A successful person needs to be realistic and disciplined.
Realistic
It pains me when dreamers are repulsed by the idea that success requires realism and self-discipline. “What about dreams and overcoming adversity and shooting for the moon and landing amongst the stars?” These are all wonderful ideas, but only effective if stars are within range and you’re willing to work to get there. Re-examine your definition of “realistic”. Real is not the opinion of others. It is important that you understand your world and that you know that your goals are realistic. No one else need agree.
A successful person asks questions of reality and develops an understanding of the real world as much or more so than of their imagination. Your imagination is only a powerful tool if it’s foundation is of an effective understanding of whatever world or pursuit you will be casting yourself.
Learn about your goal. Be targeted and thorough. Learn your way around and discover where you want to be. Know the lay of the land and how to navigate its challenges. You’ll never find Ganon without a map and a compass.
Disciplined
I forget this too often because focus comes naturally to me. As I’ve come to understand, if you want something, you have to try to get it. If a positive attitude and prayer is a realistically effective practice then partake. If not, don’t.
If you aren’t working towards anything, I believe you don’t want anything. It’s not a lack of self-discipline but rather a lack of love for life and all it can offer you. There is nothing inherently wrong (existential nihilism) with not wanting anything, but if you want something and you can’t seem to stay focused then you’re not being honest.
If you want to be in Tahiti but don’t want to travel, you have a conflict of interest. Effectively, you don’t want to go to Tahiti – you just want to talk and dream about it. In this case, I appreciate it when my friends don’t tell me that they want to go to Tahiti; it’s a waste of our time because I actually want to be in Tahiti. You exist in this universe, admittedly in your head, but neither is a vacuum or any subsection of reality; wanting is a package deal. If you want to go to Tahiti but don’t want to travel then you do not want to be in Tahiti.
If you truly want something, you want all of it. You want the beginning, the middle, and the end. Only then will you be self-disciplined – or effortlessly obsessed. You will weather every storm and love the rain all the while because you truly wanted to chase tornadoes your life over.
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