This is not meant to diminish or side-step any other success processes. This is what I have learned and experienced over the span of 30 years give-or-take to be essentially “3 Rules of Success” you can follow to increase your likelihood of succeeding at whatever goals you set. Financial or otherwise. Yes,I am aware there are always more nuanced steps to take towards achieving success at anything. I also know I’m not the first person to discuss this and surely won’t be the last.
1. Be Good At What You Do
A common thread among people who achieve great success is that they are good at what they do. Often times people confuse the things they love to do with the things they are actually good at doing. Yes they can be one in the same, and it works out better in the long run if you love what you are good at. However success is achieved and sustained through the quality of doing. For example; would you repeatedly eat food at a restaurant that wasn’t good at cooking but the atmosphere was great? Likely no. You may go there a few times for the atmosphere when in the mood, but you wouldn’t frequent for the food.
When you are good at something it gives you the ability to provide consistent value with minimal or manageable effort on your part. Consistent greatness is the first measure of success. I’ve seen people try to get around this principle for years, while struggling at whatever they were doing. All the while placing their emphasis on how “ambitious” and connected they were.
Yes ambition and connections are great assets and may win a lot of battles along the road to success. However, at some point, to sustain and grow, it is advised that you invest time in nurturing your crafts, whatever they may be, to be good at what you do.
2. Be On Time
For years I struggled with this one. Mostly because I didn’t realize how important it was. I, like so many other people was under the naive impression that because I was great at what I did, people would overlook any other problems once I delivered whatever it was to deliver. That was not the case. Over time I learned that it mattered to be good, but so did this. In a very big way.
This is a hard lesson to learn for many. There is no easy way to put this one. So I’m just going to say it; if you are perpetually late, you will fail. It is a fact of life. It has nothing to do with someone trying to hold you back or people not understanding your work style, etc.. Let me repeat; “If you are perpetually late, you will fail”. Here’s why – people are impatient and time in most cases still equals money.
Not being on time causes you to miss opportunities that could result in faster advancement and growth, not just from an employment standpoint but from an entrepreneurial standpoint as well. See, you can be the absolute best at something that millions of people need and or want, but if you can’t provide that something on time, eventually people will go where they can get it on time. Even if in your opinion the quality is sub-par to what you can provide.
No worries, there is a way around this success pitfall. Do your best to master the art of being on time. There are a number of ways to do this. For example; you could always set your deadlines/ alerts hours, days, or weeks early than expected depending on the situation. The key here is to always give yourself time-padding in case something unforeseen happens. Which it usually does.
Make being on time a part of your value equation. We as humans judge ourselves by what we feel are our innate abilities and attributes. We give these qualities value and always polish and present them first, no matter the situation. Consciously make “being on time” one of these core attributes that you judge yourself by. This may take some time, but it works! If all else fails, for a short time only, try to create incentive for your punctual behavior by creating a points system that has milestones and rewards attached. Whatever you have to do – be on time.
3. Be Kind
You can call it what you want; being likable, being charming, being kind. Research has proven that It all causes the same neurological and positive emotional triggers to occur in most people:
Happiness – When someone is kind to you it releases the chemical serotonin in your body which research show contributes to the feeling of happiness and a state of well-being. This is important for successful human interactions on infinite levels. Business or otherwise.
Belonging – Kindness also promotes a sense of belonging as it welcomes people into your space enough to establish a community oriented interaction and or exchange. Make a conscious effort to be pleasant when you meat or great people. I know this is not always the easiest thing to do. However it is something successful people do well, and consistently.
Trust – When we feel trusted we in tern extend trust. This is often times an easier proposition when kindness is present or has been a part of the initial exchange.
Kindness is easily one of, if not the most powerful rule of success to understand. It is the icing on the success cake so to speak. There is an old saying that still rings true today. “Over time, people may forget the details of what you did, but they will never forget the way you made them feel”. Treating everyone with respect and kindness is such a powerful success beacon. When you master the art of being kind even when someone is purposefully being mean spirited, it puts you in a position to achieve greatness even in the face of adversity.
These Rules are meant to be followed together. Most of us only do one or two at any given time in life, with mixed results. Let me know your thoughts in the reply box below. Also, share this article if you are so inclined. Thank you for your time!