Being a good person and succeeding anyway.

So I recently begun a project with my sister. I won't go into the details of the project because it's still teething and experiencing the problems which come along with the teething stage. 

At the moment it's the problem that I'm a bit of a glory hunter. I never thought I was before but after my ACS experience, I'm not one to see a good idea go by. Before then, my sister and I were the types to sit on a good idea and then when someone else somewhere else in the world develops it, we would sigh and sulk and question  why we sat on a goldmine of an idea. Like whats-her-face said: "Shouldda, Wouldda, Couldda are the last words of..." 

Either way, I kinda made this new project a 90/10 type thing, or even 100/0 type thing and that was wrong. One thing I can take from the whole thing, is that my attitude to action would have worked had it been coupled with communication and  fair representation and probably just a couple more brain cells - I've not been blessed with many of those I fear.

So here are a few tips to "sustainable personal development" or in layman's terms success without the bitchiness!

1. I have come to realise that God gives you divine life changing opportunities, and when you don't act on it in time or with fervour he will give it to someone else. Should someone else benefit from the blessings God gave you? You may not believe in God - that's your thing - but the sentiment applies regardless. If you come up with an idea, grasp it, map it out and if you are passionate enough about it chase it and chase it and chase it. One day you'll achieve it and it will feel great.Why sigh and sulk and question yourself in hindsight.

2. "The dream you help someone else achieve may put you well on your way to realising dreams of your own"- MoNique. Smart words from the lovely lady. 100% true.

3. Set a SMART agenda. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Managed (Google told me that one). That means, don't just have the big vision in your head. Big visions are like walls. Walls are made of bricks which have to be made individually and layered individually. Equally a grand vision requires you to identify the smaller goals (e.g. call ABC about XYZ) and to attack those. A big vision as your final goal can be overwhelming just like a massive wall of many bricks and then you'll scare yourself into not doing anything.

4. GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE! Always, Always, Always! They often say the people you climb over and step on on the way up, will be there to meet you on your way down. It is never a nice feeling when one is used or stabbed in the back. I know that. I've felt it. I hated it and it knocked my confidence, in my ability to trust people, in my ability to be a good judge of character. And now I've done it and I feel bad about making someone experience that type of disappointment and distrust of me. It's almost the Golden Rule. If you succeed or fail always be fair to everyone involved.

These tips don't come from me. They're what I've been taught by others. I'll be sure not to take credit as if I am a guru on being successful AND nice. Fact is, I haven't lived enough of life to pretend to know anything about it. These four rules are just what I take to be true. They've struck a cord with my heart more so than most other things I've heard (especially rule 4 - tonight that's really hit me). 

To my sister, I apologise for not engaging my brain. For thinking alone. For not realising that I was. For not accepting I was when you first said it. This project is much bigger than the both of us, but with the both of us it can be much bigger. ily.