The Strangest Secret

by Earl Nightingale

 “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.”

Therefore, who succeeds?

The only person who succeeds is the person who is progressively realizing a worthy ideal The person who says, “I’m going to become this”… and then begins to work toward becoming it.

Have you ever wondered why so many men and women work so hard and honestly without ever achieving anything in particular? Why others do not seem to work hard at all and yet get everything? We sometimes think it is the magic touch or pure luck. We often say, “Everything they touch turns to gold.” Have you ever noticed that a person who becomes successful tends to continue this pattern of success? Or on the other hand, how a person who fails seems to continually fail?

Well, the answer is simple — those who succeed have established personal goals.

Success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success and success is in direct proportion to our service.

Here are five steps that will help you realize success:
1. Establish a definite goal.

2. Stop running yourself down.

3. Do not think of all the reasons why you cannot be successful — instead think of all the reasons why you can achieve success.

4. Trace your emotions back to childhood — discover where you first got the negative idea you would not be successful — face your fears.

5. Renew your self-image by writing a description of the person you want to become — Act the part — You are that person!

George Bernard Shaw said:
“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.