Five MOREs of Success
In my new book, Black Belt Secrets of Success, I introduce 11 Success Secrets that are consistently observed in the lives of highly successful people throughout history. These individuals, all from different walks of life, and spanning hundreds of years, all understood what was required to achieve success. Many of them experienced it multiple times, as success breeds more success.
Perhaps the most significant of those 11 success secrets is the first:
Successful people do daily what unsuccessful people do sometimes, or not at all.
Sadly, most people are unwilling to do what is necessary to experience more real-life success in their lives. Contentment, living for the moment, or simply being okay with okay are three common reasons why. It’s easier to make excuses than it is to do what is required to say, do, or become more.
As one of my mentors, Chris Robinson, says, “It’s not that you can’t, but that you won’t. And that choice is yours.”
Ouch!
Truth hurts, doesn’t it?
Far too many people want to experience success, but want it to come at no cost to them. The generation who grew up in the participation trophy era still believes they can experience success simply because they showed up. They are now realizing that they aren’t as special as they were told by their well-meaning parents and society.
To actually succeed in life, you have to get off the bench, get in the game, and contribute to a winning effort. You can’t just put on the jersey, show up, and announce to the world, “I’m here,,,” and expect the world to through accolades and rewards at your feet.
Michael Phelps didn’t win TWENTY-EIGHT Olympic medals simply because he donned a swimsuit. Serena Williams didn’t win TWENTY-THREE Tennis Grand Slams just because she picked up a racket. Tom Brady didn’t win SEVEN Super Bowl Championships simply because he showed up. Tiger Woods didn’t win FIVE Master’s green jackets just because he made an appearance.
Just showing up is NEVER enough.
There is no win unless you run the race, play the game, climb the mountain, swim the length of the pool, take the shot, or overcome the challenges and struggles of life. In the real world, when it comes to success, there is no participation trophy. Just showing up is not enough. If nothing is contributed, there is nothing to measure, weigh, or compare to that of others.
But wait, there’s more.
Anyone can compete, and everyone should. There is no victory without applying yourself in some way. However, not everyone who competes will win the prize, earn the medal, or receive the trophy. Simply because you put forth the effort and gave it your best, there is no guarantee that you will succeed every time. Let me share a personal example.
I relentlessly trained when I was actively competing in a four-state martial arts tournament circuit. In the dojo early for personal training, teaching three to four hours a night, then training after classes concluded. Then traveling once or twice a month to compete, often participating in weekend clinics while on the road.
Despite rising to become the #1 ranked competitor in my division for four consecutive years in forms, fighting, and weapons, I was not guaranteed a win every time I showed up. I still had to put myself on the floor and compete against my peers. While I earned a lot of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes, and an occasional grand championship along the way, there were times I didn’t make the Top Three.
While it was disappointing, there was always something to take away from each competition. There was always something else to learn. For me, it was a skill to continue to hone, a technique to improve upon, or an area of mental or physical conditioning to strengthen. If you’re pursuing success, there’s always room for improvement.
There were days I was not the best person to show up and perform. I competed, but I was not always victorious. But as long as I did my best that day, I counted that as a personal win, because I outperformed a prior version of myself. I may not have been the best of the best that day, but I showed up, put forth the effort, and gave it my best shot.
This is an important distinction because if you want to experience MORE success in anything, you’ve got to keep putting in the reps, putting yourself back on the floor, and competing for the win.
So, how do you experience more success in life?
I believe there are five distinct Success MOREs you’ve got to understand.
The MORE problems you can solve,
the MORE wins you experience.
The more wins you experience,
the MORE value you bring.
The more value you bring,
the MORE valuable you become.
The more valuable you become, the MORE people seek you out to solve more and bigger problems.
This leads to more and more success in your life.
And the better you are at solving problems, the more people are willing to pay you for the results you can deliver.
How much success do you want to achieve?
When you do what no one else is doing, or you do something better than anyone else can do it, you’ll stand out, you’ll get noticed, and you’ll get ahead. You will experience more success in your life.