There are many dimensions of success. Being rich is one of them. But today, more people are increasingly recognising that riches alone are not enough to live a truly successful life.

Indeed some people – like the Dalai Lama – are so far evolved in their understanding of life, that their interest in material possessions is very limited. They often advise having enough to meet your needs, and using the rest to help others meet theirs.

Ultimately, It’s Cbout Living a Balanced Life.

That is the true essence of life: make the most of yourself, in a way that benefits others.

However, succeeding in the above mentioned manner still requires real world relevant competence. In other words, you must regularly acquire useful learning, and apply it to productive ends.

There is really no other way to make the most of yourself, and add value to others. You must learn more, and then do more, in order to become more, and thus be able to give more.

It’s a Simple Concept: But Some of Us Apply It Incorrectly (Due to Fear, Laziness etc)

The aspect people often get wrong is the doing bit. Many of us are so good at learning. It’s a habit we developed from our early schooling years. If you want to do well, take an extra subject or course. Go for another degree program. Get an MBA. And so on.

But here’s the problem. Ask yourself WHY you need to go back and learn more. What is the reason you need that additional bit of knowledge or “education” (if we can call it that)? If you cannot find a clear and definitive answer to that question, it’s quite likely that you’re doing it to avoid taking action.

In other words, you’re most probably scared of taking the next step – which will often be to go out into the real world, with all that new knowledge you have, and use it to get what you need. And what you need – probably badly too – could be a new or better job, new or better clients, and so on.

That’s Why Some People Succeed in Losing Weight & Others Don’t

This attitude denies many people success in different areas of their lives – even the financially successful. For instance we have rich people who are perpetually struggling with obesity.

They buy books and videos – and even attend workshops – by celebrity health and fitness gurus. But they never get around to actually doing what those experts recommend. At least not on a consistent enough basis to get sustainable results. Or maybe they do, and then relapse.

In other words, they get all this knowledge but fail to put it to productive, long term use. And that ultimately defeats the purpose for which they went out and got the knowledge in the first place! What’s more, it amounts to a significant waste of money, time and effort on their part. Not to talk of the disappointment their fitness coach, as well as loved ones and friends will experience.

Sometimes it’s a lack of self-discipline that makes people act this way – or just pure laziness.

Whatever may be the cause, it effectively keeps them from succeeding in that area of their lives. So they have money, but they lack health and wellness – and may have to spend a lot of that money repairing their health later on in life (e.g. heart related problems often associated with obesity may develop).

It’s Also Why Some Entrepreneurs Make Progress, and Others Don’t

It’s funny. You would expect that a person who claims to have a “dream” of running his own business would be more diligent.

Sadly, the attitude of many towards applying themselves to get results in their business suggests otherwise. Some people attend seminars or workshops, and read books on starting up their businesses, but never really start anything worthwhile.

They just keep attending more seminars, reading more books, “start” to make more plans – but they never really begin. Oh, yes…and they talk more and more about why they cannot start yet too

There are also those who manage to get started, but later learn from a book/seminar that they need to make some changes in order for their businesses to move to the next level.

However, instead of doing that, they keep procrastinating – and end up never achieving much.

It is the same thing for people in paid employment who desire career advancement, and so buy books about how to excel at work, but fail to apply what the learn to deliver improved workplace performances to attract promotions, bonuses etc.

Don’t Be a Professional Student: “Déplacer” As Often As Possible Towards Your Goals

Examples of people caught in the above “trap’ surround us. Anyone who behaves this way has become a PROFESSIONAL STUDENT!

That’s not a good title to have I tell you.

Those who take action to put what they learn to use in achieving their desired goals succeed.  That’s why some entrepreneurs’ businesses grow, while those run by others don’t. It’s also why some people succeed in dropping dress sizes by following the fitness expert’s instructions, and others don’t.

The French use an expression I like a lot. It’s “Déplacer” (pronounced “day plah say”) and it means “to move”. But I like to think of it as “displacing yourself”.

If you don’t achieve any movement (by displacing yourself from where you are NOW) towards the goal you claim to have, you will make no progress!

So, promise yourself that you’ll make sure you “Déplacer” as often as possible from today, towards your goals.

Every day, question yourself: Where am I now? Where was I last month? Last week? Yesterday? Have I become more? If YES, how much more? How much closer am I now to my goal?

When you do not “se déplacer”, you’re working towards becoming a professional student: Don’t let that happen to YOU!