They find massive success in one area – and that success radiates to other areas of their life as well. This success makes them more fulfilled, making them even more masterful at what they do.

And then you wonder – how do they find the motivation to be so consistently successful?

If only you had their level of motivation, you’d have the Midas Touch too – working hard and winning at every area of life.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

If you had their level of ‘motivation’, chances are you’d run out of steam quickly and fall back to your old ways.

It’s Not Motivation, It’s Alignment

The reality is that success is not about motivation. Success is about alignment.

Highly successful people have found a high level of alignment in life.

Who they are (their identity) is aligned with their values, which is aligned with their goals.

As a result, they feel ‘inspired’ to take actions that fit this alignment. They work hard not because they have to, they work hard because they want to.

Alignment is why some people feel ‘pulled’ towards their goals and don’t need to ‘push’ hard.

When you have found alignment of ‘who’ you are and ‘why’ you want to succeed – you’re no longer concerned about the ‘how’… because you know it’s only a matter of ‘when’.

Highly aligned individuals naturally find themselves in places where they thrive.

In addition to being aligned in terms of identity, values and goals, highly successful people are ruthless when it comes to weeding out the things that are NOT aligned with their identity, values and goals.

Finding Alignment Is About Making Micro-Adjustments Along The Way

Alignment is incredibly powerful, and I’ve experienced the effects first-hand.

Many people know me today for my expertise in peak performance, which I would happily say is something I truly enjoy doing. I didn’t get here by chance.

It was the result of continuously making many micro-adjustments over the years to increase alignment in my life.

In my polytechnic years, I started out studying aerospace – which was aligned with my dad’s goals, but completely misaligned with who I am as a person and what I enjoy.

I adjusted and found a better alignment studying psychology. During that course, I continue to adjust my alignment and discovered a passionate love for positive psychology and personal development.

Staying on that path, I followed the bread crumbs and stepped into the world of training and development and found my first mentors.

I saw myself in my mentors, which hinted that I had the personality that fit well with this career path.

Also, it was here when I first experienced speaking in public. I started to see imagine how I could redirect my talents and skills into this area.

Seeing great potential in myself, I adjustment my alignment once more upon entering university – choosing to major in communication, with the clear intention of wanting to be a coach in the area of peak performance.

In hindsight, it appears as if everything fell into place.

But the stars didn’t align. I did.

Again and again. Until I found a certain sweet spot which I can focus all my efforts into, in a way that makes me the happiest.

The rest is history. And I’m fortunate to say that who I am, what I do, how I do it and where I’m going… is all aligned… and I’ll continue to make adjustments.

Understand: successful people don’t just ‘discover’ their passion. It’s a continuous process of course-correcting, adjusting angles, at different times in life. 

Think of success like playing pool.

When you play pool (or billiards), you don’t have to be the strongest, fastest or even the most resilient.

It’s about ensuring that you hit the cue at the right angle, precisely at the right target, so that it strikes the right balls into the pockets.

It’s all about alignment, precision and timing. The skill to do tricks comes later when you have grasped the fundamentals.

Start Aligning Your Own Stars

Don’t wait for the stars to align. First determine what these ‘stars’ are.

If you’re clueless on where to begin, start with these:

– Your identity: who you are as a person

– Your personality: your temperament, your tendencies

– Your values: what do you feel strongly about

– Your goals: what do you want to achieve

– Your passions: what interests you to no end

– Your lifestyle: how you live your life

At this point in your life, how are they all related?

Are they all pointing to the same direction? Or are they in complete opposition with one another?

Your answer will be enough to gauge your current level of alignment.

Start asking yourself: What can I do today to be more aligned with my vision of becoming the best version of myself? 

Then start making micro-adjustments to your life to increase alignment. Imagine you’re a plane: the smallest degree change in direction can lead you to take different paths and hence, lead you to two different destinations.

Here’s an example related to work.

If you currently find your work drains you and is misaligned with who you are… and if quitting is not an option, here are some questions to ask yourself:

– Why are you at your current job? Are there similar alternatives that can give you the same thing but are more aligned with who you are as a person?

– Can you set aside consistent time outside work to recharge by doing the things that energizes you?

– Would it be possible to ask for a transfer to a department which allows you to be more resourceful and fulfilled?

– Can you personalize your work environment to make it more ‘you’?

– Is it possible to join a community of people who you would most likely be aligned with in terms of interests, values and beliefs? If these people are already within your company, who are they and how do you connect with them?

– Can you negotiate a customized arrangement with your boss that will give you more of what suits you?

Every question is a possible adjustment to be made, an opportunity for better alignment.

Alignment is not just a predictor of success, it is a prerequisite. 

Take the time to make your life more aligned and you’ll be cruising happily towards your goals and speed up the process towards becoming the best version of yourself.