Success, for me, means using all my potential to become the best version of myself that I can be, whether that is to my family, to my business or to myself.

I spent most of my life letting each day push me forward instead of deciding what to do with it. Although I successfully graduated, became an engineer, married, started a family, overcame obstacles and improved in several areas of my life, I still don’t see myself as a successful person. Success, for me, means using all my potential to become the best version of myself that I can be, whether that is to my family, to my business or to myself. I know that I’m close to achieving that goal, but I’m still not there. I know that I’m capable of more. I know that I’m capable of impacting my family, my business and others more. I’m on the same quest as most of you. I’m still in the group of the 95% of people who share the same problem: the fact that they utilize few skills.

As an engineer, I like to understand the problem before deriving a possible solution. So, let’s start to examine the problem. There are several studies that unfortunately show big rates of failure in different areas of our society. Here are some examples:

• Over the years, several successful start-ups have brought disruptive product ideas. They are known by their agile framework, technologically and digitally advanced products, heavy presence on social media and strong focus on conquering niche or even global markets. Nevertheless, small business start-ups have a 90% failure rate (Failory. com 2022). That means that only 1 in 10 start-ups is able to succeed.

• New Year’s Eve is traditionally the time when people set their resolution for the new year. Statistically, how many of us will be successful? 92% of people who set New Year’s goals never actually achieve them (University of Scranton 2016). That’s a 92% failure rate. What was your main goal for this year, do you remember? Did you manage to achieve it?

• What about becoming a professional athlete? In the USA only 2% of athletes succeed as professionals (The National Collegiate Athletic Association 2020). A 98% failure rate. Focusing on football, my favourite sport, in the 29 clubs from England’s top-rated youth academies, just 0.5% of young players get all the way through the ranks to the club’s first eleven (BBC News 2015).

• And what about becoming a millionaire? Only 1% of the world’s population will achieve millionaire status (CNBC 2013). That excludes 99% of us.

These examples leave us with an average of 95% failure in goal achievement. That is a lot. Why do so many people and organizations fail to achieve their goals?

Growing up, year after year, our dreams seem to diminish. We begin to accept a different reality. The big dreams we had are not for us, and we must accept life as it is.

As children, all our dreams seemed possible. Do you remember when you were under the age of 10? Did your parents, family members or any other person ever say to you, at least once, how good and intelligent you were and that you would surely achieve great things in life? I remember receiving such praise for small achievements. Those achievements might have been small, but at that age they felt important. Growing up, year after year, our dreams seem to diminish. We begin to accept a different reality. The big dreams we had are not for us, and we must accept life as it is.

How do you want to see yourself? Happy because you did your best to achieve your goals and dreams, or regretful because you didn’t fight to achieve them?

Do you want to accept being part of the 95% of people who don’t achieve their dreams in life? Why? We only live once. In some decades we will be gone. When you reach the day of your departure from this world (at an old age, I hope) and look back, how do you want to see yourself? Happy because you did your best to achieve your goals and dreams, or regretful because you didn’t fight to achieve them, thinking they were impossible to reach?

“Project Your Life” is the starting point for all the people who have the good intention of trying to achieve their life goals but still have a low probability of success.

The truth is, if we don’t set the intention to manage our goals as projects, the chance of us ever achieving them is lower than 10%. “Project Your Life” is the starting point for all the people who have the good intention of trying to achieve their life goals but still have a low probability of success. The reason for this low probability is that most people don’t know and don’t use the skills, tools and techniques that could help them increase their chances. Those skills, tools and techniques are taught to and used by professional project managers every day, but mostly with a focus on professional projects. The good news is, they can be adapted to life projects and learned by anyone.

I wish You a Fa-Bu-Lux Life 🙂

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