Dick Smidgin is a motivational keynote speaker whose services have been sought by many top international companies.  Dick firmly believes that success in business is purely down to positive mental attitude and his techniques have helped some of the world's most successful achievers.  In this special feature, Dick has taken time out from his busy schedule to provide us with a unique insight into his philosophy and methods.

The Thoroughfare of Success

by Dick Smidgin (BA) - Motivational Keynote Speaker

What do we really mean by targeted motivational short-term direction objectives?

It's a straightforward enough question, isn't it?  And yet, as I travel the country speaking to different audiences, I am inevitably met by silence whenever I bring it up.  So let me put it another way: considering a multi-layered framework of aspirational enablement factors, how far along the attainment scale do we wish to project our multi-phased career resolutions?

Be honest with yourself now.

Can you really say that you have given the matter serious thought?  Certainly, we all want success - we are all, in effect, prospective goal-achievers - but how many of us can claim to have mapped out our future accomplishment nodes in respect of a ratified timescale of empowerment?  Very few, I suspect, and yet it is precisely this kind of forethought that separates the successful goal-achievers from the disappointed also-rans.  

Living your life, but better

So Dick, people say to me, you're clearly a successful man but how exactly can I formulate my own attainment strategy and realise my unique potential?

Well let me tell you - the secret of being a successful goal-achiever is no secret at all!   It's simply this - get to know yourself.  Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and looked at the person you see there as if you're meeting them for the first time?  Have you ever spoken to that person, asked about their state of health or complimented them on their hat?

No?  Well give it a try, you might be surprised!

One of the things that I suggest to the people who come along to my seminars is that they take themselves out for a drink.  In the relaxed, comfortable environment of their local bar, many people find that the barriers soon come tumbling down and they are able to really get to know themselves.  I know it sounds a bit strange, but give it a go and see what happens!  Sometimes it's only by holding a conversation with yourself within a neutralistic social situation that you can discover the real you. 

And it works! I have literally several examples of people who have benefited from this technique.  Many of them have got into the habit of going out with themselves on a regular basis, and some lasting friendships have been formed.

For instance, one man told me that after getting into a fascinating conversation with himself one night at the Grosvenor Bar in Weatherby, he discovered to his amazement that he had a passionate interest in trains.  Not only did he find this revelation fascinating, but it also helped to explain why he spent so many of his weekends hanging around in railway stations.

Turning a negative into a positive

Once you're confident about who you are, you can start to give serious consideration to your achievement parameters.  In particular you can formulate a positive attitude to solution positioning in respect of upgrading your problem-solving capabilities.

Sounds like a mammoth task, doesn't it?  And yet it is only really a question of conquering your fears.  Consider these two choices.

At first glance, the Leopard of Jeopardy appears to be the most problematic obstacle.  Its cruel, heartless stare is supremely intimidating, and its sharp teeth suggest a hostile, unilaterally destructive personal interface possibility, with the additional likelihood of dismemberment repercussions.

On the other hand, the Rabbit of Opportunity appears to allow for the relatively easy deployment of basic soft-skill negotiating techniques, with the fallback option of a programme of carrot appeasement, should things turn nasty.

But look more closely and you will see that the leopard is clearly stuffed and the rabbit has a flick knife.   It is in instances like this that fear can cloud solid business sense and cause us to neglect a proper system of eventualization assessment.

A formula for success

So, what have we learned?  Well, we know who we are.  We know we must meet problems head on.  But are there any other qualities that we need?

There certainly are.  No successful goal-achiever would be able to maintain peak levels of attainment without knowledge of the twin pillars of Confidence and Adaptability.  Or, as I like to express it:

Confidence + Adaptability = Confaptability

This is absolutely essential if we are to remain capable of functioning within a constantly fluctuating business environment.  Remember - change is here to stay.

But is confaptability impactful enough to encompass high-plateau achievement goals?  The answer, unfortunately, is no.  Would that it was that easy.  The successful goal-achiever must call upon something else -   Imagination.

Put simply, Imagination is our central powerhouse, enabling us to make the commitment to invest sufficient time-energy into our chosen attainment fields.   Without Imagination, we're knackered, as Plato once said.  And how right he was.  After all, if Plato had never had Imagination, would he have been able to do all that clever thinking and stuff? Almost certainly not.  Thus we must incorporate imagination into our formula:

Confaptability + Imagination = Confaptabination

And this is really the key to successful goal-achieving.  If you take nothing else away with you today, at least remember this: if you want to be the best, and you want to beat the rest, then Confaptabination's what you need.

Where are we going?

Where are we going, indeed. And equally as important: are we nearly there yet?  We may know who we are, what we are capable of and we may be equipped with our formula for success, but there is one more important factor to be considered - Orientation.  We need to know that we are heading in the right direction, that we have a clear path mapped out in front of us and that we've packed enough sandwiches for the trip.

Try looking at it this way.  Consider a mountain climber - he may be technically accomplished, resilient and determined, but in order to be truly successful he needs to know in which direction he must climb.  By and large, most successful mountain climbers know that in order to reach the top of a mountain by the most direct and efficient way, they need to head in an 'up' direction.  Any mountain climber who does not properly consider this before he sets out is likely to go wandering off into a valley or something and make himself look a right tit.

Go forth and succeed!

And so, in conclusion we must recognise that success is about nothing if not direction.  We must decide on our destination, pick out our route and plan for all eventualities.  Remember, the Thoroughfare of Success is only a few short streets away from the Avenue of Obscurity.  Let's all make sure we study the map.

If you would like to book Dick Smidgin for your conference or training seminar, he can currently be contacted at his mum's house - except on Wednesday evenings, because it's his bath night.


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