A few nights ago, I had a conversation with Spirit.

I expressed some dissatisfaction with where I was in life.

I shared how badly I wanted to achieve my dreams. The same dream I’ve been chasing for years and years. Only to be met with frustration and disappointment.

But I want the dream more and more each day. The desire grows and I spend all my time and energy on it. It consumes me.

And I want it more and more, not because I want it for me, but because of the things I know it would allow me to do for others.

After the talk, Spirit responded with the four pillars of success. They are simple. Perhaps nothing you haven’t heard before. But they are nuanced. And no success is built without each pillar firmly in place.

I’ll share what these pillars are as well as what they mean to me.

Pillar #1: Hard Work

Every success is built on hard work.

What this means to me: There are no flukes. You can’t be successful without putting in the work.

Or, as Dan Kennedy likes to say, you’ve got to be a person, somewhere, doing something.

People are quick to point to “exceptions.” Yet, these so-called exceptions, if you observe them closely, have an insane work ethic. Or, they are short-term successes at best.

A trust fund baby isn’t a success by default. They may have certain advantages their parents worked to earn. But some of these kids end up living in the shadows of their parents.

If there’s something you want, you’ve got to put in the work to earn it. No exceptions.

Pillar #2: Persistence

Every success is built on persistence.

What this means to me: You’ve got to get going and keep going.

This doesn’t mean you won’t need to readjust and pivot from time to time. If what you’re doing isn’t working, keep adapting and iterating!

Your audience is already giving you feedback. Listen.

But you can’t give up on yourself and expect to get anywhere. Keep your vision (see next pillar) and persist.

You will encounter challenges. You will be rejected. You will feel like giving up.

Instead, knock and keep on knocking on the doors that don’t seem to open. Persist in your resolve and keep a strong mindset.

Pillar #3: Commitment to a Vision

Every success is built on a commitment to a vision.

What this means to me: See in your mind’s eye what you want to achieve – not just what you’d like to do in your career or business, but also how you’d like your life to be.

I recommend the following meditation:

Focus on the people you want to impact. The amazing life you want with your friends, family, and soulmate as well as all the people who will benefit from the difference you make in the world.

What’s the legacy you’ll leave behind?

If you can visualize it, it’s already a reality.

Pillar #4: Belief in Self & Your Product

Every success is built on a strong belief in yourself and your product.

What this means to me:  If you believe in yourself and your product (it doesn’t need to be a literal product – it could be art, services you offer, volunteering, etc.), you will do more, be more, invest more, and take more chances on your dream.

If you’re lacking belief, you will do less, be less, invest less, and take fewer chances to get to where you want to go. Disappointment will follow.

Observe your actions. Are you doing everything in your power? Having conversations you don’t want to have? Making financial investments you’re scared to make? Taking daily actions even when you’re tired, exhausted, and overworked?

Or, are you holding back?

Define Success: What Does it Mean to You?

The four pillars will help you achieve success on your terms.

But you must determine what success means to you and your life.

Progress is impossible to measure if you aren’t clear on what you’re developing.

It’s crucial that you decide what success looks like to you, so you know when you’ve made it.

If you aren’t responsible for clarifying your destination, your priorities could fall by the wayside, making the process a struggle.

No one will come around to announce when you’ve finally made it. Your team won’t, leadership won’t, and Spirit won’t.

If you don’t know when you’re successful, how will you know when to celebrate? Every success, even minor, should be celebrated. You want to reinforce good performance for yourself, and your teams.

If, for example, knowing that you want to develop a new product to market in the next 90 days is a good start.

But you want to keep digging deeper, defining exactly when your mission will have been completed.

Ponder these questions to expand your thinking:

• What topic will be covered in the product?
• Who is it for?
• Do you have a pricing strategy? How much money will the product sell for?
• What will “done” look like? Is minimum viable good enough, or should the product be fully developed?

Don’t be satisfied with surface-level answers. Keep digging deeper into you are fully aware of how to measure completion.

Create a Solid Foundation for Your Success

The pillars of success offer a strong foundation to build on.

Let’s review:

• Hard work. You must work if you want to succeed. It’s essential to the process. But this doesn’t mean that the processes must be grueling. The journey can be, and ideally should be pleasurable. Importantly, focus on the things that bring joy and produce results.
• Persistence. Taking leadership in your life means persisting and moving forward, even when things don’t appear to be going your way. You’ve got to be willing to overcome obstacles and commit to achieving what you set out to do. But you also must be ready to adjust course when things aren’t working.
• Vision. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on your own, or you’re working with a team. A crystal clear understanding of your destination ensures congruency with your actions and goals. Knowing what you want to impact and leading in that direction ensures that you make the difference you were meant to make.
• Belief. You must believe in yourself, your ability, your skills, your community, your company, your company, your organization, your culture, and whatever you’re selling, fully. Expected results will not manifest without a total, unfaltering belief.

Conclusion, Four Pillars of Success

If any of these pillars are out of balance, you can’t achieve the level you desire. Even the success you’ve built will seem to fade rather quickly.

But now that you know what the pillars are, you can identify where you need to reinforce and fortify.

For me, pillars #1 and #2 were not a problem. Pillars #3 and #4 is where I saw significant room for improvement.