A “Secret” For Achieving Success

A “Secret” For Achieving Success

I once invited a billionaire to my office to share his “secret” for success.

Prior to the talk, I told him half in jest that he would be sharing with participants from the “quick-fix generation.”

There would not be time for a long speech.

In fact, he had to share his formula for creating wealth within the span of just a few minutes.

It was not the easiest of tasks but I was confident my friend could do the job.

If you were there, you could feel the enthusiasm of the audience as they listened to him, literally with bated breath.

After all, how often do you get to learn from a billionaire.

What’s more, the participants were told that he would be distilling his years of experience into a simple formula.

They could apply the same formula and if they did so, they could also enjoy the same results.

That rich and very unassuming businessman started by detailing the challenges in his life.

He went on to share on how he built his business empire – step by step – until it became a success story.

Then came the most exciting part.

It started when he told them, “As I looked back on my entrepreneurial life, I realized there is one key factor that has helped me achieve whatever success that I have.

“In fact, it’s the same factor that has helped many people achieve amazing feats in their lifetime.

“I learned to … ”

After saying those words, he paused for a reflective silence.

He established eye contact with the audience, probably to prepare them to learn the last and most important point.

The participants responded with total focus.

Besides their ears, their hearts were also open. They were ready, and deeply desired to find the pot of gold.

Silence was somehow helping to hold and freeze everybody to their seats.

That silence could only be broken by one person, the person standing in front of that class.

My billionaire friend spoke slowly and clearly.

He repeated the last three words and completed the sentence.

“I learned to work hard and smart.”

At the end of the sentence, you could almost hear a lot of hopes tumbling to the ground with a loud crash.

Many participants had expected to hear a much more complex advice – one that they did not know or know very little about.

As for me, the more I thought about that “secret” for success, the more I realized how powerful it was.

I had an “Aha!” moment which continued to grow in its intensity.

Please let me share with you my take on working hard and smart.

Life is fair.

It gives you choices to change your destiny.

Besides choices, you are also given the capacity and ability to work hard and smart so as to level any playing field and win in the game of life.

However, instead of making the right choices and implementing them, many chose to lay blame, justify, and give excuses.

They told themselves stories about why they did not make it and worst, would not make it in life.

They saw themselves as victims rather than potential victors who had the capacity for self-determination and action.

Rather than took responsibility, they threw their destinies to the winds of change.

They looked for entitlements rather than for enhancements to improve their knowledge, attitudes, skills and habits (KASH).

As a result, those negative actions held them back from taking life by the horns.

And prevented them from living out the dreams in their hearts.

Beware of such enticing traps.

Never blame anyone for whatever challenges you are facing. Instead, take charge of the situation.

Don’t justify your fears and failures. Instead, take full responsibility to resolve them and develop yourself so as to fulfil your goals and visions.

Avoid giving excuses for not achieving the desired outcomes. Instead, take massive actions to achieve sustainable success in your life.

Working hard and smart can never put anybody down.

It will expand your potential, enhance your performance, and help you excel in whatever pursuits in your life.

You may neither be the most talented person nor have the right experience nor have the best resources.

However, if you are willing to work hard and smart, you can develop strengths to help you capitalise on opportunities.

With continuous improvements, you will become more productive.

And achieve ever better results with ever less resources.

Eventually, you will stand out from the crowd and lead the field.

Like muscles that need to be stretched to perform well, you need to develop yourself to become more disciplined, knowledgeable and competent.

If you want to become a champion, mix around with champions.

Let their work ethos inspire and influence you to make full use of your life.

If you feel like working hard and smart, do more.

If not, push yourself even harder until working hard and smart becomes a habit and a way of life.

Soon, you will learn to enjoy your work and become more effective and efficient in your performance.

And direct your life towards the desired destination.

Along the way, don’t let anything hold you back from working hard and smart. Fight it with all your might.

Learn to fire up your engines when you get out of bed to start a new day and to start it right.

Press on and keep pressing on to take the right action and in the right way.

Keep striving, stretching and soaring to accomplish better achievements that will help you reach for the stars in your life.

I believe if you stop working hard and smart, you stop living meaningfully.

Taking responsibility to face challenges is our Creator’s mandate for us to manage life.

Therefore, make working hard and smart a vital, integral and fulfilling part of your life – starting from now.

Go4It!

I hope this message will find a place in your heart.

By the way, I have also recorded other reflections.

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Life is FUNtastic!