SUCCESS: AN OVERHEAD PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ILLUSTRATION

source

All through time different definitions have been given to success and in one way or the other they’re all correct. But in line with what I want to share today I’ll stick with this

“success is the achievement of a worthwhile goal. it is the result or outcome of goals, plans and actions”.

Is success a one time experience in the life of an individual? The answer is “No!”. Success does not just come to anybody because of their goodness but is the result of a vision, dream or goal pursued and obtained by working hard. We can set as much goals as we want or desire. Once a man has a goal or dream, keeps on pushing and pressing on, then "success is just ahead".

source

Success is always at a height unattainable by just wishing or staying at a plain equal to where you’re presently or at your comfort zone. Once laid down principles are implemented, success is just sitting down waiting at the far end. It could be seen as the destination in the journey to “a goal.” It is not tied to an event in one’s life but to as much accomplished events in one’s lifetime. For instance we can say that a man is more successful when compared to another man, not forgetting the fact that success is tied to personal goals. This means that a man is not more successful than another based on numbers of acclaimed successes or visible results but personal goals. So if a man has just 3 goals and he does pursue and achieves them all and another man has 10 goals but can achieve just 5 out of the 10. The man with 3 goals is seen as more successful because he has a 100% success rate compared to the other with just 50%.

source

If you have ever walked on an overhead bridge then you can imagine what success is about. When you look at the overhead bridge you see it has three different parts; the ascending part, the level plain and the descending part. The overhead bridge has been designed to enable pedestrians “successfully” cross over to the other side of the road without getting knocked down or hit by oncoming vehicles. Now this is interesting, you see these vehicles which are obstacles are on the same level as you (level plain). They are a form of hindrance to your success denying you access to the other side of the road. So what do you do? You attempt using the bridge but in doing this you begin to feel a constraint around your thigh and you almost feel like coming down but because you’re determined to cross over to the other side you continue.

source: the ascending...

This is the first lesson of the journey to success it is never easy as being on the level plain you’re used to, you must feel a change of conditions in and around you. The journey of success in academics, business, marriage, spiritual growth, being the best salesman, the best footballer, and so on is an uphill task and therefore discomfort must be felt, this is what separates those who will succeed from the rest.

After a while you happen to find you are on a plain almost like where you started out from (your comfort zone) but on a higher level, you are on cruise control, feeling relieved, you see yourself above your obstacles and the rest of the pedestrians not using the bridge. You are on top now enjoying the view and fresh air as a result of less individuals plying the same route with you. Depending on the width of the road the plain varies in length and that means you can spend some good amount of time on it enjoying the view.

source: the plain higher level with a great view and fresh air...

This is the second lesson in the journey of success, the reward of every ascending is a higher level plain more comfortable than the one you’re coming from. Every uphill climb is complemented with a plateau, a sigh of relief you almost want to make your bed here and relax and think “this is all there is”, “I have solved the problem”, “I have got it all covered”.

Then all of a sudden something happens and without your consent the inevitable occurs. As the saying goes “what goes up must come down”, you start descending. Wow! “So this could happen without my permission” you think. Of course “yes!”. This journey requires consciousness and people that are ready to endure many things spiritually, mentally, physically or otherwise. According to Newton’s 3rd law of motion

“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. - Sir Isaac Newton

You might begin to descend at a speed and effort equal to that which was applied during the ascending. All of a sudden you are down to the crowd once again, your beautiful view gone, no fresh air and so on. The only difference you may experience is that you are at the other side of the road.

source: the descent...

The third lesson of the journey of success is that success requires conscious effort for more results or to remain on the higher level plain because a little folding of hand or sleeping and you are back with the crowd again. Successful people set targets and throw themselves at new challenges to keep the fire burning. They are always awake conscious of their comfort and do the unimaginable; they build new overhead bridges as soon as they come down from the previous one and they do it themselves!

“The heights and challenges of life must be embraced constantly…” - brownjee