Six steps to success and why most people don’t take them
Simple rules you need to follow if you’re aiming for the top
Whoever you are, wherever you are, and whatever you spend your days doing, it’s one of life’s guarantees that you’re going to have ups and downs.
I’ve certainly had my fair share of ‘downs’ this year.
- I had Covid-19 in March
- My house got burgled (while I was home) in August
- My landlord just increased my rent by 30%
While none of these things have been fun, there have (thankfully!) been some ‘ups’ this year too.
- My second book — Braver Stronger Smarter — came out in July and is doing well
- I’ve really enjoyed writing kid’s content for the UK newspaper, The Sun, which has a circulation of 1.2 million
- And I’ve just started handling social media for National Geographic Kids magazine in the UK (use this link — https://linktr.ee/natgeokids — to find out more)
Whether you’re in the middle of an ‘up’ or recovering from a ‘down’, one thing’s for sure: life goes on. If you’re searching for success, it’s important to focus no matter what else is happening. I’ve actually found this to be enormously helpful during some of my most challenging times. It’s not that I’ve buried the bad stuff away — that’s never a good idea — I’ve just tried to focus on the bigger picture.
“Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.” — Tim Denning
So I’ve decided to share six things that I’ve continued to do, whether I’m having a good day or a bad one, because they’ve really helped me — both personally and professionally.
“I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” — Steve Jobs
STEP 1 — EMBRACE CHANGE
As Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “The only thing that is constant is change.” I get we’re resistant to change, after all it can unsettling and often threatens our status quo.
However it’s important to acknowledge that things change whether we want them to or not. And if you’re looking for things to improve, then they must change. Instead of resisting the inevitable, embracing change and reframing it as a positive opportunity to grow and develop is an invaluable skill.
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” — Henry Ford
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
Change can bring many things, including failure, discomfort and criticism. A lot of people are so scared of the unknown that they forget that change can also bring success, pleasure and approval.
WHAT TO DO…
Next time something doesn’t pan out how you’d expected or hoped, try looking at it from a different perspective and ask yourself what you can learn from the situation. Is there anything you can change to get a different outcome? Or is it something that can’t be influenced, and will just have to be put down to experience?
STEP 2 — REACH OUT
There’s a lot to be said for sticking to what and who you know, but if you want to be successful, you need to expand as well. New people = new ideas.
Connecting with unfamiliar people can seem scary, especially if you’re naturally quite a shy person (as I am). But reaching out and meeting new people can lead to new experiences and open you up to different points of view. New connections can also be inspiring and open the door to fresh opportunities. So reaching out is pretty much essential if you want to be successful.
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” — Brene Brown
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
It’s easier to stick to what we know, and rely on the contacts we already have. Staying safe like this makes us feel… well, safe. But it can also hold us back.
WHAT TO DO…
Try to be more open to making new connections. Comment on people’s posts, join forums and contribute regularly, message anyone who inspires you and thank them/ ask them questions. The more people you connect with, the more support you’ll get, and the bigger your tribe and capacity for growth will be!
STEP 3 — TAKE A CHANCE
We’re programmed to avoid danger — a trait that dates back to our hunter gather days — but this can end up limiting us. How can we fulfill and our potential if we’re always playing it safe?
I’m not suggesting you invest your life savings into an uncertain new project or gamble everything on a harebrained scheme that might not work out. I’m talking about following your heart — trying something new, looking at things differently, and refusing to be one of the crowd. After all, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to being successful, and you can always take a different route to get there.
“Security is mostly a superstition. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
We feel comfort with the familiar. Taking chances can feel really scary for some people, and their fear overrides their desire for success. They’d rather stick to what they know than take the plunge and experiment.
WHAT TO DO…
Next time you’re faced with a new challenge that seems daunting, research how other people have tackled it successfully. Then see how you can develop their approach so it’s better suited to you. Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey, and taking a chance could make all the difference for you. So if you get the opportunity, I recommend taking a chance. If things don’t pan out how you expect, at least you’ll learn from the experience.
STEP 4 — KEEP LEARNING
However you decide to define success, it’s important that you keep progressing and expanding. One way to do this is to make sure you’re always feeding your brain — with new information, different perspectives, and fresh ways to approach things.
Learning fires up our brain and encourages us to grow, personally and professionally. It’s also a great reminder that no one has all the answers and that there’s always room for improvement and self development!
“Big-picture thinkers broaden their outlook by striving to learn from every experience. They don’t rest on their successes, they learn from them.” — John C. Maxwell
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
While most people like the idea of success, they don’t always have the necessary tools to achieve it. They finish work at the end of the day and tell themselves they’re too tired to do anything else.
WHAT TO DO…
Read, research and sign-up for free or paid courses. Discuss what you’ve learnt with other people and get their take on things. Try to get as much information as you can, and really finesse your knowledge on whatever it is that you specialize in. Plus, every now and then, commit to learning about something completely left field— it’ll give you a better handle on the world, and open your mind up to all sorts of new ways of thinking.
STEP 5 — START SCHEDULING
Planning your day might sound like a waste of time — you just want to get on and do what needs to be done. But having a schedule can really help keep you on track and boost your productivity.
It doesn’t take long to rustle one up but it’s been proven that scheduling your time will help you tackle tasks faster, more efficiently and leave you feeling more accomplished.
“Time = life; therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.” — Alan Lakein
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
It can be easier to tell yourself you don’t need a schedule — that you can get more done if you don’t waste time thinking about it. But investing just a small portion of your time will help streamline you efforts, help you prioritize your work and achieve your goals.
WHAT TO DO…
Schedule breaks as well as specific activity, such as meetings and work. Be realistic about what you can achieve and give yourself enough time to finish tasks. Avoid over scheduling – planning out every minute of your day can have a negative affect on your productivity as it’s much harder to achieve.
Experiment with scheduling fewer tasks. This will force you to prioritize what’s most important and mean you actually get more done. Be sure to schedule research and learning into your day too, and leave leisure activities off your schedule. Research by marketing professors Gabriela Tonietto, from Rutgers University, and Selin Malkoc, from Ohio State University, showed that when a leisure activity is scheduled, it’s less enjoyable than if it had taken place spontaneously.
STEP 6 — BELIEVE YOU CAN
Everyone has moments of self-doubt but if you want to be successful, believing in yourself is super important. You have something special to offer the world — no one else is you: it’s your most valuable commodity. You’re the only person on the whole planet with your combination of life experiences and talent. So reject your inner critic and silence your self doubt — if you truly believe in yourself, you’ll be unstoppable.
“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” — Dalai Lama
WHY MOST PEOPLE WON’T DO IT…
The human race is literally programmed to look for danger and trouble. This negativity bias helped keep us alive when we were cavemen, but we don’t need to rely on it as much now. However, a lot of people aren’t tuned in to their negative thoughts and don’t know how to banish them successfully.
WHAT TO DO…
Be mindful and watch out for negative thoughts. If you catch them sneaking up on you, push them away and focus on the positive. Take away your inner critic’s power by giving them a silly name (mine is called Doof), and whenever they try to run you down, imagine them speaking in a squeaky voice and shrinking until they totally disappear.
Then picture how you want your life to be, and think about the steps you need to take to get there. Ask yourself what else you can do to achieve your success, and investigate things that may have been holding you back until now. You can also boost your self belief by making a list of your achievements and journaling about how they’ve made you feel .
So there you go — six steps that will help you become more successful. I don’t have all the answers, but these techniques have really helped me, and I hope they help you too.
