Success Advice
The Only Way to Be Successful Is to Do What Successful People Do
In the not-so-distant past, I didn’t know the first thing about success. I was aimless and lacked the passion to achieve. I was stuck in a hopeless rut and couldn’t get out. Over the years, I’ve learned something; even if you are not yet successful if you DO the things that successful people do you will soon be so yourself.
In my analysis of successful people, I’ve discovered three traits that, when modeled consistently, most often lead to success when none was otherwise present:
1. Be Committed
Successful people all do two things without fail: They start and they continue. Both are facets of committing to success. How could any successful person become so if they did not start the journey? All great success stories begin with a dream that was acted on.
For these people, it didn’t matter if all the answers were known, all the resources secured, or the timing just right. People who are successful now at some point began. Whatever it is that you’re waiting for, get over it. The only way you can reach success is to begin.
Of course, once you start you are guaranteed to encounter adversity. It’s part of the journey towards success. But you must walk through that difficulty if you want to get to the other side. You can’t give up. No one who achieved their dreams ever did. So, if successful people don’t give up, then that’s the quality you have to have, too. If you want to know success, do what successful people do— be committed.
“There’s no abiding success without commitment.” – Tony Robbins
2. Act Confidently
There is probably nothing more powerful to kick-start success than practicing confidence. Think of any successful person—Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos—and you can’t help but see their confidence pouring through.
The fantastic thing about confidence is that it doesn’t have to only be a result of success, Confidence can be a cause. As we act confidently, we produce the actual state of confidence that we need to be successful.
Even when we feel a bit like an impostor, just faking it can get us through it. As we live and work and move with confidence, slowly the feeling will take over on its own and carry us through.
How exactly can you act confidently to get your desired results? You do what actors do – you get into role.
- Think like a successful person. You get into the success role by thinking like successful people. Thoughts are powerful and success thoughts, when backed with strong belief, have the capacity to change the world around you. Remove any concepts of failure and begin to think exactly like a winner would.
- At the same time, imagine what a person of great achievement would be feeling. Successful people aren’t devoid of emotions. In all actuality, they have them in large quantity—they just know how to isolate them to a range of highly-empowering ones. Begin to feel emotions of joy and healthy personal pride for who you are becoming and the things you are about to do. Feel the success and your confidence will skyrocket.
- Take on their physiology. This is where you physically model accomplished people. People like this have a way of breathing, of holding their posture, of interacting with others. It is scientifically documented that manipulating your physiology can produce confidence. Begin to act confident and you can’t help but become it.
3. Be Other-Centered
All successful people are focused on others. That’s because a person can’t rise to success without the help of other people. The late, Zig Ziglar had a popular saying: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
How true that is, but success is more about financial gain. More and more of today’s elite achievers are recognizing that success is found in the impact you leave on the world.
“I must admit that I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings.” – Margaret Mead
Brian Tracy has said, “Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘What’s in it for me?’ All people have practical, emotional, and spiritual needs. As you help others, you increase your credibility as a caring person and someone who can make a difference in the lives of others. This type of credibility will catapult your influence farther than any other.
So what is the best way to help others? Offer help without regard to your personal agenda. When you have nothing to gain your help is going to be seen as the most genuine. That allows it to hit far deeper and lets your impact (the true measure of your success) be much greater.