The Key Ingredient to Sustained Success? Calvin Had it Right

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about complacency - that common side effect of either perceived or actual success.   The definition of “complacent” says it all:

“pleased, esp. with oneself or one’s merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied”

We’re so focused sometimes at the goal itself, we don’t think about what we do when we get there.   Success needs to be sustained, nurtured, and better yet - challenged.

I know that’s an odd thing to say - “we need to challenge our success“.   What it means is that in order to really sustain the positive and fulfilling momentum generated by climbing the mountain, we quite literally need to put another mountain in front of us - preferably one a little bit higher than the last one.

What’s the secret ingredient to a constant challenging of success?  Calvin Coolidge put it best when he said:

“Nothing in the 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.”

 

Yes,  persistence is the key.   If we’re not persistently trying to get better, to keep raising the bar, to keep challenging ourselves - sustained success will be indeed be an elusive and frustrating target.

 

That’s why we must always “press on”, and avoid the malady of complacency.

 

It’s a core tenet of the Half Full Philosophy, no doubt about it.

 

Keep climbing!