The six P’s for a Powerful Plan of Persistent Progress 

1. Positivity

   Positivity is a uniquely important trait for achieving success at anything from work to family life. People with a “can do” attitude foster their own achievements by infusing whatever they attempt with passion and joy. By engaging in positive thoughts, we create a healthy environment for attaining our objectives.

“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” — General Colin Powell

Have you ever woken up to find it raining outside and thought to yourself, ‘what a miserable day?’ I think we all have at some point. The truth is, though, that it’s only raining. When we impose negative thoughts unto some thing or event, it is we who create the ambience of miserable. When we take a step back and realize that the rain itself is watering plants and trees, enabling beautiful flowers to grow, and nurturing our food chain, we come to appreciate it’s not so bad. In fact, with a sharp dose of positivity, we can go out and even enjoy getting wet or stomping in a puddle like when we were kids.

So, apply that positive attitude and begin living your best life as the best version of you.

2. Perseverance

   What comes to mind when you think of perseverance? For some people, it’s an image of a marathon runner, training long hours for months on end in pursuit of a goal. For others, it might be an Olympic gymnast who has dedicated most of her life to performing at one major event. However, to me, it applies to the everyday life, putting in the effort and incrementally building upon our each last step.

The frustrating part about perseverance, is that it must also account for setbacks. Even when you might be an unstoppable force, you sometimes butt up against an immovable object. Perseverance therefore also requires ingenuity and flexibility. You can’t be so married to a plan that you forget it’s all about the end objective. When you bump into an obstacle it’s time to reassess. What do I need to do in order to overcome.

Perseverance is all about attitude. We may have a losing day, or even several. Perseverance helps you realize that winning a war involves loses some battles along the way. Use them as learning experiences and you come back stronger and more resilient than ever.

3. Physical

   In discussing physical, I am referring to your health. It’s funny, but health is one of those things we take for granted when things are running fine, on autopilot. Only when we have an illness or event that robs us of our health do we truly appreciate its significance.

When you read the About section of my website, you will learn about my harrowing tale of one of the worst moments of my life. It seems interesting to call it a moment, since it lasted several months but it’s all part of the same chain of events. It highlights how my failure to appreciate the “physical” nearly cost me my life.

For that reason, I now like to emphasize wellness. It’s about taking stock of your habits and making better choices. Do you drink too much, smoke, do you live a totally sedentary lifestyle? All of those choices can lead to catastrophic consequences. It’s hard to appreciate just how significantly you will be affected until it’s unfortunately too late. Nowadays, I focus on exercise, abstinence from drinking and making better nutritional decisions. It makes a huge difference and ensures I will be spending more precious time on this earth with the people I love.

4. Passion

   Passion is a key ingredient that helps you more greatly enjoy the things you and infuses joy into tasks that feel more like an obligation.

Eckart Tolle is a world-renowned inspirational writer with unique insights for self-discovery. He explains that whenever we are faced with a situation, any situation, we get to choose how we react. Tolle breaks it down to (1) acceptance, (2) enjoyment, and (3) enthusiasm.

  • ACCEPTANCE is a focal point of passion, particularly when we’re presented with things we don’t enjoy.  Flat tires happen and I don’t know anyone who actually likes the   experience.  The same goes for spoiled milk and getting a speeding ticket.  By training our minds to accept these things, we free ourselves from useless grief and aggravation.
  • ENJOYMENT comes from things that inherently make us happy, like a good meal or attending an event we’ve been looking forward to.  However, we also have the capacity to increase our joy by engaging in fun little add-ons like whistling while we work – just like The Seven Dwarves.  Something as basic as adding music or changing your attitude can turn the mundane into something fun.
  • ENTHUSIASM is like joy but on an elevated plane.  Think about when you were passionate about something like a sport or project.  You were intensely focused and inspired, giving it your all, yet it seemed so effortless as time flew by.  Think about enthusiasm as the nirvana of joy.

By working passion into our lives, we welcome a virtuous cycle poised to make us happier and healthier in a multitude of ways.

5. Pressure

   How do you react under pressure? We all face it and oftentimes don’t even see it coming. It can be from a demanding client or boss, finding yourself late to an appointment or feeling the need to succeed in everything you do. How we react in the face of pressure can make a huge difference in you quality of life.

While it may not seem like it, pressure is frequently self-imposed. Events occur, many of which are beyond our direct control. Do we rise to the occasion or fade in the face of adversity? When we take a step back to view things objectively, we put things in perspective and increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.

A critical thing to do, when faced with pressure, is to resist the temptation to react immediately. Responses given or actions taken in the heat of the moment don’t always work out so well. We need to insert contemplation, even when we feel rushed to act. It may seem like there’s no time for reflection but that’s rarely the case. We only think we lack the time. It reminds me of a boss who is so busy that he doesn’t have time to hire an assistant. By failing to make the time, he or she inherently handicaps the future.

I have begun a practice of adding a step into my decision-making processes of asking for advice in most situations. I find that by including that step, I force myself to put things in perspective and not let the pressure force me into bad decisions. When I’ve simply reacted in the past, that hasn’t always worked out so well. By thinking before acting, I ratchet down the pressure for improved results.

6. Pride

   Ancient Greek mythology has a perfect word to describe excessive pride – Hubris.  As I look back on my life, I can clearly see this was a constant problem that led to my eventual rock-bottom downfall.  Ego is a powerful boss, constantly telling us we’re better than others and demanding to be fed incessantly.  It reminds me of the domineering plant in the popular play and movie Little Shop of Horrors.  It always wanted MORE.  Humility is the polar opposite, helping us to find love, passion and true meaning in life.

I’ve heard of the word EGO referred to as E- edging, G – goodness, O – out.  There’s a lot of insight in that.  When our ego is involved it is we who accomplish everything.  We minimize the contribution of others while dominating conversations, imposing our will and maximizing our self-importance.  It’s all about ME first, second and, if there’s anything left over, third as well.  In doing so, we push away people, important people, from our lives without even realizing it, simply to satisfy the hunger of an insatiable ego.

Humility is the essential quality revered in all major religions.  Religious leaders from times of old were constantly humbling themselves by washing the feet of the poor and strangers, giving charity from their own meager belongings and emphasizing the wealth of spirit over material possessions.  Nation states, on the other hand, lauded victory in glorious battles and vast treasure.  Thousands of years later, these religions continue to thrive while the nation states are relegated to mere mentions in history books.  Why do you think that is?  Humility is the holy grail of happiness, keeping our ego in check where it belongs.