Journey to Success

One of my favorite childhood movies was The Wizard of Oz and over the years it served as metaphor many times for me.

Although the story line was about the Wicked Witch and the Good Witch I always referred to them as the Negative Witch and the Positive Witch. I realized you don’t have to be wicked to cause limitations in your life, negative thinking can be just as dangerous.

“If you think you can do a thing or if you think you can’t do a thing, you’re right”.  -Henry Ford

It takes courage and conviction to reach your goals.  Setting the goal is the easy part of the process but the success goes to those who ‘stick to it’ and ‘stay the course’ despite setbacks.

Anther part of the Wizard of Oz movie that was a powerful metaphor for me was when Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion had to cross the Valley of the Poppies. When Dorothy and the Lion fell asleep the rest of the quartet agreed to carry them out but they knew if they were to avoid falling into a deep sleep themselves they had to RUN FAST!!!!

Talk about setbacks!!! They had to try not to fall into a deep sleep (because of the poppies) while they were being bombarded by Flying Monkeys that wanted to carry them away.

A scary image isn’t it? Liken it to the challenges you may be experiencing in your career. If your goal is not BIG and Exciting enough to scare you, you may become complacent in your pursuit of it. You will know if your goal is motivating to you when it is the last thing you think about before you go to sleep and the first thing that pops into your mind when you wake up.

What are some of the flying monkeys in your life? What threatens to carry you away from acting on your goal? I had to:

• Dodge the Monkeys of DOUBT and DISCOURAGEMENT.
• Dodge flying monkeys that appeared as well meaning friends who just did not understand why my goal was so important to me and wondered why I was wasting my time.
• All the monkeys who said “NO”.
• The team members who fell asleep in the valley of the poppies.

You can make it across the Valley of the Poppies if you keep your eyes on the Emerald City (your goal). Use all your determination to cross your Valley of the Poppies.

                      “You always had the power my dear you just had to learn it for yourself.” – Glenda the Good Witch

• Remember Your Why.
• Continue to Believe in Your Dream.
• RUN FAST!!!

You Can Do It! …. And remember to keep defining ‘your’ YELLOW BRICK Road …. When you are nearing the completion of one goal set the next one.     Success is a journey not a Destination