I recently met Dave Meltzer, the CEO of Sports 1 Marketing at the NYC Business Expo. Meltzer is a public speaker and author of the bestsellers “Connected To Goodness” and “Compassionate Capitalism.” He went from being a millionaire in his twenties, a multi-millionaire in his thirties to being bankrupt. Today, he shares his principles for sustainable and healthy success.

7 principles for healthy and sustainable success:

1. Gratitude

Dave said to me “Say Thank You every morning and every night before you go to bed for 30 days straight. I bet most people can’t do it. And yet gratitude is the one thing that makes your past brilliant, your present happy and your future bright.”

Trading your expectations for gratitude is one of the most important components of reducing stress and anxiety. It helps the brain to focus on what’s working well and therefore see and create more opportunities. Typical of high-achievers is an over critical approach to life and business, which on one hand brings them to a certain level of success but on the other hand robs them from a good quality of life.

2. Empathy/Forgiveness

In Dave’s own words, he said,“There are so many mistakes being made being an innovator. It’s something that can’t be avoided. You have to forgive yourself to be happy and if you can’t forgive yourself then there is no way you’re able to forgive others.”

Being able to let go of past failures is key to moving forward and being fully focused on present challenges and possibilities. Holding on to things you regret or holding a grudge takes away mental space. Forgiving others and yourself is deeply connected with emotional intelligence and understanding why a certain action was taken – or not, and developing empathy.

3. Accountability

Dave had this to say about accountability: “You have to take responsibility for your life no matter what happens. If you are accountable you are in control. Ask yourself: What did I do to attract this situation in my life and what can I learn from it.”

The ego loves to blame others and outer circumstances for things that went wrong. Funnily enough it also loves being responsible for good results whenever possible. Leveling up your game in life and business starts with realizing that you are 100% responsible for the outcomes you create. That means to realize that you’re in control, which gives you the chance to change situations, take actions and turn things around.

“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen Covey

4. Enjoying the pursuit of your potential equals happiness

According to Dave, “It’s not about the outcome you produce, it’s about the pursuit of the potential you have that brings you fulfillment in business and in your personal life.”

No outcome will ever satisfy you if the way there didn’t challenge you. Challenges make you grow, learn, go beyond your comfort zone and develop you into a newer and better version of yourself. Only reaching goal after goal on the search for fulfillment while feeling miserable between achievements will set you up for misery. Happiness lies in the pursuit, not in the outcome.

5. Detach you happiness from the outcome

Dave said to me, “Success is not black and white. Learn to detach yourself from the outcome and enjoy the process.”

High-Achievers love to measure their results and have the tendency to tying their worth and outcomes closely together, which puts them on an emotional rollercoaster. Focus on your efforts and how you can congratulate yourself on them.

6. Good enough

In Dave’s own words, he said, “Ask yourself what you are trying to prove to yourself or the world through all the successes and goals you’re reaching. Do you feel unworthy or not good enough when you don’t create results?”

High-Achieving leaders often have the need to be accepted and approved of. If mediocrity is not an option for you, then ask yourself where your drive is coming from and if that reason serves you or is standing in your way of living a fulfilled life.

“The summit is what drives us, but the climb itself is what matters.” – Conrad Anker

7. Ego

According to Dave, “Our ego needs to be right. Our ego wants us to feel superior. It needs to feel separate and get recognition. Working on dissolving the ego creates more connection with others, the world around us and let’s us be driven by passion instead of fear and force.”

In order to discover more fulfillment, happiness and emotional well-being you need to switch your approach and go beyond reaching success! If you want to create resilience, sustainable performance and thrive, you have to let go of the idea that the outcomes you produce are making you happy.

Detach yourself from the result and enjoy the pursuit of your potential. Life is about experiences. Stop letting your ego stand in your way of feeling content and focus on how you can be grateful of your past, present and future. Gratitude is the feeling you want to carry with you no matter what. It’s the very feeling that makes you feel alive.

Which one of these principles do you need to work on? Let us know your response in the comments below!