by Vicki Helgeland

Created on: January 30, 2007   Last Updated: February 26, 2007

With enough effort you can achieve anything. It starts by believing in yourself and believing in others. If you are wondering what others have to do with it, the answer is ALLOT. No one can achieve success alone. Success is always a measure of how well you are able to serve others and work as a team. You can be a very talented individual, but if it is not shared for a purpose, then it is a waste.

Here are some examples of things you can do to reach for the stars.

#1. Acknowledge other people around you. Take the time to say hello to others and smile when you greet them. Remember names. People like to hear their own name more than any other spoken word.
#2. Use your experience and knowledge to help others. The other person will benefit from your knowledge and you will feel better about your life if you feel you have a purpose.
#3. Constantly try and improve yourself. If you feel you have a negative aspect to your personality then work on changing it. In a work environment, always look for ways to perform your work more efficiently.
#4. Use your resources. If you do not know the answer to a question then find it. Never say "I don't know", but instead say "I will find out."
#5. Be confident. Look people in the eye when you are speaking to them. Speak up and let your opinions be heard. Be professional in appearance and in action. Take yourself seriously but know when to be silly.
#6. Acknowledge that you are only human. People make mistakes. Own up to your mistakes and work on not making the same mistakes again.
#7. Network. If you know someone who is knowledgeable in an area that you have interest in, then ask them questions. People love to show-off and usually will be more than happy to help you out. There is a wealth of information in the people around you. Don't be afraid to tap into it.
#8. Don't be shy. People are more alike than different. Having trained customer service classes for two years, I find this to almost always be true. People will appreciate you more if you let them see your flaws as well as your ability. People don't respond well to people who act as if they are perfect.
#9. Promote yourself. If you are going above-and-beyond and no one seems to notice, then tell someone. You may want to point out to your supervisor a new technique you thought up, or show them something that you created to make your work more efficient. You can't get credit for something if you don't let anyone know about it.
#10. Last but not least, take time for yourself. You can't be productive if you do not make time to enjoy your life. As you have probably heard before, no one on their death bed wishes that they had spent more time at the office. Be there for your family and be supportive of their goals! If you are supportive of them, than they will be more likely to support you in return.

In conclusion, I would like to state that reaching for the stars is not about money, fame, recognition, power, but about how people are here on this earth to help each other. In this process you may achieve money, fame, recognition, power, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just never lose sight of the primary focus. People.

What good would a million stars be?
In a vast sky
With no one to see?

A star shining in the sky?
In a world alone
We would wonder why?

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