Have you ever sat down to think about what you really want in life? 365 days a year, 8760 hours... What's your game plan?
These days, I have been talking to many... some near my age, some seniors... And I noticed something in common, they have set a LIMIT on their own SUCCESS! Because of what they deem industry average... working towards their dream is impossible... economy is poor, so I should be satisfied with less... But what they don't realize is that, they have unconsciously LIMITED themselves with the COMMON (average) mentality. The mentality that puts them competing for the MIDDLE of the queue to success. Dreaming to move up the line and being thankful for not being at the bottom of the line. Not realizing that there is less competition at the top (or the bottom) as compared to the middle, where most people are comfortable (or I would say stuck) at.
Here's the thing.
I know that everyone of us including myself wants a better life. Have a dream which we want to achieve. To make something meaningful so that our family will be proud of us. But a dream without action is just an illusion. To enjoy the 1% which everybody dreams of, you have to put in 99% of work which nobody is willing to. I bet you, the road to success will not be easy and it will definitely not be smooth, but without the first step you will never get there.
So how to become a winner?
Don't be afraid of working hard (It is good to have a dream so that you got a clear vision of what you want to achieve. But work more than dream. Everyone can dream and be creative these days, but how many really take action?)
Don't give up (I know this is a common example but Michael Jordan missed more than 9000 shots throughout his career before becoming the one of the best basketball player in history. I've in fact lost count of the number of start-ups which I failed before achieving what I have today...)
LEARN and APPLY (Learning without application is a waste of time. I never felt the importance of education until I started working only to realize that I have been subconsciously applying what I have learnt. I have never been a fan of studying, neither am I now. So if I am still pursuing financial services licensing, a professional title (CFP) and working towards a masters degree, what's your excuse?)
Step out of your COMFORT zone (Psychologists have found out that anxiety peaks performance (The Wall Street Journal, 2012) and only by taking risks, we grow. Stop being comfortable, because the road to success will only get tougher and only the fittest will survive.)
Be an OPPORTUNIST (Opportunities are everywhere, find them and work on them as if it is your last.)
It is actually as simple as it sounds, but many are unwilling to do the work that only the 1% are willing to do. As a result, they compete with the majority for the same piece of pie and stop once things get difficult. After all, the 99% are the one that makes the World work and someone would have to do the job eventually. If you think you have what it takes to work towards the peak, it is time you work your way past the middle. Stop feeling envy, stop thinking (I want to achieve this, I want to achieve that...), take action.
Remember, the most powerful thing in the World is the human mind, remove the limits that you have imposed on yourself and start making a change.
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