By Karlyn Percil

Successful people don’t do everything, they are very selective about what they focus on and who they allow in their circles. They approach life differently.

They are afraid most of the time.

They fail.

They don’t always get it right but they get back up and try again.

Many of us sit on the sidelines waiting for the fear to go away or like Goldilocks for the “right” porridge. Fear never goes away. The right conditions won’t magically appear.

The right condition is the one you create.

Life will never be perfect. But you can create the “perfect” moment by using what you’ve been given today. I’ve been researching the habits of highly effective (purpose driven) people (from Oprah, Tony Robbins, Napoleon Hill, Richard Branson, Jack Canfield, Arianna Huffington and more). One thing that stood out was this:

No one had a perfect ride to their “successful” moment or story. Many of them are still writing their stories. Including myself. I watched RuPaul on Super Soul Sunday – and he shared with Oprah that he is still working towards his purpose. This – after receiving 2 Emmies for his show RuPaul’s Drag Race. Imagine that!

I believe that we write how our purpose shapes us, with our thoughts, actions and the intention behind everything we do.

"They are still caving out their path and the success they have attained so far can be attributed to them having a higher purpose, a big WHY – they are high impact leaders because of this." Motivational Scientist Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, notes that: "Successful people are not successful because of who they are. They are successful because of what they do."

The secret to success lies in your habits, thoughts, emotional energy, daily habits/rituals, and behavior. Here are a few habits of highly successful (purpose driven) leaders. Here’s what they (you) do differently:

1. They are highly self-aware and maximize their time by focusing on their mental & emotional energy. Highly successful purpose-driven leaders know that they cannot add more time to their days but they can increase their output by leveraging their mind and their emotional energy for greater results. They track their low & peak periods and use their brain strategically so they can leverage their minds for greater success.
2. They focus more on what they CAN control and less on what’s outside their control.
3. They redefine success daily – they know that life happens and while they do plan their day, they are flexible by making time for what matters the most.
4. They know their values and create a belief system based on their future and the person they are becoming.
5. They celebrate their wins. They make time to reflect on their day and reflect on how they can do better daily.
6. They condition their minds with positivity & daily words of wisdom. They understand their mind is a garden – and plant daily seeds of power in their minds. They set time aside daily to tap into the power of their minds for further creativity, productivity and wisdom.
7. They better themselves by investing in their personal growth – they hire trainers, coaches, they have mentors and create a feed-forward loop where they’re constantly working on their growth mindset
8. They plan their days. Purposeful Warriors know that they win their day by having a schedule, an intention for the day ahead. They create morning and evening routines and execute daily regardless of what goes on in their lives.
9. They have a mission & vision statement – they know that life favors the prepared and leverage the power of their brain by programming their mind for the life that they want.
10. They have a higher purpose and mission that goes beyond the narrow confines of their humanity. They are working towards a bold, radical, legacy-based idea – one that will change the community, society and the world in general. They focus on making the world a better place.
11. They pull others up the ladder of success with them & they teach what they have learned. Highly successful purposeful leaders understand that their role is to groom more leaders. To help others develop their own gifts and talents and share it with the world.
12. They feel brave and afraid and take consistent action daily.

As you review this list – what jumps out at you the most? What is your Leadership Impact Score based on the items listed above? Are you an 8 out of 12, or a 10 out of 12, or are you a 12 out of 12?

As you review your score and plan for the week ahead – here’s a Success Roadmap designed to help you continuously craft your own definition of success based on what matters to you the most.

Success Roadmap Instructions:

• On Page 1 of the Success Roadmap: as defined by Family, Society, etc. – write what is expected on your roadmap. List the expected outcomes of your life if you created a definition of success based on those values.
• On Page 2 of the Success Roadmap: as defined by what matters to you the most – write what is expected on your roadmap. List the expected outcomes of your life if you created a definition of success based on those values.

As you reflect on your intention and commitments for the year ahead – craft a definition of success that reflects the life you actually want to live.

"Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most." – Buddha

If there is anything that I can do to help you get one step closer to you living and leading an authentic life – leading a definition of success that includes what matters to you the most – then comment here and let me know how I can help.

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Karlyn Percil helps women increase their leadership IQ as a Success Coach and Lifestyle Speaker based in Toronto, Ontario. She believes that when you, as a woman, know who you really are, you make a powerful impression. When you truly love yourself, you own your emotions, master your mindset, make better decisions and live a purpose-driven, passionate and beautiful life that you love. Kalyn’s goal is to empower more women to achieve their dreams in spite of the challenges and the fear that will come their way.