Thoreau’s Secret to Success
Everyone is looking for the secret to success.
How can we be more successful? What can we do to achieve the results we want? What is the magic formula that will make success inevitable?
Henry David Thoreau gave us the answer many years ago in one of his most famous quotes:
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
If we break the quote down to its key components we get a simple formula for success.
Plan + Process = Success
Let’s look at each component…
The first part of this quote is the Plan:
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams…”
You cannot advance confidently if you don’t know where you are going. You need a Plan. You wouldn’t go on a trip if you didn’t know your destination. The same with your life. You need a Plan, or goals, to know where you are going. Take time to reflect and develop your Plan.
The second part of the quote is the Process:
“And endeavors to live the life which he has imagined…”
Reaching your destination will take hard work. You must “endeavor” to achieve your goals. Not just try, or give it a shot, or hope it happens. You must endeavor. Achieving anything worthwhile requires hard work. You will not only need to work hard, but you will also need to work smart. Develop a Process, or system, that will help you achieve your Plan. Goals are great but they cannot be achieved without a solid system.
The third part of the quote is Success:
“…he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
Thoreau doesn’t say you “might” meet with success. He says you WILL meet with success. Having a Plan and following a Process will yield results that lead to Success.
So, if you want to be successful in life, follow the advice of old Henry David Thoreau.
Develop a Plan and build a Process to achieve Success.
