Much has been said about people who rise to prominence in business or any other ever-evolving field. People read books to learn how to invest like Warren Buffet, to straddle cutting-edge industries like Elon Musk, or to lead like Barack Obama.
Of course, the logic here is sound. Those who have succeeded in a given field likely have something worthwhile to share, even if they do so through the form of a podcast interview or an autobiography. That being said, it’s true that aphorisms and soundbites aren’t going to get you all the way there.
It’s worth being realistic about the insights these individuals share. It’s very easy for them to discount luck, consistency, or opportunities in their success. That’s not to dismiss them, only that the fuller picture is worth considering.
So, let’s consider what the more realistic, likely and genuine habits of highly successful people could be:
Repeated Failures
It’s highly unlikely for an individual to simply be successful at their first attempt (no matter what it is) and then move forward with no mistakes until their perfect career ends. Ultimately, success is born of repeated failures. Michael Jordan once said “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Getting used to failure will ultimately help you on your path to success.
Personal Organization Matters
We tend to romanticize the idea of the cutting-edge genius who lives in squalor, and while it’s true that highly successful people can sometimes have messy personal lives, personal organization is usually non-negotiable. That’s why perfecting your note-taking habits, perhaps using Supernormal – the most accurate AI transcription software, can help you. Using a second brain note-taking tool, perhaps like Evernote or Notion on top of that, can help you index your thoughts, jot down ideas when they come you avoid losing them, and then develop a more consistent outlook from there. Personal organization and habitual notetaking can help you avoid having to come up with success on the spot.
Sacrifices Are, Unfortunately, Necessary
It’s important to make sacrifices where you can. That’s not to say that success means giving up everything nice in life, but it does mean certain priorities have to be kept. Instead of heading out to the bar each weekend, you might enrol in a night course to help round off your professional skills. A balanced lifestyle will absolutely help your mental health, stability and personal wellbeing, but that might mean working less hours each week, and when running your own business you may feel tempted to stay in the office constantly (the former is more important). Luckily, those sacrifices do pay off over time, but it requires prioritizing a few main focuses in life and sticking to them with the limited hours available each day.
