Inspired by Greatness: Strategies for Emulating Success
Imagine standing at the foot of a mountain, peering up at its towering heights. Reaching the peak seems daunting, doesn’t it? Now, imagine if you had a guide — someone who has already climbed that mountain, and can show you the most effective way to reach the top. This is the principle of learning from the successful — using their strategies as a roadmap to your own peak.
As Arnold Schwarzenegger, a personification of success in many fields, once said,
“You don’t get to the top by following rules. You get there by knowing when to break them and following your own path.”
The journey to success requires both inspiration and guidance, often found in the lives of people who have already achieved what we aspire to. But remember, you are here to take inspiration, not to copy their path step-by-step. Your journey will be uniquely yours.
In the classic book “Think and Grow Rich”, Napoleon Hill promotes the idea of learning from the successful. He shared a technique of creating an imaginary council of the greats — from Abraham Lincoln to Thomas Edison — and using this council as a sounding board for decision-making. This doesn’t just apply to historical figures; we can do the same with people we admire today, turning our heroes into a personal guidance council.
Finding Your Inspirations
The first step towards modeling success is to identify your role models. Make a list of individuals you admire, noting why and what aspects of their journey resonate with you. This list should span beyond professionals in your field, including people from all walks of life who inspire you.
Let’s take the example of Jane, a young entrepreneur venturing into the world of sustainable fashion. She admires the likes of Amancio Ortega for his business acumen, Stella McCartney for her commitment to ethical fashion, and Elon Musk for his innovative spirit. Next to each name, Jane notes down the qualities she admires, creating a personal guidebook of success traits.
Learning from the Best
Once you’ve identified your role models, the next step is to understand their journey. What steps did they take to get where they are today? Look for both the strategies and tactics they employed. For instance, Jane might notice Stella McCartney’s unique marketing strategies, Amancio Ortega’s supply chain management, and Elon Musk’s visionary thinking.
One of the key ways Jane could speed up her learning cycle is by studying the actions, feelings, and mindsets of these successful individuals. Learning from others should go beyond just emulating their actions — their thoughts, feelings, and attitudes are equally crucial.
Consider the story of Michael Phelps. Behind his Olympic medals is a rigorous training regime and an unwavering mindset. Phelps visualized his races daily, down to the minutest details. Visualizing from multiple perspectives, he also accounted for potential hurdles, thus preparing himself for all possible outcomes. This powerful tool of visualization can clarify personal goals, and desires, and even help in problem-solving.
Emulating Success
Now, armed with insights into the journey of the successful, it’s time to experiment and adapt these learnings to your unique circumstances.
As you embark on this process, remember the words of Oscar Wilde,
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
This means that while you can learn strategies and tactics from others, it’s crucial to adapt these to suit your personality and goals.
Let’s return to Jane’s story. Jane has been consistently learning from her role models. She introduced McCartney’s ethical sourcing principles into her business, emulated Ortega’s efficient business model, and imbued her work with Musk’s forward-thinking approach. However, she also ensured she added her own flair — her unique designs and her commitment to local craftsmanship.
Success is a Journey, Not a Destination
As you work towards your goals, remember that success often comes from consistent hard work and dedication, not luck. Consider the story of Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba. He faced numerous rejections and failures early in his career but never gave up. He once said,
“Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”
This mindset of perseverance and commitment, coupled with the strategies learned from successful individuals, can pave the way to achieving your goals.
Reflection and Refinement
The final step is to continually review and refine your approach. Your journey to success will be a process of constant learning and improvement. You might need to engage with experts across various fields, make thousands of adjustments, and keep adapting based on your feedback and experiences. Remember the words of the successful entrepreneur Reid Hoffman:
“An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down.”
Closing Thoughts
Modeling success isn’t about blind imitation. It’s about understanding the underlying principles behind someone’s achievements and then customizing these learnings to create your unique path to success. As you embark on this journey, keep in mind the words of Steve Jobs,
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
In the grand scheme of things, success is subjective and personal. Learn from the best, but carve your own path. After all, the world doesn’t need another Steve Jobs or Elon Musk; it needs the unique value only you can provide. So, dare to be yourself, and let the world marvel at your unique brand of success.
Actionable Tips:
1. Identifying Role Models: Start by identifying individuals who have achieved the kind of success you aspire to. They could be entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, or anyone else who resonates with your goals. These individuals have paved the path, and studying their journeys can provide invaluable insights.
2. Studying Methods and Strategies: Once you’ve identified these role models, delve deeper into their journeys. What methods and strategies did they use? How did they overcome challenges? What habits or mindset helped them achieve their goals? Understanding these aspects can serve as a blueprint for your own journey.
3. Learning from Failures: While it’s important to understand what worked for these individuals, it’s equally valuable to learn from their mistakes and failures. This can help you avoid common pitfalls and better prepare you for potential setbacks on your own journey.
4. Implementing Learned Strategies: Knowledge without action is merely information. The true power lies in implementing the learned strategies. However, it’s important to remember that what worked for others may not work for you in the same way. Use their strategies as a starting point and adapt them to fit your unique circumstances and goals.
5. Adding Your Unique Touch: Emulating someone’s strategies doesn’t mean copying them blindly. It’s crucial to add your unique touch and perspective to everything you do. This will help you stand out and differentiate yourself from others on a similar path.
6. Continuous Learning and Improvement: Success is not a destination but a journey of continuous learning and improvement. Keep evolving your strategies as you progress on your journey and learn from your own experiences.
7. Sharing Your Knowledge: As you advance on your journey, consider sharing your knowledge and experiences with others who might be starting on their path. This not only helps others but also consolidates your own learning and understanding.
8. Celebrate Small Wins
It’s crucial to acknowledge and celebrate small wins along your journey. These provide motivation and reinforce the effectiveness of the strategies you’ve implemented
9. Don’t envy what people have, but instead try to understand and emulate the actions they took to attain it.
10. Learning from others can be achieved by understanding and modeling their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
11. The process of finding and focusing on the best of the best can be beneficial for personal growth and development.
12. Achieving success often involves adopting the mindsets, attitudes, and behaviors of successful people.
13. Look for both the strategies (long-term plans) and tactics (immediate actions) employed by successful individuals.
14. Turning your favorite heroes into a personal sounding board can help guide your decisions and actions. (Mentioned by Napolean Hill)
15. Modeling can be done from figures in the past as well as those currently alive, creating an imaginary council.
16. Speed up learning cycles by modeling the success of others.
17. It’s important to model not only actions but also feelings and states of mind.
18. Look for greatness everywhere, find it, and model it.
19. Emulating greatness can be considered the next best thing to being truly great.
FAQ
1. Question: How can I identify who my role models should be?
Answer: Start by looking at the individuals in your personal or professional life who you deeply respect or admire. This could be due to their achievements, their behavior, their attitude, their knowledge, or any other qualities that you find appealing. Consider figures from diverse areas — not just in your profession or industry — but also in other walks of life.
2. Question: How can I emulate someone’s success without copying them?
Answer: Emulation involves understanding and adopting the principles and practices that led to someone’s success, not directly copying their actions. It’s about learning the why and how behind their success and then applying those insights in your own unique context, aligned with your values and goals.
3. Question: How can I visualize my goals effectively?
Answer: Start by defining what success looks like to you. Be as specific as possible. Then, imagine yourself achieving these goals. Picture the actions you took, the obstacles you overcame, and the emotions you felt. Visualization can be more effective if you engage all your senses and imagine the journey, not just the end result.
4. Question: How can I maintain my authenticity while learning from others?
Answer: Maintaining authenticity involves staying true to your values and personality while learning from others. You can adapt others’ strategies or methods, but always adapt them to fit your personal style, preferences, and context. This ensures that you are not just mimicking others, but learning from them and making their methods your own.
5. Question: How can I surround myself with inspiring and ambitious people?
Answer: Engage in communities, groups, and networks where such people are likely to be found. This could be professional associations, clubs, online forums, social media groups, etc. Don’t be afraid to reach out, ask questions, and seek mentorship. Networking is key to exposing yourself to diverse ideas and perspectives.
6. Question: What if I don’t have access to successful people in my desired field?
Answer: In the digital age, access to successful individuals is more feasible than ever. You can learn from these individuals by reading their books, following their blogs or social media profiles, or listening to their podcasts or interviews. You can also reach out to them directly via email or social media, or participate in events or forums where they might be present.
7. Question: What do I do if the practices of my role models do not align with my values?
Answer: If certain practices of your role models do not align with your values or preferences, it’s perfectly fine to deviate. It’s essential to maintain your authenticity and integrity. You should pick and choose what resonates with you and what you believe would be beneficial in your context. Learning from others doesn’t mean compromising your values or principles.
