How to Be Successful Tip #1

I don't claim to be an expert in the art of success. Let's not even get into how to define the word "success" and simply agree that it's a completely subjective term. At any rate, a fairly obvious yet important conclusion I've come to about how to be successful: maximize the time you have by limiting the time you "waste" or spend on activities that don't further your objectives.

The concept of not frittering away time is deceptively simple and often quite difficult to put into practice. How often do we find ourselves engaging in an activity that is completely unproductive or devoid of meaning? This is not a crime against humanity, to be sure, but if your objective is to be successful in whichever area interests you, extensive relaxation is probably not the way to go--at least not while you're trying to claw your way to the top of your field.

How many people who achieved success in whatever they set their mind to did so by parking themselves in front of the boobtube for hours on end, Facebook-stalking, or going out drinking with their buddies every night (unless their definition of success involves glazed-over eyes and extensive hangovers)? It's true, most people need their downtime and Rest and Relaxation, but the trick lies in exactly how much time you devote to those types of activities. And if you can use your R&R to further your specific goals, all the better. What's increasingly apparent is that in today's modern society, particularly in developed nations, there are countless distractions at your fingertips. When you're truly trying to reach a goal with all your might and accomplish something you deem important, distraction is not a friend (although when it comes to things like writer's block, it certainly is!).

A concrete example of what I'm talking about: sometimes after a day full of World Cup-watching, I look at the clock and wonder where my day went. Well, it's obvious where it went. I wouldn't say that it was a day wasted because I had fun, relaxed after working hard all week, and spent quality time with my husband. However, if this starts to become a pattern, and if I'm concerned with making my mark on the world starting now, I'll inevitably let some important activities slide down my To-Do list when in reality they should consistently be at or towards the top.

This is something that people seem to progressively realize as they age, but time really is precious. It's the one thing you can't accumulate more of, so it's important to use the time you have wisely, since you never know how much of it you'll get in this lifetime.