I created the Success Generator to illustrate the different stages I went through to transform my life. First, I had to acknowledge where I was and face my own personal challenges. A period of nurturing, self-reflection and clarity followed. I visualised where I wanted to be and took action to get there. I couldn’t do this alone, so I also connected with the people and organisations that could help me. I was able to move forward, track my progress and successfully achieve the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.
The Success Generator has taken me on a journey of self-discovery and personal fulfilment. The beauty of it is, it’s an ever-changing cycle, so as I move forward in life my pot of gold changes according to my evolving dreams.
The rainbow is significant to me because I view it as a symbol of hope, promise and purpose. These are all positive elements needed when describing those who have to overcome the challenges they face, take control and realise their dreams.
We usually see rainbows as a semi-circle or arc, due to our visual perspective from the ground. However, rainbows can be whole circles. For example, if you are in a plane at cruising altitude and with the right weather conditions, you’re more likely to see a rainbow as a whole circle. I got very excited when I read this because straight away I likened this to my own journey.
While on the surface we may see the appearance of a beautiful rainbow, as with life it isn’t always the whole picture. Underneath the surface there is a lot we hide from view and we become good at concealing how we truly feel to those closest to us.
At my worst, I was feeling very isolated, alone and I doubted myself. I was grappling with a lot of internalised feelings, such as, anxiety, depression, feeling overwhelmed, procrastinating and feeling stressed. You find these challenges in the Success Generator at the bottom half of the rainbow, where the storm clouds are ever present. When you find yourself struggling with these hidden challenges, it’s important to realise that the heavy rain that accompanies them are just intermittent showers in life’s journey.
When you put in place strategies to overcome these challenges and start positive action in the right direction, the challenging storm will eventually pass. When it does, you start to see the rays of sunlight appearing through the clouds. At this point your rainbow begins to take form and shape, and you become clearer about what the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow looks like!
The Success Generator is an evolving cycle. You will find yourself at different points in the cycle at different times of your life. The stages are:
ACKNOWLEDGE - this is a very personal thing! It can be the beginning of, or acceptance of, a challenging period in your life. This may have manifested itself directly through your own action or indirectly from someone else’s decisions that impacts you. It involves self-awareness and realisation that something isn’t quite right in your life and you need to make a change. It could be you acknowledging the need to embrace healthy living, getting your driving licence or realising a dream you’ve held for some time. Or, it could also be something major and life changing, such as what I went through.
NURTURE - a key part of the Success Generator! This requires you to focus on your values and determine what you are passionate about. It’s about giving yourself permission to dream, so you can discover meaning in your life. It involves learning about yourself and identifying the key elements that are important to you. This helps you understand the challenges you need to overcome to find your inner strength. It includes embracing family, friends and if needed, seeking professional help, as I did.
CLARITY - this is where you really begin to understand what it is you want to accomplish in life. You activate your goals and dreams, and identify key milestones to bring structure and build the stepping-stones to success. You energise your vision with the creation of a vision board that supports your ability to become the “Director of Your Dreams”. This is visualising what you truly want to achieve. It is a valuable exercise that symbolises your intent and complements your vision.
GROWTH - regular action is needed to bring your dreams to life. It’s a period of real personal development and a time when you begin to see success on the horizon. This is when you regularly review your progress, reassess your milestones and make changes if you need to. It’s also a time to consider who can help you achieve your goals and dreams.
Help can mean something different to everyone. It may simply be, you need to find someone trustworthy, to help you organise a saving plan to buy that new car. Or you may want support from a fitness trainer to keep you on a track with your health goals. It could also mean you are feeling stuck in a certain aspect of your life, unable to move forward; perhaps a life coach, counsellor or psychologist may help you.
Whatever help and support you may need, Manage My Rainbow provides you with a directory of local people, organisations and businesses, who you can engage to help you achieve your goals. My partners share my values and want to make a difference to the community by providing opportunity for people to achieve their dreams. The directory is growing so please bear with us if you can't locate a partner close to you just yet.
CELEBRATE - it’s all about achieving the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow, celebrating the achievement of key milestones along the way and the ultimate success of a goal accomplished. But, it’s important to be mindful that it’s not always about the end result. Rather, it’s about the journey you go on to get to where you want to be.
What you set out to achieve in the first instance, may not necessarily be what you accomplish in the end. When you do achieve something, you will rejuvenate the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow replenishing it with new dreams and goals to strive for and achieve.
We all deserve the best in life and I am passionate about making a difference to as many people as possible. I want to inspire you to think big and take action towards achieving your dreams. Go for the things in life that ignite your passion and have the potential to bring you genuine happiness and fulfilment.
I am very excited about sharing Manage My Rainbow with you. The simple steps outlined in the Success Generator will start you on a journey to bring your dreams to life.
Life is short, so don’t wait! Act now and join me as I explain more detail around each stage of the Success Generator. Everybody works differently, but I recommend reading all the pages of the Success Generator first before working through the activities that follow in the Action Hub.
