prestigious lifestyle but what I do have is a loving family, great friends, a thriving business and no regrets in life.  These are the things that are important to me and always will be.  Remember what you strive to achieve is what you get and if you don’t have a plan then it is not too late to make you action plan.

All the best,

Lee Drozak – My Office Assistant