When I captured the image of these luscious, lively eggplants at a local farmer’s market, excitement rushed through my body. Their deep violet hue drew me close. In thinking about the pursuit of success, a similar feeling of vibrancy exists when we take action towards our goals.

Last week I attended the annual ICD conference with organizing colleagues and related professionals. We went to learn and connect. The focus of the conference was how we think, act and feel about possessions. As an organizer, these ideas are at the core of the work we do with our clients. There were many presenters including psychologist, Dr. April Lane Benson, Ph.D. who spoke about overshopping, artist Corinne May Botz who shared her work on the Secret Lives of Objects and counselor Carol Berns, Psy. D. who talked about grief and bereavement.

The learning was stimulating, but so was having the chance to meet face to face with my colleagues. Taking time to reflect, converse, and learn separately from my daily routine allows me to grow personally and professionally.

We are very much like the eggplants that were planted from seed and cared for. When we take ourselves away from our normal schedules to travel, meet new people and exchange ideas our beings get nurtured. It is essential to our success.

Allow yourself to step into new environments, be open to learning and slow down enough to appreciate what surrounds you. There is a good chance you will experience that surge of energy that comes from stepping outside of your “normal.” Let vibrancy shine as you move towards the success you seek.

Please join the conversation. What gives you energy and makes you feel vibrant?

Photo by Linda SamuelsI love collecting quotes. They inspire, delight, and connect our experiences with others. Since I’m writing this month about organizing success secrets, I wanted to share some of my favorite quotes about success with you.

1. Action- A lot of thinking, planning, and dreaming goes into the success we desire. Contemplating is not enough. Forward motion with actual steps is essential. We may wish to have less clutter in our lives, but without sorting that pile of clothes on the bedroom floor or stack of papers on the desk, the wish remains just that.

“Action is the foundational key to all success.”

 - Pablo Picasso

2. Attitude- Our self-talk and determination directly influence our success. Are you saying encouraging thoughts or is negativity and doubt getting in your way? Do you tell yourself that you’ve never been able to organize, so nothing will ever change? Or are you telling yourself that while you’ve been challenged in the past, you are working on moving forward with a different result?

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.”

- Abraham Lincoln

3. Trust- We often become paralyzed by inaction because we’re waiting for all the i’s to be dotted and the t’s to be crossed. Sometimes we have to just trust that if we move forward towards our goals, despite the less than perfect conditions, we will be successful. Perhaps you’re waiting for days of uninterrupted time to start that organizing project. Learn to master the minutes and work in smaller increments. Work with what you do have to accomplish something.

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.”

- Mark Victor Hansen

4. Perseverance- Instant success rarely exists. In this time where so many of us expect instant everything, remember that there will be mishaps and disappointments on the way to success. Do not give up. Use the difficulties for strength and learning. Especially if you’re organizationally challenged, setting up systems and creating the right balance will not be a straight trajectory. Expect the ups and downs along the way.

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.”

- Dale Carnegie

5. Growth- We have the ability to learn, strive and grow. Hopefully we’re never really done. There will always be new paths to explore and ideas to incorporate. Be grateful for the journey.

“The road to success is always under construction.”

- Lily Tomlin

Do you have any favorite quotes about success? Please share them along with your thoughts about success.

@2011 Photo by Steve SamuelsAn essential success secret is to reflect and appreciate your progress. If you’ve been working towards organizing your home, it’s important to pause along the way and acknowledge all the work you’ve done to create more order. If you’ve been moving towards a more comfortable life balance, stopping to review where you are enables you to recognize your growth.

One of my 2011 goals was to write more frequently and put out a new post every week. I’ve stayed close to that schedule and have focused on writing about a different aspect of organizing and life balance each month. To honor the idea of pausing to appreciate successes, I’ve collected for you my favorite 2011 posts. I am grateful for the wonderful community of readers and commentators. For those that wrote comments, your thoughts enriched the dialogue. Your ideas are always welcome and I encourage you to continue adding to the conversation.

Linda’s Favorite 2011 Posts:

Fresh Start:  5 Ways to Get A Fresh Start

Embrace Change:  Checking-in On Change

Next Step:  What’s Your Next Step?

Too Hard to Let Go:  My Tea Said, “Let Go!”

Too Much Clutter:  Release Mind Clutter

Too Little Time:  8 W’s of Time Management

Getting Motivated:  5 Motivation Tricks

Enlisting Help:  7 Ways to Help Self

Discovering Success Secrets:  Environment for Success

It’s your turn. What goal have you been working towards? Have you paused to reflect and acknowledge your accomplishments? Can you share one of your successes or challenges with us?

@2011 Photo by Linda SamuelsAs we welcome a new month with the climate and focus transitioning to the fall season, I’m reminded of a favorite anecdote, Charles Francis, my friend and author of Wisdom Well Said, shared with me several years ago.  The story suggests that our growth and success stem from immersing ourselves in a nurturing, conducive environment. And so the story goes…

A favorite fish of many hobbyists is the Japanese carp, also known as the koi. The interesting thing about the koi is that if you keep it in a small fish bowl, it will only grow to be 2 to 3 inches. Place the koi in a larger tank, and it will reach 6 to 10 inches. Put it in a big pond, and it may get as long as a foot and a half. However, when placed in a huge lake where it can really stretch out, it has the potential to reach sizes up to 3 feet.

An analogy can be made concerning people. Our growth is determined by the size of our world. It is not the world’s measurable dimensions that are important, but the mental, emotional, and physical opportunities to which we expose ourselves. Realizing that growth comes from the inside and not the outside, we come to the understanding that, unless we place ourselves in the right environment, we can never reach our full potential.

Perhaps you’ll be venturing off for a last summer vacation, having a BBQ with family and friends or catching your breath before the busier fall schedule begins. As you enjoy the coming days, take some time to reflect on the ingredients you need to create an environment of success. Will it mean organizing your physical space or mind clutter? Perhaps it will involve learning new skills. Maybe it will be connecting with new people.

Join in the conversation. What small step you can take to create an environment for success?