Achievement and Success

"My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others. That is nice, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success." - Helen Hayes

We all enjoy it when our work is recognized by others. Our manager tells us we've done a good job; our friends are impressed by something we've just showed them; a teacher praises an essay we've written. This kind of recognition helps motivate us, as any good teacher, parent, manager or friend knows. But when we do our best - whether recognized or not - the feeling is better than any compliment or collection of gold stars.

William Arthur Ward, writer, wrote this "Winner's Blueprint for Achievement":

• BELIEVE while others are doubting. 
• PLAN while others are playing. 
• STUDY while others are sleeping. 
• DECIDE while others are delaying. 
• PREPARE while others are daydreaming. 
• BEGIN while others are procrastinating. 
• WORK while others are wishing. 
• SAVE while others are wasting. 
• LISTEN while others are talking. 
• SMILE while others are frowning. 
• COMMEND while others are criticizing. 
• PERSIST while others are quitting. 

Always do your best. Do it for yourself. Recognize your own effort. Believe in yourself. Celebrate your own work, knowing you've achieved your best. The true value of achievement isn't always what you get in the end, the greater gift is sometimes what you have become in the process. Make today a great day!