Earl Nightingale said that the best definition of success he has heard is “The progressive realization of a worthy ideal”. Applying this definition to my life, both personal and professional, I would have to say that I have been progressing all my life. However, I am realizing that my progress could have been more progressive than it has been.

As I reflect on my readings over the past week and referring to the Six Step Formula for Happiness as related by Steven Hitz in “The Ministry of Business”, I was missing step 4 and 5 – Find Your Oil and Make your Mark. According to Hitz, finding your oil is about discovering what you are good at (product or service), and providing superior service/product – this service or product becomes your oil – the thing that would general a generous income.

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder, on Personal Branding described another area I was weak in – The Right Mindset. Hoffman listed having the right mindset (permanent beta) and always investing in yourself as the two most important tools for building and maintaining a career. I have been investing in myself, and while my mindset has elevated over the years, sub-consciously, it was being hampered by old negative programming from my early childhood years.

That was then, and this is now. Today, as I found myself being lulled into old unproductive patterns, I stopped the internal chattering remembering that “living a life of meaning is about living life with intent”. I then changed the dial and took a new direction. I was then very productive the rest of the day.

The focus of lesson three is “Integrity”, and while I have a reasonable understanding of what it means to have integrity and, have had the occasion to exercise this virtue, I was taken aback by Sheri L. Dew’s talk entitled “True Blue, Through and Through”. In this talk Dew talked about “Small cracks in our integrity leading to gaping emotional and spiritual holes”, and “suggests seven things that will help us become men and women of integrity”.

As I read this talk, I felt chastised for falling short in some areas, but remembered that in her sixth suggestion “Don’t give up” she admonished us to “delight in repenting and obeying. And don’t give up”. Dew’s talk helped me to understand that a certain inaction I have been exercising is a lack of integrity and, this reminded me of President Hinckley saying that even when we choose not to respond, we are still choosing, and therefore are accountable for that inaction. Whoa! Lesson received.

I look forward to mastering the skills I am learning and reaching higher ground. I will no longer clip my wings or allow anyone else to do so. I believe I can fly.