After spending some time with the younger generation, I decided to devote this "Views" to personal success ideas. There are many best-sellers on how to dress, or plan, or invest, or even to eat for success and so few on how to work for it. Why? I think that the word "work" in the title would not motivate the purchase of the book. However, success does require work. For everyone who climbs the ladder of success, there are a dozen waiting for the elevator. Success comes when you take personal responsibility for yourself. Success not only requires work, it requires planning and organization. That is nice to say, but where do we get help. There are a lot of personal development books available in the library, but they usually deal with the development of the person. To be successful you must go beyond the internals of the person. You must work on the events in your everyday life. I propose that you think of yourself, not as an individual, but as a company. In doing so we can explore how successful companies operate, how they set objectives, goals, strategies, and above all measures of accomplishment.

For example, all successful companies have a Mission Statement. Do you have a Personal Mission Statement? Have you thought out "Who you are and what you stand for?" Have you considered your "Purpose in life?" This can be a sobering thought, but remember your Personal Mission Statement can change as the world around you changes.

Take some time to identify successful companies and observe as much as possible about how they operate, how they are organized, and the key elements of their operation. For instance, all successful companies have a product or service that has high appeal among their customers. What is your product or service? Better yet, who are your customers? What are their needs? Your own day-to-day activities can reflect those of a company. For example, what is your production, quality control, process improvement, products research, marketing, sales, advertising, etc? These are activities in the business world that greatly enhance the performance of the business. Why should these activities not help in our individual lives?

Consider utilizing another business technique, Customer Satisfaction Research, in your personal life. What do people you associate with think about your work?

A short word about success. Some people consider success as obtaining all the play toys they can find, while others think of success in much different terms such as being a good parent or a good citizen. I find it helpful not to define success by the criteria of others. A good golfing friend once told me that it is best not to compete against the other players but to compete with the course. Establish your personal priorities and establish the goals to achieve them.

You can't change what you are, so make the best of it.

You can't go back and make a new beginning, but you can start now to make a new ending. You have the option of planning your future or letting someone else plan it for you.