1. “It is okay if you walk slow but ensure that you don’t stop or walk backward.”

You either grow or retard your journey. Nothing is and can remain stagnant in the universe and so is your walk towards success. When you stop walking, remember that you don’t stand in the same place, stopping means that you are pushed backwards. Just know that just because you stop the world doesn’t. The earth continues to rotate and revolve. So when you stop for a moment, it is clear that the world would have progressed further and that’s why you seem to be moving backwards. In order to not stop your growth, you need to analyze what is that which is causing you to stop; it may be challenges, problems or tough situations. When they block your way, don’t panic. You can walk slowly but never stop. Slow down, give yourself proper time, comfort your mind and boost it up with energy. And, that is it! Nothing can stop you from holding the victory trophy.

Sam Sniderman slowed down his walkathon but never stopped. Progress also slowed down as he walked slowly but his growth never paused. Nurturing his journey to succeed, he ensured that nothing stopped or affected his journey in a bad manner. The Canadian businessman started from selling records. Later, he opened his own store and then began to franchise the store. Over the years, acquiring all the lessons and skills, he founded the Canadian record shop chain Sam the Record Man. This kept his growth going.

2. “An achiever’s mind insulates itself to preserve the essence of positivity, irrespective of whatever happens outside.”

Focus is the only mantra that an achiever knows and follows. If you want to fulfill the purpose why you are here and if you want to grow tall and reach the sky of success, then you got to concentrate, focus and look at your aim only. Blindfold yourself from everything that deviates you from your journey. Create an encapsulation where you are free from everything that can divert your mind. Paying constant attention towards your purpose, reason or aim consistently helps you not walk but actually run towards fulfilling the purpose of your life and attaining contentment. When you screen yourself from anything that inhibits your growth, the intensity of your focus increases and alongside, your dreams also come true. Don’t listen to the world’s words; deafen your eardrums to the discouragements, negative comments and criticism. Listen to your inner voice which always directs you towards what makes you happy. You got to filter the external negative influences and strengthen the positive ones. Creating shield of optimism and wisdom around yourself to guard yourself is something that truly helps you succeed.

Thomas Huckle Weller was one such achiever who resisted all the deviations and diversions which would otherwise not let him achieve anything in life. The American virologist received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for cultivating poliomyelitis viruses. He involved himself completely in to researching when he entered Harvard Medical School. Not giving much space and importance to anything around, he concentrated on his work, talents and dreams. His could produce accurate research results only because he locked himself up, in an environment which pushed him to achieve his desires.

3. “A spot light certainly fetches you fame and celebrity status but don’t forget that it is the light within you which makes you shine better.”

It is important to know that doing things for an award, reward, appreciation, recognition, fame or reputation would not fetch you complete success. Rather than living yourself, your hearty applause and encouragement serve as a better way of congratulations to celebrate life. If you’ve done something good, then you will never be left unrewarded at any cost. Spotlight of any intensity can illuminate your work, attitude, mannerisms and thought process. But always remember, the natural light of confidence and spirit radiate a better wavelength of light which illuminate not just you but also the path which acts as a bridge that connects the mind of an aspiring achiever to success. Do what you do for your satisfaction. Find contentment in whatever you do. See if you can raise a life or better a personality through your deeds. The amount of happiness that you get from doing these is not equivalent to any fame, name, recognition, applause, award or rewards. The quality and essence of this happiness, joy and ecstasy is beyond any worldly feel. The good cause for what you worked and struggled in itself makes you shine. No external spotlight is required.

Wilbert Awdry marked his victory by letting the light of his imagination and interest shine. Hearing the trains which ran at nights, he listened to the coded whistle signals between the train engine and the banker. He observed and understood that the locomotives and the spare parts would exhaust as they reached their way up the incline. He employed a little of his imagination to build peculiar train engines. The creator of Thomas the Tank Engine was a central figure in his Railway Series.  

4. “A cute little cat can create its shadow like that of a lion. It is the attitude that makes this difference.”

Your attitude has the power to turn a stone into a crystal or a desert into a wetland. Every person on earth is capable of creating wonders and landing miracles. When right attitude penetrates into your character, the true power of you gets embossed. You may lie, your behavior can lie, your outlook may also lie but your shadow or a reflection can never ever lie. They project the true you onto the screens of reality. Attitude is something that awakens the sleeping energy and strength within you. A little flavor of learning, spirit of enthusiasm and aroma of curiosity to know more always helps you build and groom your attitude which further grooms your personality. With a little amount of right attitude, you can rage out, grow tall and live a like a legend. You would then be symbolized for representing the inner voice and mind power. A cat surely has a shadow of a lion. Believing and proving yourself would help you roar out growth and success.

The story of Saul Steinberg stands as an example for having the most remarkable careers in American art. The exotic artist started by getting his drawings and artwork published in The New Yorker. His attitude to learn more, win all that he undertook and hard-working spirit enabled him to rage out and bombard the real him. A creative artist has all the efficient and sufficient knowledge, courage, willpower and determination. This attitude was reason for his wonderful Saul Steinberg Foundation.

5. “’Never apologize for being yourself. You got to be proud of it.”

The real essence of living life is to unmask your character. Portraying the real you to the society don’t mean pretending or acting to project only quality attributes of yourself. You are made of both positive and negatives. The world will respect you more when you respect yourself. When do you completely respect yourself? It is only when you are fine by showing your inferiorities, sad and the negative side of yourself to the world without hesitation. Your life something dedicated for you. You don’t have to act, pretend, assume and cover a part of you. Hiding your personality is a sign of disrespect which you give to your own self. Be yourself! Stand up for what you feel is right and what you believe in. if your inferiorities make you fall in front of the whole society. It’s okay; you are stronger that what you feel to rise immediately and grow from your failures.

Erik Erikson was proud to be himself. By not really masking his personality and characteristics, he accepted and respected his self. The developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst coined the phrase identity crisis. Development of identity was highly concerned for him. He struggled to shape and lift a lot of lives up through his knowledge about psychology. Graduating without an academic distinction, he attended arts school instead of a medical one due to his lack of interest in studies. After all, he never regretted the past and continued to respect his life for what and how it was.

Inspirational stories and motivational quotes never help you until you make a decision to achieve something in life. Decide now and stand by it to add meaning to your life. You’ve just one life; make the best use of it. (Source: wikipedia.org)