Connect with us

Success Advice

Remember This: Work Comes Before Success

Published

on

Image Credit: Unsplash

Work and success are virtually synonymous. The dictionary defines work as, “Exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something.” Success is defined as, “goal reached; accomplishment.” When you look at both work and success, you find the words, “accomplish something” and “accomplishment.”

Vince Lombardi, the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, wrote, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Work is the key to success and hard work can help you accomplish anything.”

The key to the words, work and success, is always their order. Work precedes success. In my 44 years of coaching basketball – 10 at the high school level and 34 at the collegiate level – I was fortunate to coach numerous All-Conference and All-State players as well as some players who reached All-American status. I cannot think of one of the athletes who earned these accolades who was not a committed worker.

Dave Wilhelmi

Dave Wilhelmi played 6 years of professional baseball, once pitching a no-hitter at the Double A level. When he left pro baseball, he had a decision to make – would he work full-time and pursue his degree part-time or come to school full-time and work part-time?

Fortunately, for St. Francis and our basketball program, Dave decided on the latter. He had been a quality high school basketball player and it was his professional work ethic that led him to becoming an Honorable Mention All-American player for us.

Dave was equally as successful in the academic arena. He had not been a full-time student in 6 years and was understandably concerned about his academic skills when he decided to come to St. Francis full-time.

We offered a Study Skills class for our athletes. It was a non-credited course and the only time we could schedule it was at 7am, prior to the regular classes that began at 8am. Dave brought the same work habits he had developed in his athletic career to that class. He became an outstanding student, was elected the class orator at graduation, and has gone on to have a most successful business career. His work commitment came before his success.

Pat Warren

Pat Warren was a sometimes starter on our high school baseball team. He was far from being our best player, but he loved the game and worked extremely hard to improve his skills.

Due to his work ethic, he excelled at the four most important skills in baseball – hitting, fielding, throwing accuracy, and running. I was with him when only the two of us would have batting practice. 

We would have 15 baseballs, pitch, hit, and then run all over the field collecting the balls so we could repeat the cycle for the better part of two hours. Pat never tired of working. A few of us from our high school baseball team went on to play college baseball, but Pat’s work commitment led him to do something none of us did. He played at one of the two best baseball programs in the country during our era, the University of Miami, and was signed by the Houston Astros upon graduation.

In high school, none of us would have believed Pat would have the success he had, but his work habits led to his success.

Dan Sullivan

In our day, there was no political correctness. Entering his senior year of high school, the principal called my brother, Dan, into his office and said something to this effect, “Sullivan, you can’t be this dumb. How can you possibly rank 99th out of 106?” Dan told him there was only one reason. He did not want to get into the triple figures! The principal threw him out of his office.

With his class rank, Dan was not considered to be college material. But one college decided to take a chance on him, and he worked to earn both his undergraduate and his Masters degrees. He became a superb classroom teacher who could connect to the student in the back of the room who didn’t care to study because he had been that kid.

Dan excelled as a high school head coach in all three major sports, as an inspiring teacher, and went on to spend his last 20 years in education as a principal. Along the way, he helped thousands of young people to become the best they could be.

As you meet his former students and athletes today, they have nothing but the highest respect for him. No one gave Dan anything; he worked and earned his many successes.

Final Thought

Might there be value in examining your work commitment? John Wooden, the iconic UCLA basketball coach, summed it up this way, “Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.”

Pat Sullivan was a successful coach, teacher, and administrator in the Chicago area for 44 years – 10 years at the high school level and 34 at the collegiate level. His basketball teams won 602 games; he was named Coach-of-the-Year 11 times; and he has been inducted into 8 Halls of Fame. He has received Lifetime Achievement awards from Lewis University, the Joliet, Illinois, Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. Pat has offered basketball clinics and camps in Austria, Ireland, Belgium, and Greece and has spoken at clinics throughout America for the USA Coaches Clinics. He has also spoken to business executives from IBM, Accenture, and Sun Microsystems, as well as the University of Notre Dame’s Play Like A Champion conference. He is the author of Attitude-The Cornerstone of Leadership and Team-Building: From the Bench to the Boardroom.

Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Success Advice

15 Essential Habits to a Stronger, Healthier, and Happier You

The journey towards transformation is not about perfection but about progress

Published

on

building positive habits

What habits can truly transform your life? That’s what you’re here to uncover. In our no-nonsense guide, we’ll introduce you to 15 habits to change your life, each with the power to improve your day-to-day existence.  (more…)

Continue Reading

Success Advice

19 Common Characteristics All Visionary Leaders Have

Published

on

visionary leadership qualities

When you look at business leaders like Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Sir Richard Branson, and philosophers like Bertrand Russell, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, David Bohm,  C. S. Peirce and inventors like Nikola Tesla, Paolo Soleri, Harvey W. Bailey, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Wright brothers and political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Aung San Suu Kyi, it becomes very clear that they are all connected through one leadership—visionary leadership. (more…)

Continue Reading

Success Advice

Wealth Lessons Everyone Should Hear for Every Stage of Your Life

Do you have the courage to rewrite your story?

Published

on

what i would tell my younger self

Do you see what I see? Likely not, as we each see ourselves through the lens of our own story. (more…)

Continue Reading

Success Advice

How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers

Published

on

how to choose the best affiliate programs for your blog

Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky. 

This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for. 

For more articles on this theme, please head over to this blog https://blog.partners1xbet.com/.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing

Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works. 

Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it. 

It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

1. Assess Your Niche and Audience

The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:

  • Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
  • Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.

2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs

Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:

  • Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
  • Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
  • Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.

3. Evaluate the Commission Structure

The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:

  • The percentage of commission per sale.
  • Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
  • The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.

4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness

Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:

  • Read reviews from other affiliates.
  • Check the program’s history and background.
  • Look for any complaints or issues reported online.

5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered

A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.

6. Understand the Terms and Conditions

Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:

  • Payment thresholds and methods.
  • Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
  • The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.

7. Test the Product or Service

If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.

8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities

Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.

Implementing Your Choice

After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:

  • Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
  • Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
  • Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.

Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs. 

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers. 

The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice. 

With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.

Continue Reading

Trending