Everyone wants long term success. But it is elusive for most.

Long term success is dependent on knowing where you are now and where you are headed. Then closing the gap. Frequently. Continuously.  Whether it’s your business, your career or your life at home., it’s easy to get off track, lose touch or get buried under. Without a true sense of where you are in the moment, it is impossible to realize your dreams or be a leader in your field.

Re-calibrate your profound knowledge

The only way we can take 100% responsibility for sustaining our success is to keep re-calibrating-in every aspect of our lives and organizations.

Key to successful recalibration is to acquire what my dear departed mentor, Dr. W. Edwards Deming, coined as Profound Knowledge. This umbrella phrase emphasizes understanding change and how to measure it, being aware of emerging trends and shifts, and learning how to apply this knowledge to leading and sustaining long term success.

Bottom line: If we don’t acquire Profound Knowledge we cannot know how to prepare for and leverage coming change, thus how to sustain our success long term.

Understanding change means understanding shifts in our personal world as well as tracking trends that capsize us, overtake us, or cause us to flounder.

Learning the Hard Way

Unfortunately one of my Gen X male clients learned this the hard way. A rising star in his field and recently married, he was planning far a great future for his kids, tons of time for fun and all the trappings of success. As if out of the blue, the rug got pulled out from under him. His “Happy Homemaker” wife fled, saying I’m out of here!

Somewhere along the way there was a breakdown or perhaps many small fissures below the surface. Had they been recalibrating an checking in with each other, communicating the truth of what was so for each of them…perhaps they could have saved their marriage…or at least ended it with love, grace, and forgiveness.

Even in the most secure relationships, unexpected change happens to ruffle our plans. A recently returned to work mother of teenage kids reported that her new career is now going gangbusters and she no longer worries about the empty-nest . But, the new ripple in her life is that her once very successful husband, in his late 40’s, now faces an unknown future. Surprised by the shifts in his industry, “suddenly” he and his business partner are facing the probability of closing their doors. What once appeared to be the sure path to their dreams, is no crumbling beneath them.

Change is inevitable. If you can learn what Profound Knowledge is and apply it you can avoid these same pitfalls and NOT LEARN THE HARD WAY!

What steps are you going to take to future cast your long term success?

However, from the vibrating heart of our dissipating structures comes the promise of our true greatness: a greatness of awareness and action that will change the world. From the midst of the evolving Great Transition, we leave the Great Recession and the uplifting Obama era behind us as we enter an unknown, unchartered new cycle of populism and extreme radicalism ripping our valued democratic tenets to shreds and putting each of us on the line.  This Great Shift demands that we each unlock our potential for greatness which lives in each of us, and we are being called to make a difference. That is the premise of The Greatness Challenge, in which I offer a template for embracing and embodying our unique Signature Greatness DNA^SM to unleash our personal and collective greatness.

The Greatness Challenge is a manifesto for the growing wave of us who want to add value in all we do and who are being called to personal and collective evolution—from dentists to doctors, executives to engineers, artists to teachers and visionary leaders and futurists who are looking to redesign their lives so that every moment counts . . . for those of you who seek work that not only fills your bank accounts but your “values” bank as you yearn to do well doing good . . . for leaders who seek a pathway to visionary leadership, so the impact you have is of the greatest benefit for all.

To be one of the first to hear about The Greatness Challenge when it releases join us in the Secret Facebook Group here.

Fuel is the starting source for producing energy and, just as with our home heating systems, our bodies require fuel in order to avoid depletion and keep going. You can’t run on empty. Becoming worn out not only affects physical health, but, in a domino effect, may also place a (literal and figurative) drag on your mental, emotional, and relational well-being.

In my May 27th Ageless Beat blog, Time Out, I wrote about the value of renewing in order to de-stress and be more productive again. This week, I want to add to that by mentioning some simple tidbits and energizing options you can try right now, regardless of finances, location, age or other circumstances.

In her article, 12 Weekend Habits of Highly Successful People, Emma Rushton suggests that the most productive and prosperous among us typically view weekends as secret weapons for success. She is quick to add that the same actions can be done all week, as well, adding a quote of Aristotle’s, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Rushton offers collected tidbits of wisdom from such famous high-powered people as Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Anna Wintour, Timothy Ferris, and Warren Buffet. Among their suggested practices, which can be beneficial for professional, as well as personal fulfillment, are:

* Don’t multi-task, as it reduces effectiveness. Instead, be present for each single activity.

* Stay Active as an active body is key for an active mind.

* Prioritize what’s important to keep work-life harmony in balance.

* Make time for hobbies, which make for an interesting life while also fostering creativity and relieving stress (Do you prefer Indoors? Outdoors? Participation or observation? Are you a puzzle fan? An athlete? Do you ride horses, do yoga, love to collect a particular item, enjoy reading or writing, make original crafts or models, sing, work with technology/electronics, cook, collect, keep bees, etc.?).

* Practice stillness (Since recovering from surgery, I have found this to be especially helpful, particularly while sitting in my back yard on a beautiful day as I did this past Memorial Day weekend and appreciating the added healthful benefit of viewing flowers, trees and wildlife).

* Take time to reflect and assess what works and doesn’t, which activities to continue or release, what will work best to amp up your ability to be energized and successful.

* Give back – in addition to feeling great it can help re-energize your thinking in other areas.

I would also add, give fuel to yourself … you cannot live your fullest life, or even be there for those you care about, if you are on empty. Even doing just one energy-enhancing action today can begin to make a difference.

Have you felt depleted at any time lately? What did you do to re-fuel?

(Image Credit: Statue of Buddha in meditation position, garden, View Ave NW, Seattle, Washington, USA by Wonderlane, Flickr.com)