I have a previous entry that defines what real success is...in this entry I will explain the important process of achieving success.
How often does an athlete practice before he becomes a professional? How many bruised shins, skinned knees, and cut ankles do skateboarders suffer from before they master a difficult trick? How many pieces of paper does someone go through before they create an artistic masterpiece?
An athlete practices several times a day every day to become a professional...a skateboarder spends hour after hour and suffers through the pain of injury after injury just to successfully land one trick...an artist goes through several years of honing their skills and learning the necessary technique to create a masterpiece...
Wherever you see someone that has achieved success you should also see someone who has put forth extreme effort and passion. Not one person who is considered successful attained this status overnight. It takes determination, discipline, and perseverance.
After years of struggling to grasp reality, I have finally achieved a state of stability. I have hurt the ones that I love...I have hurt myself...I have lost great job opportunities...I have lost friendships...I have lost potential love interests...I have suffered. In truth, I brought all of my hardships upon myself. I created it all...and in my own destruction I tried as hard as I could every day to correct my situation.
I went through several different periods...or stages...of growth. At age 18 I finally came to grips with my disorder and started to rekindle relationships with my family...at age 19 I found a job that I could advance in and enjoy...at age 20 I found a great friend that I potentially could have dated and maybe even married...for every attempt of achieving personal success, however, I found failure. I always seemed to relapse and slip into an even darker state of mind.
After all of these attempts, all of my failures, I decided to have one last go at a chance of a different and better lifestyle. At age 23 I checked myself into the mental institution at a nearby hospital...it wasn't easy...and it was a slap in the face with the firm hand of reality. The information and stability that the visit instilled in me, however, has changed me forever.
I now take my medication every night...I visit a therapist biweekly and a psychiatrist bimonthly...I participate in personal therapeutic activities...I chose to attend a technical college in a field of interest...I finally achieved financial stability...I have succeeded.
While many would find my success very insignificant I view it as life changing. I finally feel free and emotionally mature. I feel like a brand new me. Like I mentioned above, however, this change didn't occur over night. It took years of struggling and months of dedication after finally finding a path to a solution.
Success is more than winning the big game or getting the big promotion. It is a personal victory...a reminder of all the effort, energy, and dedication you put forth in preparation for the moment when you finally succeed. It represents the inner battle of doubt and belief...strength and weakness...triumph and failure...
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