by Erin Cole

Created on: April 30, 2009   Last Updated: May 03, 2009

If success is a science, there are two main ingredients: belief and persistence. What it means to be successful differs greatly from person to person, but those who've achieved it, believed they could accomplish their goal and didn't stop trying until they did. Some individuals may happen across luck, but true success is a profound, personal achievement.

Having faith in a goal is an empowering experience that develops within the organic make-up of the mind. The brain is a universe, steeped in complex neurological networks that transpire what we see, feel, smell, taste, and hear. Accordingly, success is driven by each individual's biological processing - the decisions they make are the result of mental ingenuity. To believe in something is to trust that a specific vision is a possibility. Whether through experience, knowledge, or religious confidence, one deems that an event is likely to occur and with this attitude in mind, the brain incorporates the belief as a truth. Then, something akin to magic occurs as doors begin to open and the path to success seemingly widens. This may sound like a fable, but success has roots in scientific validity.

Because most of the brain functions in the absence of conscious input, much of a person's actions are subconsciously managed, much like driving home and having not remembered driven the last few blocks. Therefore, choices and actions that either lead to or steer away from a goal hinder essentially on automatic processes. Countless decisions are acted upon daily, so just how many of them are in support of one's goal? If perceptions, drives, and attitudes are the result of subconscious processing, what is believed to be true will become true. If the mind is full of doubt and fear, these are the qualities which will influence thought and action, ultimately becoming reality. But if the mind is filled with positive belief, faith, and perseverance, success will ensue.

Some people struggle years to be successful and are continually disappointed. Although the definition of success may need adjustment, most of this failure is likely attributed to lack of faith in oneself. How does one develop faith? With baby steps. Having belief in oneself is something that is preferably instilled in childhood, but life is not always so generous. No matter, it is never too late to change core values and beliefs and this can be accomplished by taking small steps towards a goal or by the accumulation of modest ones. Confidence develops through achievement. If one does not feel they can accomplish anything, building in increments onto the foundation of dreams is a positive start.

Once belief is seeded, the challenge of pursuit, though arduous at times, fosters strength and gratification. Talk to anyone who's chased down a dream and they will most likely describe it as life-fulfilling. As time passes, the chance of accomplishing a goal only increases and this passing of time is called life. To live the dream is to pursue it. This is the science of success.

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