Borrow Oprah’s success secrets!
From her renowned resilience to her legendary empathy, Oprah’s success secrets can be applied to every facet of your personal and professional life to boost your joy and ensure that you fulfill your incredible potential!
1Reach all your goals by embracing “failure”!
In a recent speech at Harvard, Oprah declared, “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction.” And she knows that direction often leads straight to the stars! After being fired from her first job as a news reporter for becoming “too emotionally invested” in her stories, Oprah revealed she felt absolutely devastated. But that setback soon led to another job hosting a struggling talk show, one she quickly turned around, thanks to the so-called failure she’s now famous for: her emotional investment in others! ● Make Oprah wisdom work for you! When faced with setbacks, Oprah has said that she lets herself get upset for a maximum of half an hour before devising a plan to get back on track. Studies show that instinct is spot on: Giving yourself a “venting deadline” is proven to help you bounce back and re-focus on taking steps to reach your goal.
2Increase your confidence with quiet reflection!
"You will get nowhere without a spiritual practice,” Oprah told the graduating class of Agnes Scott College in Georgia last May. Though she doesn’t consider herself religious in the traditional sense, she prays every night and takes a few deep breaths to center herself. This “slowdown time” helps her appreciate the importance of every moment.
● Make Oprah wisdom work for you! Whatever you choose to do— praying at bedtime and breathing away stress like Oprah, or, say, just staring at the stars in the sky— be sure to pencil it in on your daily to-do list, just as you would any other important appointment. While any me-time is beneficial, only routine practices lead to long-term benefits, such as increased energy and super-sized confidence!
3Inspire and empower others by showcasing your EQ!
The most vital trait in a great leader, per Oprah? Emotional intelligence (EQ), which starts with compassion. “Leadership is about empathy,” she has said. “It is about the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.” Proof Oprah knows best: More than 500 executives deemed listening attentively, working easily with others and being gracious to be a better predictor of success than job experience or IQ!
● Make Oprah wisdom work for you! Updating your résumé? Highlight examples of team projects, improving customer relations or negotiating a deal. Recruiters rate these “soft” EQ skills the most valuable because they can’t be taught in school; they are nurtured from within!
4Get happier with gratitude!
Oprah has been keeping gratitude journals for years, long before study after study proved their health and mood benefits. In fact, she writes down five things she’s grateful for every day, from biting into a sweet peach on a hot summer day to spending time with and having a fun conversation with her BFF Gayle King. Proof it works: In recent studies, noting just three things they were grateful for daily for 30 days boosted study participants’ happiness 25%, slashed their stress 27% and improved their relationships and productivity! In Oprah’s words: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
● Make Oprah wisdom work for you! Maximize the benefits of a gratitude journal by journaling the way Oprah does— in the morning. Recall the little things that brought a smile to your face the day before and jot down the ones you anticipate enjoying today, say, that great first cup of coffee or listening to your cat purring as you snuggle together. Getting your gratitude mojo going in the a.m. spurs you to be on the lookout for positivity all day long— literally rewiring your brain for greater optimism!