Happiness is what we all aspire to attain. When we are young children, feeling happy comes with far fewer strings attached. But when we get older we are required to spend a lot of thinking time to contemplate who we are and what makes us happy. To be satisfied is easier for some than it is for others. Many successful people are restless spirits because they are never satisfied with one lot of success.

Indeed, maintaining success is kind of like a drug. Is there anything in your life that makes you get up early in the morning and ready to take on the world? Regardless of whether you answered yes or no, you should understand the benefits of being in this state of readiness. After all, we all want to have something to live for.

That warm feeling of satisfaction we get when we achieve a goal is one of the best sensations a person can have. However, when we think about it, achieving a goal is merely the end of a successful chapter. Successful football managers don't sit down after winning a trophy and think 'that's it', do they? A great example was Sir Alex Ferguson's reaction after an unprecedented second treble winning season for Manchester United which, despite all the congratulations, was to allow himself one night of celebration before planning for next season's success the day after. This is the mindset of the winner. True success comes to the true competitors.

Few ultra successful people rest on their laurels. People who enjoy long term success incorporate their individual successes into their psychological profile and move on. Rather than dwelling on past success or mistakes, you should aim to develop a forward thinking mindset, an optimistic attitude that remains stable and rational at all times. Of course, unlike many targets, a successful football manager has a tangible goal set in front of them. Those of us for whom a target is not so obvious need to develop a plan of action.

What is it that motivates you in life? Are you inspired by owning lots of material possessions? Do you feel inspired to look good? Does success in the workplace inspire as an aspiration? You see, maintaining success is a subjective experience; in other words maintaining success depends on how you feel as an individual. It is unlikely that you are going to feel happy putting a lot of time and effort into something you don't care about. And yet so many people spend hours a working in jobs that don't interest them. If you fall into this category, maintaining long term success in other areas can be crucial for your mental health.

One of the most essential characteristics for building long term success is drive. Without drive, commitment, dedication and motivation there is NO chance of any success being maintained over a long term period. On the one hand some people enjoy having one goal to work on for a number of years, but on the other there are those who prefer short, snappy goals to be achieved before moving on. Long term success entails working with your own natural instincts. Never forget that you are unique, so just because you see successes working for one person do not assume the same methodology applies to you.

As well as your goals being important to you, there must also be enthusiasm shown for the journey you need to take. You may want the end result really badly, but be unhappy with the means to achieve it.

Achieving your goals may involve some discomfort, but don't make things difficult for yourself unnecessarily. Think outside the box, be creative and ensure your enthusiasm remains undimmed. If, for example, you want to get fitter but don't like going to gyms then join a club or begin a sport. Do not limit yourself just because you have not taken the time to consider all of your options.

Remember that maintaining long term success requires a contract to be signed, with yourself! The longer you commit to a goal, the longer you are committing to yourself. One of the best benefits of showing this level of commitment is the increased levels of self esteem. You will begin to feel that you can conquer the world. When it comes to maintaining long term success, keep all that we have discussed today in mind. I wish you all the best.

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