A question many of us ask ourselves at various points in our lives. How can I be successful? Success has a different meaning for everybody but ultimately, being successful means fulfilling our dreams.
Hard-work - the first thing to understand is that in order to be successful in anything, you have to work hard at it. Take for example you want to be successful in running your own business. The sheer amount of hours you need to put in to just set up is daunting enough. Let alone thinking about the time involved in growing the business. A lot of people think that major success comes from luck. To a point, that may be true but the majority of successful people have worked really hard to get to where they are which leads me onto the next point.
Determination - On your path to success, you will cross paths with adversities and challenges. One thing that all successful people have is determination to get through those challenges and get to the other side. You don’t have to have all of the right answers or be void of making mistakes. It’s about being determined to find a way and keep moving forward even if it seems impossible at times.
Balance - A lot of people think of financial success when they hear the word “success” and to a point that is true. Financial freedom is huge. The issue comes when money starts to control your life. Greed sets in and everything else takes a back seat; all that matters is making money. If you want true success in life, then you need balance. Finding the right balance gets increasingly difficult as life goes on but it means that you can lead a fulfilling life which is what true success is.
Planning - One of my favourite phrases is “a good plan is half the job done”. And it’s true! In order to be successful, planning and leading are two key skills. If you are hoping to be successful with a specific talent (such as music or art) then planning might not be necessary but decision-making still is. Planning your time, working on projects, etc. are all important parts of moving forward on your path to success.
Adapting - This is a huge skill to have, especially in the business world. When things don’t go your way, not only do you need to be determined to not let it stop you but you also need to adapt your strategy. Doing the same thing multiple times and expecting different results is a form of insanity (as we all well know). Adapting allows us to keep moving forward and become increasingly innovative.
Self-belief - Although it’s last on this list, it’s actually the most important. There’s a fine line between having self-belief or being arrogant. In order to achieve your dreams, you have to believe that it’s possible and that you can do it. Doubting yourself will most likely lead to settling rather than finding success. Personally, I believe everything happens for a reason so if things don’t work out how you planned, that doesn’t mean you can’t achieve your dream, just that there’s something else in store for you… and it’s probably 10x better.
This list applies to all areas of life whether it be finding success in your professional life or with personal relationships. Use the hard moments in life as stepping stones to get closer to what you want. Learn from them. You have it in you to achieve anything you want. You just have to want it enough.