Three Perspectives on Why Success in Business is More Than Just Effort
Ever wondered why the person making the most effort in their business only sometimes becomes successful?
If you have, you are not alone. Many business owners and leaders struggle with this question. They work hard, they invest resources and time, and they innovate, yet sometimes don’t reach their goals. Why is that?
A straightforward explanation is that business is not just a competition in efforts. It is more of a competition in Hunger for success. So, the person who wins is hungrier and willing to go beyond their comfort zone while putting in an all-out effort.
Sounds easy, right? Well, not really. Hunger for success is not something you can buy, listen to, travel to, or learn. It is something you must discover and nurture within yourself. Some personal insecurities may help.
Looking back on my thirty-plus years of leadership experience across various sectors, including building business units for Fortune 500 companies, serving on advisory boards, and investing in and mentoring several startups, I have come to realise that success is a combination of hard work and synchronicity, driven primarily by a hunger for success and achievement.
In this article, I will focus on the importance of having a “hunger for success” and share some of the ideas and approaches I have learned from my personal experiences and observing other successful entrepreneurs. These concepts can assist you in increasing your drive for success and achieving your business goals quicker and more effortlessly.
Hunger for success is the spark that ignites the flame of determination, propelling one towards achieving one’s greatest aspirations.
Soon after transitioning from Defence Services, as a newbie in the corporate world, when facing challenges in identifying the levers to supercharge my team for new projects, I learned a valuable lesson: Hunger for success is the key to achieving business success. It is the driving force that motivates you to pursue your goals, no matter how difficult or challenging the journey may be. This driving force pushes you to overcome your fears and doubts and take action in the face of the complexities and uncertainties of the business world. It involves making difficult choices, often between the right and the right, while staying focused on your goals and not losing motivation. Hunger for success is the differentiator between the winners and the losers in the business world.
A leader with a hunger for success recognises their type.
When choosing among the shortlisted candidates to build our leadership team for business units that required rapid scaleup, the one thing that always tilted the scales for me to finalise a potential hire was their Hunger for success, as this is what drives you to put all your chips on the table and go all in.
So, how is Hunger for success different from hard work?
#1. Hunger vs. Effort: Unpacking the Distinction
Effort is the foundation, but Hunger is the catalyst. Effort is the fuel; Hunger is the fire. Consider this: maximum effort doesn’t guarantee success, but infusing that effort with Hunger transforms it into a potent force. As Tony Robins says,” Hunger will Destroy your Fear of Failure”.
Let's first distinguish between Effort and Hunger.
Takeaways:
- Effort is necessary, but Hunger elevates it.
- Identify and nurture your Hunger for success.
Why is it important to get out of your Comfort Zone?
#2. Comfort Zones: The Enemy of Hunger
Comfort zones are the adversaries of success and hunger. They create a false sense of security, hindering the hunger-driven individual from exploring new territories. To succeed, we need to break free from the shackles of comfort.
During our training at the National Defence Academy, we were required to run cross-country periodically. At the finish line, our physical training instructors would group runners in enclosures based on the time lapsed after the first runner completed the run. For example, the first 10–15 participant cadets who completed their run within 5 minutes from the arrival of the first one would be in enclosure one. We would jokingly call them the boys from the hills because the rarefied atmosphere in the hills meant they had higher lung capacities. The next lot of 20–30 participant cadets who arrive at the finish line between 5 and 10 minutes would be at enclosure two, and so on, until the last runners reach, which would be enclosure seven. During my early days as a cadet running cross country, I started at enclosure 6. I was a city boy:(-
As in any cross-country run, you have time to speak to yourself while running. Beyond putting in the training miles and muscle building, i.e., putting in the required effort, the Hunger or the burning desire to bond with the next better enclosure batchmates helped me break personal records. When I graduated from the academy, I was making it to the 3rd enclosure. Sticking to the comfort of one’s previous achievements won’t lead to progress. Hunger drives the runner to push limits and endure the muscle pulls and cramps.
On the other hand, if you remain in your comfort zone, you don’t learn, and routines often lead to laziness.
Considering that people with the same fears as you are succeeding, getting out of your comfort zone will support your growth, and you will be proud of the leap that you took.
Takeaways:
- Identify comfort zones and actively challenge them.
- Embrace discomfort as a sign of growth.
So, What sets people apart in their pursuit of success?
3. Going Beyond The X-Factor in Success
To stand out in a competitive business landscape, going beyond the ordinary is crucial. This means having an ‘X-factor’, which includes the drive to innovate, lead, and be extraordinary.
When working with a Technology Company to develop our Management Consulting team, we searched for this X-factor by collaborating with our software development colleagues. Together, we worked tirelessly to create new interface templates that could seamlessly integrate our client’s legacy supply chain information with a modern enterprise system. We brainstormed, coded, and refined the process to achieve this.
During this effort, we discovered the real X-factor, which Tony Robbins describes as “the ability to add intangible value to your product or service”. We realised that the sustained Hunger to create something groundbreaking turns a good idea into a product worth showcasing to other potential clients. This Hunger is what kept us going and ultimately led to our success.
Takeaways:
- Elevate your efforts with a hunger for innovation.
- Embrace challenges as opportunities to showcase your Hunger.
In my experience working with various businesses, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about effort; it’s about having an unrelenting hunger to step out of your comfort zone. It’s important to remember that success also depends on good fortune and willingness to step out of your comfort zone.
If you want to develop and nurture your Hunger for success, here are some tools and techniques you could consider.
Tool: The Hunger Scale
One tool to measure and increase your Hunger for success is the Hunger Scale. Here’s a simple guide:
1. Rate your Hunger for success on this project on a scale of 1 to 10.
2. Analyse factors boosting or hindering your Hunger.
3. Create an action plan for improvement.
4. Repeat regularly to monitor progress.
Other Tools: The Success Journal and The Success Mindset
Alongside the Hunger Scale, consider incorporating tools like the Success Journal and adopting a Success Mindset:
- Success Journal:
- Express gratitude, track achievements and learnings, and set daily goals.
- Success Mindset:
- Embrace beliefs and attitudes supporting your success.
- Practice Affirmations
Takeaways:
- Journal your successes, learnings, and goals.
- Adopt a mindset conducive to success.
Success demands hard work and an unyielding thirst for achievement. It’s what separates winners from losers in the business world. The Hunger for success is the defining factor that sets the best candidates apart when building a leadership team and creating revolutionary products.
Sometimes, we let life go by thinking there will be another opportunity. Remember the fable about the donkey that dies due to? Thirst and Hunger because it cannot choose between a Bale of water and a Bale of hay.
Let’s remember effort lays the foundation, but Hunger builds the empire of success. It’s time to embrace the Hunger that propels you beyond the ordinary. In the grand competition of business, it’s not just about the sweat you put in — it’s about the fire within.
Take the leap. Ignite the Hunger. Unleash your success.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I write on a wide variety of topics, from Leadership and Geopolitics to Technology and Startups, and share insights to help business owners and corporate executives in transition achieve more clarity.
Please feel free to check out more insights from http://apex-insights.com/
You can also connect with me on LinkedIn here
