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Success Advice

4 Proactive Ways to Get Terrifically Closer to the Success You’re Striving For

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Does your story resonate with what follows? You want a successful, non-mediocre life, but even after watching hundreds of motivational videos, reading thousands of self-improvement blogs and applying various productivity techniques, you can’t make a significant difference in your life. I know it can be demotivating. But fortunately, nothing is forever and you can soon be on the greener side. You can change your life for the better.

These 4 proactive ways can bring you closer to your dreams:

1. Awareness

Imagine you are planning to make something different, texture filled for today’s dinner. You go to a supermarket and suddenly realise that you haven’t actually decided what you are making. Can you be successful? No. And that is why being aware of what you want in your life is important. If you don’t know what you want, you surely aren’t getting it. So, first and foremost decide what you want. Is it peace, money, status, a healthy body or anything else?

Let’s assume you have decided you are making a cheese pizza. But, do you know how big? Or with what toppings? If this isn’t specified, you won’t know how much and what to buy. So, knowing how it would be like when you achieve your goals is important. For example, if you want to achieve peace, you know that you’ll be happier, able to control your emotions, etc. If you want money you know that you’ll have 3 Lamborghinis, 1 beachside mansion, and likewise.

“Awareness allows us to get outside of our mind and observe it in action.” – Dan Brule

2. Self Assessment

You decided on making a large cheese pizza with toppings of capsicum and onion. Now, the most important part is do you have the skills to make it? Can you cut or bake? Half of us are stuck here. We know what we want, we know how it will be but we don’t know whether we have what it takes. 

However, the good part is you can always figure out and this is how:

  • Make a list of 10 skills you need to achieve what you want. For example, if you want Peace, you must know how to get rid of negative influences in your life. For the money, you should have a business plan or knowledge of the field you are entering in. 
  • Make a Likert scale for these 10 things. Suppose you are thinking of becoming a writer and you decide 10 skills that you will need for it. For now, let’s take writing skills. Frame statements like I am happy with my vocabulary, I am happy with my grammar, etc. Each statement will be followed by a 5 point scale like strongly disagree, somewhat disagree, neutral, somewhat agree, strongly agree. Do the same for other skills.
  • Rank and study the scale. Work on improving the areas that you lag in by framing an action plan.

3. Belief

Maybe you are self-aware and you know what you have to do. Great! But do you certainly and firmly believe you can achieve your goals? 

Case 1: Yes, I do!

Good! Because you think you can, you will do things which make it possible for you. No matter what happens, you stick to your commitments to yourself and get things done. You stay away from excuses. You are ready to prioritize because you know you can achieve your goals and nothing comes without a price. 

Case 2: I don’t know! Maybe or maybe not!

Red Alert! Because you don’t believe you can, you take things lightly. You justify when you are unable to stick to your commitments. You love excuses. You start thinking of Plan B more than Plan A. Slowly, plan B starts turning into plan A. You feel demotivated and shortly give up plan A completely.

Bitter as a pill but “If you don’t believe you can, you can’t”

Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.” – Gandhi

4. How LONG?

You are self-aware and you believe you can, but still, it isn’t happening? “Keep trying until you don’t get there”, I won’t say that. Every goal must have a wisely calculated deadline. It isn’t practical if you don’t know how long you can keep trying.

It is possible that even after many efforts you don’t see your goals being accomplished. With all due respect for your hard work and dedication, maybe it’s time to explore new possibilities. Tweaks and changes in plans can become your turning points. So, don’t hesitate to give a second thought, if at all necessary. 

But, how will you decide if you should give a second thought or not? Would it actually kill you to keep going? This means, do you have the resources to keep going? By resources, I mean physical, mental and emotional capabilities. 

So, if you think you aren’t making the 20 million dollars you aimed for and you are wondering whether you should continue working towards it. See if you have the physical resources, which can be further loan taking capacity for your business plans. See if you have the mental and emotional resources, which can be working with the same motivation and optimism you had earlier. 

So, “Do you have the resources?”

Yes. Then pause! Resume!

No. Then stop! Recalculate!

These aren’t some hard and fast rules and you can make changes and learn from your experience. Just make sure you are working towards your goals and not away from them. Hope you are feeling powered up and if you wish to keep feeling that way, make sure your thoughts turn into actions. 

Aditi Zade is a writer who strives to provide value to her readers. She is a learner and explorer who adores hope, positivity and honesty. She believes in living her dreams and wants to inspire others to do the same. You can connect to her on LinkedIn.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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