Written by: Helen Kagan, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
What is success? I don’t think I’m the only one who often asks myself this question, am I? What defines success? Is it different for men, women, and children? Is it the same or different for a poor and rich person, for a deeply spiritual or money-driven person? (I am not saying that a spiritual person can’t be rich or vice versa).
“There are no quick wins in business – it takes years to become an overnight success” – Richard Branson
What is your definition of success? What do you feel in your body when you are successful? Are you happy and motivated or sad and frightened when you think about success? Does success only exist in opposition, or is an “antidote” for Failure? Are these 2 sides of the same coin or 2 separate Worlds – like Yin & Yang for instance? Are they complimentary? Can Success and Failure coexist depending on your own situation, your values & beliefs, or your limiting beliefs, your goals, Mission and Purpose in Life? Is it always “black & white” scenario or are there some “shades of grey”? If you are a struggling financially person surviving serious illness or multiple traumas vs. a healthy, successful entrepreneur working toward becoming a multi-millionaire, most likely your success definitions would be different, right?… Does Success exist outside of You? Or is it an “inner feeling”? Can you be simultaneously Spiritual and Prosperous? And I am sure Success would be defined quite differently in the East vs. West, right?? What are the habits & strategies of Highly Successful people? Are you one of them?
WOW. It looks like there could be thousands of different takes and understandings on Success, especially depending on WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU PERSONALLY and how well your own definition fit with others (your friends, family, co-workers, bosses, community, society, etc.) Success is often thought of as the end result of hard work and dedication. However, I believe there are deeper principles that drive it, such as integrity, authenticity, gratitude, perseverance, dedication, trust, joy, continuous learning, and a bunch of others.
I would personally define SUCCESS as a Journey that requires a multidimensional synergistic combination of principles and strategies such as: authenticity, trust, integrity, perseverance, dedication, practicing gratitude, living on Purpose, following your Vision and Mission, and many others. Being authentic and committed to high ethical standards builds trusting relationships. Perseverance and dedication are critical for overcoming challenges and achieving goals. Collaboration and synergy enhance creativity and lead to innovative solutions. “Loving what you do” and finding joy in the process provide motivation and inspiration for continued success. In my discussion, I will explore 10 essential strategies for success, each based on a fundamental principle: spirituality, authenticity, gratitude, integrity, trust, perseverance, team building, synergy, dedication, high standards, and joy. And then, we’ll see how you can develop your own successful habits based on whether you see yourself as a money-driven or highly spiritual person, or both.
10 Strategies for Success
1. Spirituality (in my opinion) is an essential and very important strategy for success, as it helps finding meaning and purpose in our life and work. It requires aligning our actions with our core values and beliefs and working towards a greater good. It involves cultivating a sense of inner peace, balance, and harmony. When we operate from a place of spirituality, we are more likely to make decisions that are in harmony with our true beliefs, which increases our sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. Additionally, maintaining a positive attitude of gratitude can help us cultivate spirituality by allowing us to find levity and joy in even the most challenging situations.
2. Authenticity is a critical strategy for success, as it is basically about being true to ourselves and others. Authenticity means expressing our true selves, being transparent, and building genuine relationships based on trust and respect. It involves embracing our strengths and weaknesses and being vulnerable when necessary. When we operate from a place of authenticity, we are more likely to attract people who share our values and goals. We are also more likely to build stronger connections with those around us, which in turn allow us to express our true selves and connect with others on a deeper level. For instance, Oprah Winfrey who built her media empire by being true to herself and sharing her authentic story with the World, could be a perfect example of authentic strategy.
3. Gratitude is another essential strategy for success, as it involves appreciating and acknowledging the good things in our lives. Gratitude means recognizing and valuing the contributions of others and expressing our appreciation in meaningful ways. It involves cultivating a positive and optimistic outlook, even in challenging times. When we operate from a place of gratitude, we are more likely to have a positive and proactive attitude toward our work and relationships. We are also more likely to build strong, supportive relationships with those around us. A positive attitude and a good sense of humor can help us cultivate gratitude, as it allows us to find humor and joy in even the most difficult situations. An example could be J.K. Rowling, who wrote the first Harry Potter book while living on welfare. Despite her challenging circumstances, she remained grateful and ultimately achieved tremendous success.
4. Integrity is a critical strategy for success. It is about being honest and ethical in all our intentions and actions. Integrity means doing what is right, even when no one is watching. It involves being accountable for our actions and taking responsibility for our mistakes. It involves building trust and credibility with others. When we operate from a place of integrity, we are more likely to be respected and trusted by those around us. We are also more likely to build a strong sense of self-worth and self-respect. A good sense of humor can also help us maintain our integrity, as it allows us to stay positive and honest, even in the face of adversity. One example could be the story of Lance Armstrong, who achieved great success as a professional cyclist but later lost it all due to a lack of integrity in his actions.
5. Trust is an essential strategy for success, as it involves building strong relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Trust means being reliable and dependable and delivering on our promises. It involves being open and honest in our communications and building strong connections with others. When we live and operate from a place of trust, we are more likely to be successful in our work and personal lives. We are also more likely to build lasting relationships with those around us. Positivity and a good sense of humor can also help in building trust, as it allows us to create a positive and supportive work environment and foster trust and respect among team members.
6. Perseverance is another critical strategy for success which involves persisting through challenges and setbacks. Perseverance means staying focused on our goals, even when the path forward is unclear. It teaches us to be resilient and adaptable and to find creative solutions to overcome obstacles. When we operate from a place of perseverance, we can be more successful in achieving our goals and dreams. We are also more likely to build a strong sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. An example could be the story of Steve Jobs, who was known for his relentless dedication, perseverance, and commitment to innovation in the tech industry. 7. Team building is very important for successful endeavors. No one can achieve success alone. A team that synergistically works well together can achieve more than the sum of its parts. To build an effective team, it is necessary to focus on communication, collaboration, integrity, and trust. Leaders should encourage open and honest communication, foster a culture of collaboration, and create an environment where team members can trust each other.
8. Synergy is the result of effective team building. When a team is working together in harmony, people can achieve great things. Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. To create synergy, it is necessary to encourage diverse perspectives and create a sense of shared purpose. When team members feel that they are working towards a common goal, they are more likely to work successfully together to achieve it.
9. High standards are essential for success as they set the bar for excellence and drive us to continually improve and innovate. To achieve greatness, we must aim high and strive for excellence in everything we do. High standards help us to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones and to reach our full potential. They also help us develop a sense of pride and accomplishment in our work. High standards mean setting clear expectations and holding ourselves accountable for meeting them. It involves constantly seeking feedback, self-evaluation, and being open to constructive criticism. A positive attitude can help us maintain high standards, as it allows us to stay motivated, even in the face of setbacks and failures.
10. Joy is an often-overlooked strategy, but it’s a very important one as it involves finding happiness and fulfillment in what we do. Joy means enjoying the Journey and finding meaning and purpose in our work; it’s the feeling of happiness and contentment that comes from doing what we love. It involves taking time to appreciate the small moments and find joy in even the most mundane tasks. When we are doing something we enjoy, we are more likely to be productive and motivated. Joy also helps us to maintain a positive attitude and to stay resilient in the face of challenging and stressful situations.
In addition to discussing important strategies for success, it was also interesting for me to examine and make a comparison of how SUCCESS could be defined by and is similar or different for highly successful money-driven people and their intriguing and fascinating parallels of successful spiritual individuals.
Below you can find 10 habits of highly successful in comparison to highly spiritual people. Of course, the below characteristics are mainly a generalization (with a hint of humor as well :), and you must take it with the grain of salt, as there’s no clear separation between “highly successful money-driven people” and “highly successful spiritual” ones. For example – the same person can be highly spiritual and highly successful integrating qualities and habits of both worlds, and we know many examples of such people (Deepak Chopra, Oprah Whitney, Jack Canfield, and many others). And… there’re multiple examples of the opposites as well.
10 Habits of Highly Successful Money-driven People and Spiritual People
1. Ambition and Drive: Highly successful money-driven individuals possess unwavering ambition and a relentless drive to achieve financial success. Similarly, successful highly spiritual individuals channel their ambition towards inner growth and spiritual enlightenment. It's like a race between the hare of material success and the tortoise of spiritual enlightenment—just remember to enjoy the journey and not get too caught up in who crosses the finish line first.
2. Financial Planning and Management: Money-driven individuals excel in financial planning and management, maximizing their wealth and investments. Successful spiritual individuals practice mindful stewardship of their resources, ensuring their material well-being aligns with their spiritual values. It's like a finely choreographed dance between budgets and blessings -swaying to the rhythm of financial abundance while staying grounded in spiritual principles.
3. Risk-Taking: Successful money-driven people embrace calculated risks to seize lucrative opportunities. Likewise, successful spiritual individuals take risks in their spiritual pursuits, stepping into the unknown to experience profound spiritual growth. It's similar to a daring tightrope walk between the risks of the material world and the risks of diving deep into the spiritual realm - just make sure to have a safety net of positivity to cushion any falls! :)
4. Networking and Relationship Building: Money-driven individuals excel in building connections and fostering relationships to expand their financial endeavors. Similarly, successful, highly spiritual individuals cultivate meaningful connections with like-minded souls, creating a supportive network for spiritual growth. It's like hosting a party where you mingle with both money and spirit, sharing investment tips and discussing the universe's mysteries over a glass of sparkling enlightenment.
5. Adaptability and Innovation: Successfully abundant people thrive in dynamic environments, adapting to changes and embracing innovation to stay ahead. Likewise, successful spiritual individuals adapt to the ever-evolving spiritual landscape, embracing new practices and perspectives to deepen their spiritual journey. I can bring a “visual” – imagine surfing the waves of change with a surfboard made of both dollars and mantras—catching the best financial opportunities while riding the tides of enlightenment.
6. Work Ethic and Persistence: Money-driven individuals possess a strong work ethic, dedicating long hours and unwavering commitment to achieving financial success. Successful spiritual individuals always have a strong spiritual work ethic, investing time and effort into their spiritual practices and self-discovery. It's similar to balancing the scales of work-life and soul-life—giving equal attention to both the material and spiritual realms while occasionally taking a break for a spiritual coffee break.
7. Personal Development: Successful money-driven people focus on personal development, honing their skills and expanding their knowledge to excel in their financial pursuits. Similarly, highly spiritual individuals engage in personal development, cultivating self-awareness and deepening their spiritual understanding. Imagine a “personal development buffet” - serving up a plate of financial acumen, topped with a generous portion of spiritual growth and a side of personal empowerment.
8. Long-Term Vision: Money-driven individuals have a clear long-term vision, setting strategic goals to create lasting financial success. In a similar vein, highly successful spiritual individuals possess a long-term vision for their spiritual evolution, aiming for profound inner transformation. It's like being the captain of both a financial spaceship and a spiritual time machine—plotting a course toward financial abundance and spiritual enlightenment simultaneously.
9. Balanced Lifestyle: Money-driven people strive for a balanced lifestyle, ensuring their financial success doesn't come at the expense of their well-being. Similarly, highly spiritual individuals seek balance, harmonizing their spiritual practices with their physical and mental well-being. It's like doing a balancing act on a tightrope—maintaining financial prosperity without neglecting self-care and spiritual nourishment. Remember to find humor in the circus of life, juggling responsibilities with laughter as your safety net (smiling helps you live longer! :)
10. Giving Back: Successful money-driven individuals find fulfillment in philanthropy and giving back to their communities. Likewise, highly successful spiritual individuals embrace the principle of selfless service, using their resources and spiritual wisdom to make a positive impact on the world. It's like a benevolent dance - finding joy in both the rhythm of material generosity and the pace of compassionate acts and perhaps throwing in a few spiritual dance moves for good.
As we navigate the realm of success, be it money-driven or spiritually inclined, or both, I wish all of us to find harmony in the pursuit of our goals. I believe it is critically important to embrace the habits that serve your purpose, to practice gratitude, and… always remember to have a positive attitude and smile along the way. After all, life is a grand performance where we can blend success and spirituality and where humor and smile are the secret sauce that makes the Journey all the more delightful! :)
I wanted to share with you some personal examples of my own “internal conflict” in whether I can be simultaneously spiritual and prosperous. I always felt that if, consciously and intentionally, I AM on my Spiritual Journey, then it is impossible for me to become wealthy. Abundant – yes (energetically and spiritually). But prosperous? No. I did not feel that these very opposite (for me) things can be congruent in any conceivable way. This was probably one of my biggest limiting beliefs, negative beliefs, blocks, or whatever else you want to call it – which I myself put into my own reality to “sabotage” my Success. It is called “self-sabotage” – which of course, is not something we do consciously! These “limiting beliefs” are hidden, they operate like “brainwashed ninjas”, as they’re definitely playing deadly mind games with us. I have worked plenty, both by myself and with various holistic practitioners, to release my negative beliefs about wealth & prosperity, as well as on many other challenges that keep me from being successful, abundant and happy. I can’t say that I am where I want to be regarding abundance and prosperity, but I do embrace my new belief that I am successful (in accordance with many peoples’ definition), and I am definitely on my way to even bigger Success! What was quite surprising for me to discover about those “financial blocks” sitting on my way to Success – are indeed multi-generational, multi-lingual, multi-layered, and are also related to my Self-worth, Self-Acceptance & Self-Love. I hope my example will be helpful for you to identify your own “Limiting Beliefs/ Blocks to Success”, and finally get rid of them!
As we could see through my fruitful discussion – SUCCESS can be defined in multiple ways, but one thing is certain: it requires a synergistic integration of hard work, determination, and a set of guiding principles that help us navigate the challenges of life. I’ve examined just ten major principles and 10 habits of successful people which I believe are critical for your Success. You can of course, have very different ones that you consider more important for you. I choose those that are congruent with my own understanding of Success, Spirituality, Integrity, Authenticity, Gratitude, Perseverance, Dedication, Trust, and Joy.
Another personal example could be my “unorthodox ways” of finding success in the midst of challenging and highly transformational pandemic years… As a Healing Artist, I felt obligated to create more of “life-affirming” art in those years of many losses and Lessons. Obviously, it became quite difficult to continue being grateful (what for?), to live authentically with integrity, to practice Self-Love (how??), to continue being positive, and enthusiastic and keep believing in success. This all became very difficult because we had lots of significant losses and the main thing we have lost – was Trust. It is very uneasy to regain trust when it’s lost. It takes time, and healing, and effort. But it is possible. And we need to trust that.
Due to pandemics and its consequences, I personally lost many close people, friends, business, relationships, and of course, lots of art-related opportunities. When I lost my 3 really big, already scheduled, sponsored & curated, SOLO “One Woman Show” Exhibits (100 artworks each) in 3 major cities – Orlando FL, NYC, and Rome (Italy), I was crashed, devastated, hopeless, but I knew I had to survive this, too. I knew I had to invent, create something new. During these difficult times, as a result of not accepting “the negative reality” and striving only for the positive one, I invented my Wearable HealingArts®. Then I found Manufacturers who wanted me to create garments from my original art, opened my 2 online Stores, trademarked my Wearable HealingArts® with the USPTO, and finally, after many mistakes, challenges and obstacles, I have a beautiful functioning platform www.WearableHealingArts.com - a Boutique Fashion and Home Décor designed from Fine Art, embedded with Healing Energies.
When one door closes, another opens… I do believe in Spiritual Laws, I believe that Life is happening FOR us (and not TO us), and I do practice Gratitude :)
HelenKagan HealingArts™.
One of my own very strong (and positive!) beliefs is that art heals. And this is exactly why I continue creating, in many different ways, shapes, and forms! I believe that art is a catalyst for healing individuals, society, and the environment. I believe that for many of us, creatives, art is a spiritual path, a transformational process, a way of being. I believe in the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. I believe that now, more than ever, our World needs the positive energy and spiritually-based intentions, beliefs, and values. As a statement of all my beliefs, my “HealingArts” is my unique way to synergistically bring together fine art, expressive arts, and art of healing to enhance well-being, make the right choices, bring Love & Light, practice gratitude, and embrace humanity.
I’ve become a published and bestselling author rather suddenly… I’ve been previously featured in many Magazines, including Authority, Thrive Global, ArtTour International, Art & Beyond, VoyageMia, Insights – mostly with my HealingArts. But then I was invited to co-author and was published in “We’re All In This Together” (2021) which made me a Bestseller Author. I am continuing to work on my own 2 exciting books integrating art, spirituality and healing (despite all possible challenges), and co-authored a Book on Authenticity with Jack Canfield. But my most attention and intention has been dedicated to developing my new unique venue integrating Art, Fashion, Design, and Healing – WearableHealingArts™. This is my Vision, Mission and Purpose – to make healing through art accessible to everyone - my definition of SUCCESS!
Our big commercial platform www.WearableHealingArts.com is finally ready!! Please check it out and find unique designer garments, homeware items - anything your heart desires – all made from my original artworks of HealingArts™. You can also visit www.HelenKagan.com to enjoy my original art, healing colors, and perhaps even to meditate on the above concepts about Success, Spirituality, and habits of highly successful people :) Thanks for reading!
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Helen Kagan, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Helen Kagan Ph.D., a scientist, psychologist, artist, a pioneer of creating art with the intention to heal, is a creator of unique HealingArts™ for 30 years. Helen believes art is a catalyst for healing individuals & society and engaging Healthcare & Hospitality to encourage healing through art. As a severe PTSD survivor who dedicated her life to helping others, she synergistically integrates Fine Art, Expressive Arts & Art of Healing. “HealingArts” shown in multiple International Galleries, States, Countries, and Catalogs, won awards, named "Collectible Artist". Dr. Kagan was nominated and awarded by Passion Vista, an International Luxury Lifestyle Business Magazine, to be one of 40 Women-Leaders worldwide, to look up to in 2023. Her Mission now is to successfully run a new unique venue integrating art, fashion, design & healing ‒ WearableHealingArts™ ‒ to make healing through art accessible to everyone. Please check it out - www.WearableHealingArts.com
