The way success stories are reported in the media today makes it easy to believe that it happens overnight. Reality talent shows promise overnight stardom and record deals, while the online startup world is peppered with stories of new websites that go viral almost instantaneously.
Most all of these successes have back-stories of the blood, sweat and tears that went into getting to the top. Yet not all of these back-stories are told. Often times we just hear about the big breakthroughs. The result is that many of us are conditioned to expect that success is attainable overnight. But the cold hard truth is what we were all raised on – success requires hard work.
PUT IN THE WORK, PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE
Talk to anyone who has been dubbed an overnight success and you will find that the achievement was actually years, rather than weeks or months, in the making. For any meaningful success to stand a chance of longevity, it will have to be built on a solid foundation of hard work, patience and perseverance.
What that also means is that all successful people have made mistakes along the way. So if you feel like you are staring down the barrel of failure, do not throw in the towel just yet. Success takes hard work and patience. If you feel strongly about owning a successful business then put in the work to match that passion, and stick to it even when things seem too hard.
Accept any failure as an indicator of what not to do. If it seems like your entire plan is falling apart maybe it is time to reevaluate and think up a new one. But whatever you do, do not make the mistake of quitting too soon.
SEE THE LEARNING IN FAILURES
When I left a cushy job in the corporate world to start my own business, I was determined to be a success. That meant working harder than I ever have in my life. It meant sacrificing evenings and weekends. It also meant letting go of my inner perfectionist and getting on with the job.
For example, my first website was not polished to perfection and my first eBook could have been much better. To me, however, it was better to have an existing product that was 80 percent perfect than nothing at all. Yes, there were many failures along the way but there was also greater learning.
Soldiering on after a failure is the mark of a true entrepreneur. All great successes face the common challenges of rejection, failure, bankruptcy, ridicule and financial strain. But the other thing they have in common is the patience and perseverance to stay the course no matter what the circumstances.
TIPS & STRATEGIES
- Keep an Achievements Journal and take a note of the date of all your achievements – include everything!
- Take some action every day towards your goals, no matter how small
- Schedule in Self Care time that gives you energy
