The Secrets to Success
How Winners Become Winners
Is it hard work? Consistency? Passion? We’ve all pondered the secret to success at some time or another. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. From business leaders to sportsmen, musicians and scientists, when it comes to being successful, there is no single way of getting things done. That being said, there are a few principles that apply to all facets of life when it comes to being successful. Spoiler alert: It takes a lot of hard work and it’s not always easy.
Maintain Discipline
Success is a marathon, not a sprint. You can have the most brilliant mind, concept or team behind you, but if you don’t have discipline, you won’t get very far. One of the easiest patterns to slip into while climbing the ladder of success is complacency. Whether this stems from having a job that allows too much freedom, or from reaching a goal early on and believing you can sit back and relax, a lack of discipline to keep working towards bigger goals is fatal and will catch up with you in the end.
Get Used to Rejection and Don’t Take It Personally
Repetitive rejection applies to more than just those looking to make a name for themselves in Hollywood. Many wellknown figures such as Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey and Madonna took a lot of rejection before someone finally took a chance on them. JK Rowling was actually fired from her job at the London office of Amnesty International because she would write stories on her work computer all day long. It is in our human nature to take rejection personally, but the truth is that most of the time it wasn’t intended as a personal attack. The bottom line is you will get rejected at some point and it will sting. The good news? When you get rejected,
you also get a brand-new opportunity to try again. Take advantage of it.
Hold Yourself Accountable
At the end of the day, there really is only one person you can hold accountable for your shortcomings: yourself. It’s extremely easy to praise yourself when you secure an important client or successfully pitch an idea to colleagues. But when things don’t go as planned, or you don’t reach that deadline, the onus still needs to be on you. Holding yourself accountable for your own mistakes will arm you with the motivation you need to get where you need to be. It is human to make mistakes – the trick is to learn from them.
Never Stop Learning
When it comes to knowledge, there’s only one rule: You can never know too much. You could read every book or article imaginable and there would still be things you don’t know. Commit to lifelong learning and realise that this goal, unlike most others, does not have an endpoint. When you’ve exhausted all the available materials, speak to people in your field. When you’ve run out of people to speak to, find new ones. The great thing about learning is that there really is no downside, and nothing to lose. Whether the commitment to learning is in a professional capacity or it is more about self-exploration, teach yourself until you feel like your brain is going to implode − and then keep going.
Back Yourself
They say it’s a dog-eat-dog world, and it’s true. You can have the most reliable family and friends, but at the end of the day, the buck stops with you. For this reason, it’s important to always put yourself first. Although this may sound selfish and egotistical, the sooner you realise that everyone has the same idea, the better. If you have a goal, be it a professional or personal one, strategise on how you can achieve it and believe you’ll get there. You may encounter people who will doubt your intentions and you may even doubt them yourself, but the key is to back yourself.
When you fail, and it’s highly likely that at some point you will, you’ll feel discouraged. There are very few instances when achieving a goal is linear. You will likely fall off the wagon a few times and be plagued by thoughts like, “is it really worth it?” and “do I actually want it that badly?” It’s during these times, more than ever, that you need to be firm with yourself. Remind yourself why you started − a little tough love never hurt anybody.
Commit to lifelong learning and realise that this goal, unlike most others, does not have an endpoint.