Where Do You Come From? How the Answer Can Make or Break Your Success

Where do you come from? I don't mean the physical location, but the people you come from - your environment. You see, the lessons you learned growing up are likely the beliefs you now carry with you. These beliefs shape who you are, how you do things, how you interact with others, and yes, how successful you'll become.

Here's an example: I come from a family of hard workers, so I learned the value and rewards of working hard and being the best at whatever I do. I also learned the importance and the role of family in my life which has affected my relationships both inside and outside of my "family". One of the biggest lessons I learned was that integrity is a lifestyle, not something to practice only when you're being watched - after all, once lost it will be harder to re-establish.

For many, a supportive and loving environment wasn't part of their past - and yet they rose above it. For many others, they currently surround themselves with people that hinder their success, put a lid on their potential and hold them back from greatness with emotional blackmail. Regardless of your environment - past or present - you can adopt new character traits that will propel you towards success.

Creating A New Environment

Creating a new environment is as easy as knowing what it is you want. Sounds simple right? The hard part is developing the habitual way of thinking and being that supports your role in that environment. This is harder especially if you are surrounded by negativity and nay-sayers. Just know that it is possible and you can do it. Here are some steps to create your new environment…

1. Get very clear on what it is you want. This is the first step in getting anything you want in life. If you don't know what you want, how can you possibly get it? If you don't have a target to shoot for, how can you hit it? Describe your environment - what does it look like, what other people are in it, what are you doing, who are you becoming? The clearer you are the greater chance you have on realizing your vision.

2. Identify the character traits you would need to have to be successful in this environment. Let's face it, who you are now has not gotten you to where you want to be. That likely means doing something different, which begins with being someone different. You don’t' need a complete personal makeover, but some character traits and habits are likely going to have to change. Do you need more discipline, organization, commitment, resourcefulness, etc. Who do you want to become?

3. Build your character one trait at a time. You know that list you just made of who you want to become? Take one, any one trait and work on that for the next 30 days. There has been significant research that supports a new habit takes 30 days to form - mainly because it takes 25-30 consecutive days for the brain to create a new neuro-pathway - to change a belief, a habit or to develop new ones. In the most basic terms, your brain needs 30 consecutive days to ingrain the new path into your subconscious. Once you've mastered something on your list, move onto the next one. Success breeds success.

4. Surround yourself with the right kind of people. You wouldn't spend time with marathon runners if you wanted to learn public speaking. Become active in the community of people you want to emulate. That may mean joining clubs, support groups, mastermind groups, participating in personal coaching or making new friends. However this looks for you, make sure it's supportive and encourages your own personal growth. Remember, you become your environment.

5. Feed your brain with healthy information. With so much negativity available for us to choose from, monitor what you're feeding yourself. Every negative thing we hear and see becomes part of our reality, our environment. Do a "news" fasting for 30 days and see how much better you feel about life. Replace that tv time with reading something inspiring, learning something new, or thinking creatively. Turn your commute time into a classroom - there are many programs and books on audio now. Become a student of your own personal development - read, learn, apply.

Life is what you create it to be. Once you really grasp that principle and take full responsibility for your life, your environment, your success, you will realize that the side effects of conscious living may include happiness!