The 12 Covenants of Success The path to success is paved with the promises you make and keep, including with yourself.
By Sherrie Campbell Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
True success is developed and built in a multimodal fashion. There is never one sure path to any goal, or one sure path to any climb up the mountain. Success, however, can be built upon following certain covenants or formulas that have been passed down throughout history for us to utilize in our own unique ways. If you follow these covenants, success is sure to follow.
1. The covenant of cause-and-effect.
This is the basic law of attraction. In life or business be aware that whatever kind of energy you put into this Universe that is what will come back to you. You will either be rewarded or you will come up short. You are the starting point of every success and failure; therefore, be mindful. Be mindful of what you wish for, for how you speak, for your ethics, your standards, how well you treat others and for what type of attitude and leadership you project into the world. If you strive wholeheartedly and with integrity, your return will be abundant.
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2. The covenant of movement.
Success does not happen on its own. It is not something you can wish for and it will show up. You need to bring your idea of success to life. In order to make significant movement forward in business you must be able to count on yourself to produce the actions which are necessary for your evolvement, achievement and success. With the proper motivation you can achieve every goal you set. You can have all the knowledge and skill in the world, but if you are not driven by your belief in what you are doing, by a deeply felt passion to make a difference, then you will not have anything strong enough within you to create a lasting mark.
3. The covenant of acceptance.
In order to change any circumstance in your life you must first be able to accept the situation as it is. This law is important because you suffer the most when you cannot accept reality as it is. If reality is not suitable, you have the power to make the decisions which will create the necessary changes. It is easy to get stuck in wanting a certain circumstance to be the answer when clearly it is not. If you cannot move beyond trying to make something have a potential it isn't capable of manifesting then you cannot not thrive. Know when to accept and let go. Place your feet in a new direction and focus on what you can change. New directions bring new opportunities.
4. The covenant of evolution.
This covenant states that when you grow yourself, your life will mirror that growth back to you. Success is not a stagnant process; it is fluid and always changing. This is the beauty of challenge. There is no real security in success because to become more and more successful you must be willing to constantly evolve. The first place of evolvement is you. As you expand, you can greater expand your business. If you stay small, your business will stay small.
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5. The covenant of accountability.
You must take responsibility for who and what is in your life. Hold the mindset that you are at least 85% responsible for your success with the other 15 percent being left to chance. With this mindset you are likely to become very successful. If you blame your failures and frustrations—big or small, personal or professional-- on others, on situations beyond your control, or on bad luck, you are setting yourself up to fail. The path to success lies in your ability to be accountable for creating it.
6. The covenant of connection.
This covenant states that the past, present and future are interconnected. History is your greatest teacher. The wise know they must see what worked and what did not in their past and make the necessary adjustments in the present moment to secure and produce a more successful future. If you ignore your past, you throw away wisdom. Use what you have learned to make the necessary changes today that will secure a lucrative tomorrow.
7. The covenant of focus.
This covenant states you cannot not think of two different things at the same time. Focus is important. Things are accomplished the most effectively when you put your focus on one objective at time. Whatever receives your full attention will blossom at a greater rate becoming a more fully developed idea or product. If you focus on multiple things half way, then you will produce only mediocre results.
8. The covenant of authenticity.
Be of your word. If your actions do not follow your words, enduring success is not likely. People must know that who you are is not built upon a set of pretenses. To trust and follow your lead people must admire your honesty and integrity. You must be real. They must see that in your life, personal and professional, you are authentic and someone worthy of respect. When you are authentic people will be drawn to you.
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9. The covenant of the here-and-now.
This covenant states that you cannot accept your present reality if you are always looking backward. If you are stuck living in past successes or mistakes you are likely missing the opportunities which are directly in front of you. Michael Jordan famously stated "you cannot win today's game based on yesterday's points." Each day is a new day. Focus on the day you are in. Be in the here-and-now and maximize your potential for success in this very moment.
10. The covenant of change.
This law states that history will repeat itself until you learn from it and change your behavior. The first place to start any type of change is in the mirror. It is of great value to look back and see where you went wrong and where you went right. With this insight you can change the habits that pushed you away from success and repeat or improve the behaviors that pushed you towards success. As within, so without. Do all you can not repeat lessons; but to learn new ones.
11. The covenant of persistence.
This law states that the most valuable rewards in life and business require patience and persistence. Nothing in life or business will come easy. For this reason, success is more secure when it occurs as an evolution, not a revolution. For success to be enduring you must be persistent. Never ever give up.
12. The covenant of inspiration.
This covenant states that rewards are the direct result of the energy and effort you put in. When you succeed you feel inspired and significant. To feel insignificant is painful. It is vital to your psyche to have a purpose you are inspired to live for. If what you are doing makes you and others feel significant you will be more and more willing to put in the effort necessary to continue growing for your greater good and that of others. The inspiration that starts within you can have far reaching powers as you grow and share it.
These covenants are not something you have or something you do; they must be a way of life. If you follow them and later become lazy in your commitment to living them, your success will slow. If you live them, breathe them and make them a part of your inner being and your approach to life and business, you will experience success which endures through time.
