Jim
Rohn penned “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural
consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”
Success is not complicated as many would think. But like
financially illiterate individuals can’t understand how to become wealthy, or
health-illiterate individuals can’t understand how to live well, success can
look impossible to achieve. But true is, success is within your grasp. It is
possible. It is available, to every person, at this moment. Right now, you can
make a decision to become a student of success. You can start on a journey that
will take you to a future where everything you want is possible.
The principles to get there aren’t easy, but they are simple. So if you want success as badly #BensonAdima, I mean lasting success in your life — the kind of success that will be the foundation for your life’s legacy — you need to trade the part of these guiding belief:
The principles to get there aren’t easy, but they are simple. So if you want success as badly #BensonAdima, I mean lasting success in your life — the kind of success that will be the foundation for your life’s legacy — you need to trade the part of these guiding belief:
 |
| The Obstacle is the Way....... |
1. Most People Will Never Be Successful.
Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. The mediocre often wish it were easier; while strong able and alert men wish they were better.
Though nobody have the monopoly of success, most people never will. This is because when it comes down to the final word, most people will choose comfort over growth. Ultimately, they see the price for true success and say, “no thanks.” This is one of the most important characteristics of the “mediocre majority” — they are not ready to trade comfort and stability for the pain of wild growth. You need to know that success will costs you. To reach higher function, you must be willing to become a child again, to learn and grow in new avenues. You must constantly be willing to become a small fish in a big pond again. Most people simply aren’t willing.
The simple truth is, everyone could become what they want. It is a choice that is available at all times. Yet, most people never take it. In the words of Warren Buffet: “That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will do it.” The choice to become 100% financially independent is since yesterday, but most people won’t take it. Most probably because each of these avenues has a high cost. They require you to change your life. To shed old habits and adopt new ones. To sever ties with toxic individuals. To admit “I don’t know.” Benjamin Hardy put it this way: “Anything is possible if you are willing to pay the price.” Many people make these decisions every day, and change the trajectory of their lives, and their family’s lives, forever. But many, many more people never make this choice.
They continue to live in ordinary, average lives, just like everyone else around them. Think on this while I leave you with a question in the words of Seth Godin: “Is there a difference between ‘average’ and ‘mediocre?’ Not so much.”
2. Evolving is Painful.
That’s Why Most People Don’t Do It.
“Arrogant or critical people are often
people with low self-esteem who are afraid of taking risks. That’s because if
you learn something new, then you are required to make mistakes in order to
fully understand what you have learned.” - Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad Poor Dad Crooner
Evolving is painful. Becoming a better version of yourself requires time, energy, humility, and study. Evolving means constantly becoming a child again. You must become a young, teachable student again, over and over. You must constantly be admitting, “I don’t know.” There is so much you don’t know that will be revealed to you over the course of your studies and self-discovery. And the most helpful way to “grease the wheels” of this journey is to remain humble and open to correction and teaching. But we have a problem today, what is it? Arrogant or critical people with low self-esteem who are afraid of taking risks. Instead of humbly admitting they don’t know everything and gratefully accepting wisdom and teaching from experts, they choose pride and stagnation over humility and massive growth. The worst thing you can do is insist you already know everything.
Evolving is painful (for emphasis). Most people simply choose not to do it. But once you decide to become someone who is open to correction and teaching, you become an unstoppable force. If you shift your mind-set into being an open, thirsty mind that is hungry for knowledge (and humble enough to accept correction), you’ll become more capable than 90% of the population to achieve massive success. Every next level of your life will demand a different you. What got you here won’t get you there. Mastering success means mastering the art of constantly becoming a better version of yourself. This is done through slow, deliberate choices, and is sped-up exponentially through being humble enough to accept correction and teaching.
Evolving is painful. Becoming a better version of yourself requires time, energy, humility, and study. Evolving means constantly becoming a child again. You must become a young, teachable student again, over and over. You must constantly be admitting, “I don’t know.” There is so much you don’t know that will be revealed to you over the course of your studies and self-discovery. And the most helpful way to “grease the wheels” of this journey is to remain humble and open to correction and teaching. But we have a problem today, what is it? Arrogant or critical people with low self-esteem who are afraid of taking risks. Instead of humbly admitting they don’t know everything and gratefully accepting wisdom and teaching from experts, they choose pride and stagnation over humility and massive growth. The worst thing you can do is insist you already know everything.
Evolving is painful (for emphasis). Most people simply choose not to do it. But once you decide to become someone who is open to correction and teaching, you become an unstoppable force. If you shift your mind-set into being an open, thirsty mind that is hungry for knowledge (and humble enough to accept correction), you’ll become more capable than 90% of the population to achieve massive success. Every next level of your life will demand a different you. What got you here won’t get you there. Mastering success means mastering the art of constantly becoming a better version of yourself. This is done through slow, deliberate choices, and is sped-up exponentially through being humble enough to accept correction and teaching.
3. The Obstacle is the Way.
Within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition
and within every problem is a seed of his own solution.
The ancient Stoic philosophers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus all ascribed to learning how to turn challenges into triumphs. Aurelius had to deal with problems you and I don’t typically face — assassination attempts, betrayals by his top advisors, and the incessant efforts of his enemies to overthrow Rome. What he learned through all of this was not to run from problems; in fact, they are exactly where you should go. It is through solving difficult problems and overcoming frustration and fear that allows you to develop patience, poise, and peace in the most dire of circumstances.
The ancient Stoic philosophers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus all ascribed to learning how to turn challenges into triumphs. Aurelius had to deal with problems you and I don’t typically face — assassination attempts, betrayals by his top advisors, and the incessant efforts of his enemies to overthrow Rome. What he learned through all of this was not to run from problems; in fact, they are exactly where you should go. It is through solving difficult problems and overcoming frustration and fear that allows you to develop patience, poise, and peace in the most dire of circumstances.
The Christian Bible wrote “…..but we glory
in tribulations…knowing that tribulation work patience; and patience
experience; and experience, hope: And such hope never disappoints…… ” – Roman 5: 4-5.
Listen up, solving these obstacles directly (instead of running away) is exactly how to become a stronger, faster, smarter, and more poised person. Becoming successful often means an entire transformation in many parts of your life. The relationships, finances, health, and personal habits of successful people often look radically different from the average person’s. This change is difficult. Evolving is painful, so most people don’t do it. But for those who truly desire to become successful, the obstacle — fear of rejection, frustration, setbacks, anger, impatience…This is exactly where I need to focus my efforts. I don’t know about you but if you are going in for a long haul you must make this a priority.
Listen up, solving these obstacles directly (instead of running away) is exactly how to become a stronger, faster, smarter, and more poised person. Becoming successful often means an entire transformation in many parts of your life. The relationships, finances, health, and personal habits of successful people often look radically different from the average person’s. This change is difficult. Evolving is painful, so most people don’t do it. But for those who truly desire to become successful, the obstacle — fear of rejection, frustration, setbacks, anger, impatience…This is exactly where I need to focus my efforts. I don’t know about you but if you are going in for a long haul you must make this a priority.
 |
4. Growth and Comfort Cannot
Co-Exist.
With Abraham Maslow, American psychologist, “You can either step forward into growth, or backwards into security.” I quickly explain what he mean: Growth means learning. It means working, doing, creating, resisting, failing. Comfort means safety. It means stability, protection, pleasure, and feeling good. Growth cannot happen as long as you choose comfort over learning. Growth and evolution are incubated in pain and discomfort. Most people choose comfort over pain, and so remain in average, mediocre lives. If you want to succeed and experience true, lasting success, you need to know that all the necessary growth and evolution you must experience cannot happen while you’re comfortable. There is so much you need to know and need to learn. The path to success is paved with obstacles that can only be overcome by reading books, gaining mentors, failing and trying again, and learning from your mistakes and failures. These cannot happen if you continue to mindless numb yourself through TV and drugs, sleep in longer than you should, or cling to what is “easy” instead of what is “challenging.”
For emphasis! Growth and comfort cannot co-exist. If you want to become a new, better, healthier, richer, stronger, smarter person, it cannot be achieved while you choose comfort over growth. Have you heard of the five-hour rule? This rule has you set aside an hour every day for practice or learning. For most successful people, the five-hour rule falls into three applications: reading, reflection, and experimentation. I was listening to Jack ma in 2018 World Economic Forum, he said “I think a lot, peck with food and don’t sleep a lot”.
To Be Continued!
