Sustainable Success

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Sustainable success

To be successful you must be able to sustain your efforts over decades.

Anything that is truly valuable takes decades to achieve.

• If you want to build a successful business, it will take years, not months.
• If you want to build a championship performance, it will take years of sustained effort.
• If you want successful relationships, you want them to last for years, not months.

To be successful you must "play the game" for years. So therefore, you must work in ways that are sustainable.

In this respect there are two ways that people fail.

1. Some people don't work hard enough. The consequences of laziness are obvious.
2. Other people work too hard, for too long. The consequences of working too hard, are not obvious. But they are very real. The consequences are mental and physical overwhelm and the eventual collapse of mind and body.

In order to be sustainable, your efforts must fall within the middle ground between the two extremes. This means working hard, with sufficient rest and recuperation.

Working too hard

Do you know anyone who pushes themselves too hard?

They work until they collapse. They fall ill, then they slowly recover. The moment they feel recovered, they immediately go back to overworking again.

The formula for disaster is: Work, work, work, work, work, work, collapse.

If you are in this cycle you must do the following three things:

1. Recognise the futility of the cycle.
2. Commit yourself to change.
3. Replace the cycle with the success formula, of a sustainable working practice.

Sustainable Working

Sustainable working means you work hard; then you rest and recuperate; then you return tomorrow and work hard again; then you must STOP working and go home and rest.

The formula for success is: Work, rest, work, rest, work, rest.

Balance work and rest

Remember that you are a limited resource facing an unlimited demand. If you work too hard for too long, you will exhaust your limited reserves of mental and physical energy and you will experience a meltdown.

Therefore, you need to respect the laws of your nature and work in ways that will allow you to keep winning for decades to come.

Moderate the intensity, duration and frequency of your work effort.

Balance work and rest.

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Further Reading in Personal Effectiveness

• The importance of having an exercise programme
  It is important not to neglect your physical health. Whatever your age, gender or current situation, you can always improve your situation by taking up a balanced exercise regime, as suggested in this article.
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• The Power of Personal Initiative
  Personal initiative is a powerful thing, which everyone possesses. By using your initiative you will achieve success. But don't let procrastination get in the way of your personal initiative.
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• The Art of Clear Thinking
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• How to Find the Good in any Situation
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• Habit Pattern v Thought Process
  We all develop habits. Habits tend to eliminate the need for conscious thought. Which is fine, if all our habits were GOOD habits, but unfortunately they are not all good.
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