It takes time and effort to achieve anything worth doing. Discover the long lost art of patience. This is the only success secret you need to know.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ― Seneca
Are you a slave to short-term thinking? The average person is, according to a totally unscientific Internet search I just performed.
If you type the keyword “lose” into Google’s search box, it automatically fills in “lose weight fast” as one of the top choices. If you type “make money” into that search box, it automatically fills in “make money fast.”
This is a sad commentary on our modern society. People have become so entitled that they believe success is owed to them. I believe this is due to the fact that children are increasingly coddled. You don’t have to win a tournament to get a trophy. You get rewarded for showing up.
I understand the reasoning behind participation trophies. Parents hope to drive home the message that “Everyone is a winner.” Sounds cute, but the real world doesn’t work that way. Children need to learn how to cope with failure. Otherwise, they won’t know how to be persistent as adults. Just in case your parents didn’t provide that lesson, I’ll teach you now.
“Trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.” ― Molière
I can’t make any promises about how quickly you will achieve your goal. Everyone evolves at their own unique pace. And you know what? That’s okay. There is no reason to be in a rush. People think they need to figure their life out by the time they’re 30. False.
A lot of successful people were late bloomers. Oprah Winfrey didn’t become a household name until she was 31. Henry Ford didn’t make the Model T until he was 45. Charles Darwin didn’t publish “On the Origin of Species” until he was 50. History doesn’t care how old you are. You can make a difference at any age.
“It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die, than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” ― Julius Caesar
Happiness isn’t a constant state for anybody. How could it be? We decide how happy we are based on reference points.
A few years ago, I made some very bad business decisions. I ended up so broke that I could barely afford rent and groceries. It was a terrible situation.
Now I’ve crawled out of that hole. I’m not a millionaire or anything, but I’m much better off in comparison. The money in itself doesn’t make me happy. It’s the difference in my quality of life.
No matter how miserable you might feel, remember that all things are temporary. Negative experiences have a purpose. They give you the context you need to appreciate positive experiences. Otherwise, you’d be ungrateful. Be thankful for every day, even the hard ones.
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” ― Bill Bradley
“Dream big.” That’s good advice, but it won’t help you by itself. What good is ambition without action? Hard work will get you farther than any amount of ambition.
Accept the fact that you might take a few wrong turns on the road to success. That’s okay. That just means you need to adjust course, get back on the road, and start moving forward again. You can’t lose if you don’t quit.
Break your big goals into baby goals. That will make them seem less intimidating. Don’t worry about dropping a pants size. Just lose one pound at a time. Don’t worry about writing a book. Just write one page at a time. Don’t worry about building wealth. Just save one dollar at a time. Focus on the process and the outcome will take care of itself.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill
Mistakes are not bad. They are an opportunity to learn and grow. Find the lesson, forgive yourself, and let it go. If you can treat your life like an evolutionary process, you will become unstoppable. Click here to share this article now.
Read More Articles by Daniel Wallen:
- 4 Simple but Powerful Ways to Be More Efficient Every Day
- 13 Motivational Quotes to Fire You Up in the Morning (Make #5 Your Battle Cry)
- Freelancing 101: How to Be Productive at Home (When You’d Rather Be Watching Netflix)
