In 2016, Visualize Your Success, Define Your Winning

How do you define winning?

Is it financial rewards? Is it a pat on the back? Is it being the biggest? Is it being happy? Is it spending more time with your family? Is it moving up in your job?

Winning is ultimately up to your perception, and your perception is reality.

When you let the world dictate what your winning is, you lose. You can never meet the expectations of the world, only of yourself.

Winning, for me, starts with happiness. I am on this rollercoaster hunt for happiness. I have written about it many times—and still, have yet to clearly define it in all categories of my life.

Earlier this year, I wrote about happiness being different in work and in life. When I posted the story on LinkedIn, I got ripped by someone saying that the two are not separate. For you, maybe. For me, they still are. I can leave a hectic day and replace it with a large smile when I get a greeting from my wife, a hug from my oldest son and a giggle from the baby. Happiness for me can be separated.

Happiness for me in the workplace comes alongside very high expectations. I know I expect the “hard to attain,” but for me, that’s the drive. Clearly, it’s not the drive for everyone. I know there is a scale:

“Nick’s Expectation” to “Real Potential Expectation” to “Desired Expectation of the Doers.”

There is a middle point in me that I recognize when asking you, my team, to reach excellence. There is a compromise to my business happiness—to my business winning.

In life and in business, I appreciate nothing more than effort. I want our clients to always know we have their backs—that we are going to do our very best to give them the results they desire. Sure, there may be some compromise on their winning, too, but as the leader of a business that is built around client satisfaction, I must drive my team to try to come as close as possible to hitting the winning wants of our clients.

My winning will always be different than yours. But knowing that there is appreciation in all forms of effort towards winning should help for both you and me.

Don’t let the world dictate what winning is to you. You should define it to the world—be open and honest about expectations. This way, winning collaboration is possible, and both sides can be happy.

When looking into 2016, how will you define winning? Have you written it down, drawn a picture or told a friend? You should. There is some truth to visualizing the pathway to success. I constantly think about how I will feel when “X” win happens. Visualize that feeling of winning and it may help you increase your desire to get there.

In 2016, is it a promotion? Is it more money? Is it more flexibility? Communicate the winning path to your mentors, as they too can help you visualize the path.

“= Happiness” is still my focus, but helping others gain “= Happiness” is my mission. 2016 will be a great year.