The 6Ds of success

Although success is sometimes accidental, that is the exception. The rule is that success is a product of a process. That is why experts believe that success is predictable just like failure. It is also because success is procedural that it is sustainable and replicable. A process that results in success in any part of the world can be repeated in any other part of the globe. Multinationals succeed wherever they operate because they follow a template. So, to succeed either as an individual or organisation, there is a process that must be followed. Although the process may be taxing and tasking, the alternative is not even to be contemplated because it leads to failure. Hence, great leaders and organizations make the deliberate choice of traveling the highway of going by the rule to get their desired result.

Many principles have been identified and tested as critical to recording success in an endeavour. Here are six of them, all of which start with the letter ‘D’.

Desire

Every great accomplishment is birthed twice; first in the mind, then in the physical. Nothing great can be accomplished until it has taken root in the mind. The mind must first conceive of an idea before it is translated into reality. The conception of the idea is known as desire. The Wright brothers didn’t just wake up one morning to assemble an aircraft; their starting point was the desire to build an airplane.

Desire gets one started on the journey to success. An individual or organization does not stand a chance of becoming successful until the desire to do so is born. Webster’s Dictionary defines desire as “a conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment.” Desire is desirable because there is an end in sight. The end is either enjoyment or fulfillment. So, unless the end promises the assurance of giving a satisfaction, the desire for success cannot take root.

A young man went to an old man to learn how to develop a strong desire for success. When he told the old man his mission, the man got a large bowl of water and immersed the young man’s head in it. After a few minutes, the young man tried to free his head from the vise-like grip of the old man’s hand on his neck, all to no avail. But when it looked as if he was going to choke in the water, he shoved the old man aside and freed himself.

When he got back his breath, the young man said to the old man, “Were you trying to kill me?”

The old man responded, “No, not at all. I was just trying to pass across a message.”

“What message?”

“What did you learn from that experience?”

“Nothing?”

“Really? Why were you able to free yourself after failing to do so initially?”

The young man said, “It was a matter of life and death.”

The old man then told him, “You will develop a desire for success when you treat success as if your continued existence depends on it.”

Desire is the starting point on the journey to success.

 

Define your desire

No one can find what has not been defined. What does success mean to you? It is not enough to want to be a great company, what is your own definition of a great company? Is it a company that is the market leader, a company that produces world class products, a company that offers great after sales service, or a company that goes an extra mile to make employees comfortable? What do you want to be known for as an organisation? To be propelled towards success, you have to define what success means to you.

It is good to desire wealth. But what does that mean? You must put wealth in perspective. What does being wealthy mean to you? Is it having N10million, N100million, N1billion or having property in various places or having a number of companies or having shares in a number of blue-chip companies? This must be put in proper perspective to produce the energy and drive that will result in the desired end. It is when a desire is defined that it is possible to know whether the mark is hit or missed. Defining the desire makes it possible to track progress.

Defining what you want is fine-tuning your desire to achieve clarity. Where clarity is lacking, speed cannot be achieved and success may be delayed, if it is ever achieved. To bring success within reach, you have to properly define what it means to you.

Defining your desire is very important because success does not have a universal application. Success is person, organization or situation-specific. The specificity of success cannot be achieved until it is defined.

Defining what you want provides clarity.

 

Decision

Despite having a desire and defining it, the real journey to success begins when a decision to succeed is taken. Decision is critical because it is when a decision is taken that the price to pay in achieving success in an endeavour is determined. It is the decision that translates a desire from a wish and its definition from an imagery to actionable steps. Success does not respond to wishes, it responds to concrete actions. It is action that is taken which results in success, not the wish that is expressed. Therefore, it is when a decision is taken to succeed that the real work that results in success begins.

The prodigal son in the Bible squandered his inheritance and was left with nothing. At his lowest point, he longed to be given part of the food meant for pigs but no one would oblige him even that. For a long time he languished in squalor and deprivation while daydreaming about change in his situation until one day when he decided to do something about it. He said to himself, “I will arise and go to my father and apologise to him.”

He had wished and dreamt about a change in his situation without any result. It was not until he took a decision that he found a way out. The work to do to have a change in his situation was spelt out in the decision. The decision was to go to his father and apologise, the work was to arise. According to the Bible, when the prodigal son said he would arise, he arose. That means he went to work.

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”

So, decision gets you going.

 

Determination

To be determined is to be firmly resolute about a situation. Determination is a critical success factor because on the journey of success, there will arise occasions when there will be pressure and temptation to give up. Being determined is refusing to give up in the face of difficulty. On the success journey, two kinds of obstacles are usually encountered. The first type is categorized as difficult while the second is regarded as impossible. The difference between the two is that a difficult task is that which can be solved immediately while an impossible task is that which would take a while. Most of the inventions that have changed the way we live were at one time or the other regarded as impossible but the inventors kept at them and eventually overcame the obstacles.

Thomas Edison, who is regarded as America’s greatest inventor, could have given up on his electric bulb invention after repeated failure, but he did not. He went from trying carbon filaments to platinum and other metals until he finally hit success with carbonized bamboo filament that could last over 1,200 hours.

Edison was so determined to achieve success with electric bulb that 10,000 failed attempts were not enough to deter him. Rather than referring to the unsuccessful attempts as failures, he said, “I have not failed. I have just found out 10,000 ways that won’t work.” That is the power of determination; it blots out dead end options.

Determination keeps you energized.

 

Discipline

According to Jim Rohn, discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. Discipline is resolving to do whatever it takes to achieve a goal, irrespective of the attendant inconveniences. Discipline is not imposed by external forces or interests; it is a measure adopted after considering the goal and bearing in mind everything needed to achieve it. That is where the rubber meets the road. Every organization desires success but not every organization is willing to pay the price for success. The price for success is discipline.

The difference between successful and unsuccessful organizations usually boils down to discipline. Successful companies subject themselves to a regimen of restrictions and self-denials; they do the hated but necessary tasks that will take them to the desired end. They avoid the pleasurable but limiting activities that will short-circuit their plans and aspirations. They do not spare themselves; they keep pushing the frontiers and ensure they do whatever they need to do so that they can achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

With unsuccessful organizations reverse is the situation. They permit excuses and bend rules to satisfy their yearnings. They cannot stand the temporary inconvenience which is a requirement of discipline. They detest the rigour of discipline but love the pleasure of circumvention. Because of their penchant for shunning what is necessary though inconveniencing, they end up falling short of actualizing their expectations.

Discipline is sine qua non to sustainable success. Great companies consistently subject themselves to discipline to achieve their desired goals on a consistent basis. Companies that are more predisposed to giving in to indulgence end up as failures. At best what they achieve is fleeting success.

Discipline keeps you on track.

 

Dexterity

Dexterity is an admixture of diligence and creativity. Diligence is good, creativity is great but when the two stand alone, nothing outstanding gets achieved. However, the combination of the two results in excellent results. When an organization is peopled by persons who are both creative and industrious, the organization cannot be anonymous; it will be outstanding because dexterity gives an organization distinction. Success really is being different from the pack. What will give you an edge is your distinction. If you do what everyone else does the way they do it, how does that constitute an advantage? But when you distinguish yourself from the crowd, you can leap ahead of them. This comes from dexterity, taking the game a notch above the normal.

All great companies are dexterous. Every world beater combines industry with innovation. Every organization that will stand the test of time must be consistently diligent and creative. It is the staying power of Apple Inc, it is the secret of Microsoft, it is the power of Cadbury, it is the force behind the success of Coca Cola.

 

Last line

The six Ds are critical success factors. Desire gets you started on the journey to success, defining your desire gives you clarity, decision gets you going, determination keeps you energized, discipline keeps you on track and dexterity makes you unbeatable.