I've been having a number of conversations lately about success. (I feel an idea brewing) These conversations have really gotten me to thinking about how and why I've been successful. It really didn't take me long to boil it down to 3 key ingredients: Relationships, Persistence and Integrity If you've read my blog at all or understand the true meaning of networking than the relationships point is obvious. Without all of the great people I've met over the course of my life I couldn't possibly be where I am today. I think this is probably true for most highly successful people. It's just not possible to get to the top by yourself. There is always help along the way. You've just got to keep going. Persistence is probably the hardest success ingredient. Too many people give up before the hard work they've been doing starts to pay off. Related specifically to networking it's not unusual at all for me to just start to see the results of seeds I planted 2 and 3 years ago. As long as you're persistent, care for those seeds you planted and don't abandon them it's amazing the opportunities that grow. There are always rough patches, you just have to realize that they all end. You've just got to keep going and stay in the game... It certainly isn't a sprint. Integrity for me is pretty simple. It means doing what you say you're going to do and doing the right thing. There's also the Rotary Four-Way Test: Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to all concerned? Without Integrity your success is built without a foundation... It won't take much to take you down. What does success mean to you? How would you define it and what are your secrets?E-mail me: scott (at) networkinaustin.com Happy Networking! Scott IngramNetworkInAustin.com