A good idea is nothing unless you make something of it. And that’s when things start to get difficult. The problem is that very few of us have what it takes to become real achievers in this world. We’re just not cut out for it. We can’t offer the full Achievement Package.
Success is more than having a good idea. There’s a lot more that needs to go with that idea if it is to be turned into something meaningful. It is then that our personal make-up becomes significant and whether or not we offer an “Achievement Package” that is up to the task. In other words, do we have what is required to make a success of something?
Broadly, there are three attributes that are essential components to the Achievement Package. We need to be a mix of all these:
A Thinker: These are creative, inventive, ideas people. They have imagination; they can see things from different perspectives; they can see opportunity. They may also be able to determine the value of an idea – whether or not it has any merit.
A Doer: These are the busy organising, building people, the ones that work hard. They thrive on activity and, generally, love having something to show for their efforts. They tend to make things happen; they tend to get things done.
A Talker: These are the mesmerising communicators that can sound so appealing and wonderful – the sales people of this world. They can make just about anything seem attractive and desirable.
To be successful in our chosen field we need to have each of these attributes at the appropriate level and properly balanced with the others.
Too much of any and we will experience problems;
The Thinker does not always know how they should progress their ideas and, all too often, those ideas are then lost – forgotten, abandoned or dismissed; the doer may be busy but sometimes, like running on a treadmill, they’re not actually getting very far and the talker may be able to tell a good story but there may also be doubts about the credibility, meaning and truthfulness of their words.
Similarly, any shortage or imbalance between these attributes means that we do not concentrate equally on the tasks required of us. We end up talking about what we’re going to do rather than getting on and doing it or we do things without thinking through the implications of our actions. Consequently, we do not go on to meet our full potential. As a result we are more likely to experience dissatisfaction, frustration, disappointment and even failure.
Of all forms of activity and employment the ultimate Achievement Package is most discernible in that of the successful entrepreneur. In fact, he is often revered because he has such high levels of all three attributes. It’s what makes him the achiever that he is. He needs his creative spark to identify an enterprising opportunity; he needs to implement a course of action to set up his business and he needs to persuade others of its merit. The entrepreneur is a beacon of achievement.
Compare him with the smooth talking politician who says a lot but often does little or the paper-pushing civil servant who is busy administrating others but usually achieving very little for himself.
The nature of and degree to which we possess an Achievement Package determines what we do in life. It’s why some people become teachers, others become manual workers and others become librarians. Some people are just stronger in one particular attribute than another. Similarly, the Achievement Package is responsible for the level of success we attain in our endeavours. It’s why some people are more successful at their jobs than others – they have a better-suited balance of achievement attributes for that vocation.
So, what sort of person are you? Are you predominantly a thinker, a doer or a talker? Are you a bit of all three? Do you have the right balance for your chosen vocation? Do you have sufficient amounts of each to make up a desirable Achievement Package for your personal goals?
To help you determine where you are, here are some questions you might like to ask of yourself:
- What do you enjoy most – thinking, doing or talking?
- Do your ideas lead to actions?
- Do you talk a good game but never really play very well?
- Do you yearn for activity but just don’t know what to do with yourself?
- Do you do things without particularly thinking about them?
- Do you dream of success, riches and fame but make little headway towards these goals?
- Do others perceive you in the same way that you describe yourself?
- If you had to score each characteristic – thinking, doing, talking – out of ten, how would you mark yourself?
- In terms of these achievement attributes how do yours compare with others in your chosen vocation?
By thinking over these questions you will get an indication as to whether or not you have an Achievement Package that is of sufficient quality and quantity to enable you to achieve the level of success you are after.
It’s a reality check but one that can only be good for you.
Recognising and accepting the type of person you are will enable you to pursue activities that you are most appropriately suited to and will also enable you to set more realistic objectives in terms of what you want to achieve. There’s no point aspiring to be a high flyer if you can barely get off the ground.
By acknowledging that you may not have the full Achievement Package to be the next great multi-million dollar business tycoon it means that you can get help to do those aspects of your business that you are not quite so suited to. And that should, in the long run, help you to be more successful.
© Copyright Steve Oxley 2017
Oxthink 