We have all heard right from childhood "What do you want to be?" Later in life at many job interviews we are asked "What do you want to do?' It is this 'wish' to do something that is the spark that sets us off on our journey. For without "Aspiration" man would not attain anything. In my view, "Aspire" is the first step; if you do not want to do something , it will never happen.
When you want to do something, the urge to do it drives us to 'Act'. We start working in that direction, first mentally and then physically. This step is very important, and often separates the ones that are highly successful from ones that are not so. This is another 'A' in this process---'Assess'. Once you decide that your intended task is within your ability, 'strategizing' use of your resources is absolutely necessary. This is because all resources are limited, be it time, money, connections, power and whatever else. Prioritizing is a very important step as well, since less important work has to be foregone in the interest of time. 'Action' without strategy does not give results. I have found that the person who could strategize his/her moves to the intended goal was the more successful. 'Strategy' is thus a very vital part of 'Action'. 'Strategy' development is a very important part of the next 'A' I am going to write about---'Ability'.
We are endowed with various levels of and types of 'Ability'. What is attainable by one person may not be so by another. Persons with 'Ability' in the same field/area may have varying degrees of it. To understand where one's strengths lie, is a very important step in determining whether one will succeed or not. Many an 'able' person failed to execute because of no/poor strategy.
We now have four A's in place. If one has carefully followed the steps outlined, and implemented them it should lead to success---'Achievement' or 'Accomplishment'. Of course, this is not a given, and there is a big influence of 'chance' or 'luck' as one may call it. But remember, if you have not aspired and acted, there is no chance of accomplishment, even if you have the ability. There are two proverbs that emphasize the point I wish to make: 'Fortune favors the brave' and 'A faint heart never won a fair bride'.
When I was younger, I was supremely confident that with my abilities I could succeed at anything I aspired to do. Time and age have made me sit back and think what I have written here. People more successful than me, have focused their resources, used their strengths to their advantage to accomplish their goals. Now, before I do something, I always assess my strengths, resources available and how I would deploy them in order to act. Only then I believe, I have a chance of getting the outcome I desire.
