Of Success and Motivation
So I am impatiently waiting for an email from someone over at Availity. I managed to get everything working today. YAY @ meeting deadlines! But they are not sending us the responses they claimed we'd get from them for all the test cases. This makes me pissy. Once I get valid responses I can run the test batch from the server and then use that data to print some actual reports that I wrote what seems like a lifetime ago. Also Availity claims we will be approved for production then as well. YAY!!! So Norton will be happy because we are up and running. The Project Manager will be happy because we got it all done on time. The Account Manager will be happy because he can clean up all that stuff and get sign off on the documents and drop the bill. Accounting will be happy because we will have billed the client. WOOT!!! all around.
I woke up this morning with a rant in my head. I have been thinking lately about the nature of success and motivation. What makes someone successful? How do you achieve your dreams? What about those times when you are stuck not knowing what you want?
Here is the rant (which I emailed to Sam hehe)
Life doesn't happen until you get off your ass and make it. Opportunity doesn't
knock until you grab him by the hair and slam his face off your door. Success
is for those who won't accept anything less. Happiness comes to those who hunt
it down and make it their own. No one knows tomorrow's answers today. But
those who simply wait for them will not find them tomorrow either. Pick a path
and walk it as if you are right. They all have obstacles and pitfalls, but if
your eyes are on an end, even a slightly vague concept of an end, you will get
there regardless of path chosen. The great mystery in life is that you CAN get
there from here. Regardless of where here and there are. Once you've
discovered this truth nothing will stand in your way and you will have
everything you've ever wanted.
Now I believe that a lot of what is going well in my life is a product of my getting my act together. I was waffling for a while and as a result I hated my job, was frustrated with my living situation and was cranky about my dating life. But once I got my head on straight I am doing so freaking well. I decided what I want (kind of) and am now getting it. Things are going my way. But I think a lot of that is because I am willing it to go my way. My sister Kelly saw her path at 14. She knew she wanted to be a pharmacist with a nice suburban home and a happy family. 10+ years later she has it all. Even though everyone told her she couldn't because she was just a poor girl from the projects who is math retarded. She's still math retarded, but somehow makes it work. You ask her about 25% off an item and she's lost. You ask her mixtures for IVs and she spits out answers like a calculator. It's odd.
I am a lot like Kelly. Once I know what I want I will make it happen. Now we both have moments of doubt and tend to call Peg in tears "Mommie I can't do it!" But once we calm down and get our feet under us watch out! So is this the essence of successful people? The willingness to MAKE life give you what you want? I think it might be. I also think success breeds success. I've always found when one aspect of life started rocketing forward the rest quickly fall in step. I got my school and goals and such in line and suddenly I am becoming a permanent member of the NEHEN team and spending the vast majority of my time in Boston. The living situation is much better and it looks like next year will be amazing as well. And all of a sudden I have been dating again. I don't have a BF, but I don't think that is the point right now. I think that this time is for the experience of rejection and learning how to do this all right. And I think I'm learning that. And in the process I've gained Pete and Troy as friends. Which is a bonus. Troy especially. We get along famously and I really like having him around.
So I think that the lesson I've learned is that you just need goals and the drive to make it all happen. Once you are willing to step up and move things will happen. They may not work exactly as you'd envision, but you can always achieve the end if you are willing to put in the work. The next lesson to learn is patience with those who haven't figured out their plan. I tend to get a little annoyed with them.
Man that post got long.