Enthusiasm: The Great Equalizer

Enthusiasm comes from the Greek work "entheos" meaning "the god within". When you are enthusiastic over something, do you feel good? Empowered? Spirited? It is like "the god within" showering you with all the goodness in life at that time!

Enthusiasm is the outward manifestation of our inner passion. It is an ardor, a zeal of living that bouys our spirit and gives us energy. It can also push us forward and breakthrough our potentials.

Two steps are necessary to keep enthusiasm going:

Learning- The thirst for knowledge should never be quenched: rather, it should build as you move toward your goals. Children have a natural enthusiam for learning, which can atrophy during years in an uninspiring educational environment. Rekindlling that innate curiosity can remind us that the more we know about something we love, the more enthusiastic we become about knowing more.

Accomplishment- Keeping our goals in sight is like coal to the fire of enthusiasm. Enthusiasm builds with the accomplishment of every task; seeing the results of our efforts builds up a reserve of enthusiasm, which can be applied to the next task in line. Any proof of our accomplishment - something written, something built, an award, a simple thank you - all motivate us to move on.

Common traits of high achievers

• Maintaining Healthy Body and Mind

High achievers believe that the right attitude can often mean the difference between success and failure. They expect things to turn out well and have confidence in their own abilities to make things happen. Good health must also be maintained by proper exercise and nutrition so that they can achieve a healthy body to accomplish their dreams and enjoy their life.

• Always Take Action

If high achievers desire a particular outcome, they will put everything they have into making it happen. They are ever willing to put in the extra mile effort to make it successful. They work hard because they know that nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without effort.

• Learn from failure and disappointment

Problems turn into opportunities with creative mindset, therefore high achievers will not be defeated by rejection or discouraged and depressed like normal people. They will quickly bounce back and redouble their effort and resolve. Who wants to fail? In life, no one wants to fail, but high achievers accept failure as a part of life, and know that there is a lesson to be learned in every setback!

• Surround themselves with positive ideas and role models

High achievers are constantly seeking to improve themselves through continuous learning and growing. They never assume that just because they have reached a certain level of success that they can stop learning. They read constantly, share ideas with others and seek out mentors whose experience can help them achieve their goals and dreams.

• Passionate about what they do

It's possible to become famous and rich doing something you hate. But does that equal success? When asked......"What is the secret of your success?", every person interviewed answered that they had found something they loved to do.

Some people found their passion very early in life; others wandered around from here to there until they discovered their life's work. Once each person discovered his or her passion in life, it became like a magnet, drawing them inevitably closer to success.

• Set goals

High achievers focus on what they want to achieve, establish priorities and know what they have to do in order to keep moving forward. Their plans are flexible enough to allow for the unexpected, but they always have a specific destination in mind.

Goals provide them with purpose and allow them to wake up each morning energized and looking forward to the tasks they know must be accomplished that day.

• Giving back to others

High achievers are grateful for what they have been able to achieve and are happy to help others do the same. They are elevators.... elevating someone else's success and their own. They are competitive but not cutthroat. They have integrity and compassion plus a desire to make a meaningful contribution to their profession, their community and their world. As the saying by William H. Danforth in his inspirational book "I dare you!" ---"CATCH A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS AND A RICHER LIFE WILL COME BACK TO YOU"

Question to ponder?

Do you possess these traits? Take action now and dare yourself to "just do it". Make the change and your rewards will be greater than you'll ever imagine.