6 Essentials for Achieving the Total-Life Package of Happiness and Success True success encompasses joy, personal development and enterprise that serves others.
By Sherrie Campbell Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Those who pursue self-development on a consistent basis are living the Total-Life Package. The truly successful know they can only grow their lives as much as they grow themselves. The defining qualities of their lives are not centered in ego, skill, talent or a large paycheck, rather, their lives are centered in who they are, who they desire to become and their unceasing motivation to get there.
There are too many unhappy, miserable people who take large paychecks to validate any assumption that money brings lasting happiness. Successful, wealthy, happy individuals know the key to happiness lies in being consistent students of life who are humble and inspired by self-development.
1. Self-reflective.
Those living the Total-Life Package are people dedicated to the pursuit of self-awareness. These individuals can accurately observe their own emotions and understand their tendencies across situations.
They know to genuinely understand their emotions they must spend significant time thinking about them to figure out where they come from and why they are there. This kind of self-reflection makes these people remarkably clear on knowing what they do well, what motivates and satisfies them and which people and situations push their buttons.
Being self-reflective makes these people far more likely to pursue the right opportunities, to put their strengths to work and, perhaps most importantly, they are able to keep their emotions from holding them back.
2. Self-control.
The truly successful possess strong skills in self-management. They have the ability to use the awareness they have of their emotions to actively choose what they say and what they do in any given situation, no matter how heated the situation may be.
They know to have self-control they must be patient. The successful know patience is a hard earned wisdom because the space of waiting is always challenging and difficult to live out. These individuals understand fear always pushes them want to act too soon and that patience, as hard as it is, helps them to outlast their assumptions.
When the truly successful hit times of uncertainty in life or business, as hard as it is, they wait. They do not make emotional decisions. In waiting they are able to make rational decisions, thereby increasing their potential for success, as they live with very little regret or mess to clean up.
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3. Productivity.
Those living the Total-Life-Package understand happiness is a byproduct of achieving. They are unable to be happy if they aren't producing and making a measurable difference. They are passionate in their pursuits and desire to have their mark on the world be tangible and visible. For them, the game of life is not about leisure. Leisure has its place but these individuals understand that success only comes when responsibility is placed before leisure. Rest is only a time to refuel.
The truly successful know the real purpose of life comes through examining who they are and who they want to become. For them life is a process of being and becoming. Self-development is at the crux of their mission, as the truly successful believe they can only receive to the level they grow. If they stop growing who they are, they place limits on what they get. For them, if they are not actively getting better, they are only getting worse. Their priority is to produce.
4. Strong inner circle.
Those living the Total-Life Package know healthy relationships/friendships are their greatest support. The successful do not deny themselves the time they need to develop these types of networks. They understand there is nothing more important than having a loving support system to fall back on. No amount of financial success trumps the extraordinary benefit of deep emotional connections with others.
For this reason the wholly successful invest deeply in their inner circle, and those they invest in reciprocate that investment back to them. These types of connections are inspiring and keep them going when things are great and when things are tough.
The truly successful find their sense of security in their inner circle, not their paycheck. They are aware love is permanent and money can be fleeting, so to remain solid they count on those closest to them with the upmost gratitude and respect.
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5. Faith.
The successful actively engage in some form of spirituality or faith. Strong faith inspires their deep belief that everything has a purpose and will turn out ok. This belief develops the resilience these individuals need to keep going when things look bleak.
Faith requires dedication and study. The wholly successful know faith is fundamental to success of all kinds, in relationships, business and life. The successful understand deep faith is necessary for them to achieve the Total-Life Package
Wherever these individuals go, work or home, their strong faith inspires the people they surround themselves with, thereby upgrading each environment they inhabit to be more positive and fulfilling.
6. Balanced priorities.
The genuinely happy and successful rarely miss anything in life. They make sure to not miss a game, a dinner out with friends, a performance, a date or a vacation etc. They are involved in every aspect of the Total-Life Package because they realize if they miss out on one thing it stresses them out about other things.
There is always a way to make time and find the balance necessary to have both happiness and success. The truly successful see the value in both and do not prioritize business over connection. They manage their time well enough to have both. They commit to both with equal presence, love and dedication.
To live the Total-Life Package, one must live a vibrant life. The truly successful know if they live well they will earn well. The happiness and fulfillment they experience can be felt in their essence. It is seen on their faces. They possess the charisma of having it all. They have it all because they choose to live a balanced life. These people know it is the special stuff their inner circle offers them that makes them strong, powerful and influential.
The successful never miss the opportunities for personal love connections because those relationships inspire them to succeed. The truly successful remember each day who they are, what they have and why they work so hard doing what they do. They live the Total-Life Package knowing the greatest gift they can give is to care about others, provide for them and succeed because of them. They are committed to always becoming better than who they are right now.
Related: 5 Secrets to Achieving and Maintaining Work-Life Balance
