Top 3 Tips: Own Your Success

No matter what role you seek in life, you are responsible for your own success. Others can mentor you, provide you with advice and encourage and applaud your progress, yet the journey and attainment is up to you. Here are three tips to assist you.

1. Define Success

Define what success means for you. Your success must follow your internal drive and passion — not be driven by what others tell you is success. If success is externally driven you risk feeling like a failure if you do not live up to other people’s expectations. Define and live up to your own. Seek mentors and coaches as necessary to propel you on your journey.

2. Take Responsibility

Accept responsibility for your achievements and failures. Do not blame others when your plans or goals are not achieved. Acknowledge the setback, learn from it and keep moving forward. You can learn much from your failures if you can examine them and see what did not work. Your confidence grows as you realize failure is only a temporary slow-down on your journey.

3. Take Risks

Be prepared to take risks to achieve your goal, whether a board position, executive role, or new and challenging roles no matter what sector. Move out of your comfort zone with courage to take on challenging new assignments that allow you to develop your skills. Act, even if you are afraid, because the rewards of the new challenge and achievement will be worth it.

Clare Beckton is the author of  “Own It — Your Success, Your Future, Your Life.” She was a former senior executive in the Government of Canada and currently the founding Executive – Director of the Centre for Women in Politics and Public Leadership at Carleton University. She is chair of the Queensway – Carleton Hospital Board, a member of the Canadian Board Diversity Council advisory board and of the Harvard Women’s Leadership board. She is the recipient of a number of awards including being named by WXN as one of Canada’s top 100 most powerful women in 2008 and 2012.