Success

“Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. But if you’re not frightened by these things, the opportunities are just as great today as they ever were.” - David Rockefeller

This is a 4-part series that was originally posted on LinkedIn. Success is a complicated topic and I explore various aspects of it here. All the images depict Canadians of Aboriginal descent including peoples from the Ojibwe, Mohawk, Inuit, and Métis bands.

-Igor Ristevski

The Definition

When you think of success what comes to mind?

Do the following words resonate:

→ Accomplishment

→ Status

→ Freedom

→ Wealth

→ Happiness

Perhaps some of these words do.

But how do you know if you are successful?

Is there an objective standard or are you comparing yourself to others?

If there is an objective standard for success, it is likely impacted by cultural factors. In very wealthy cities success could be defined by earning $1,000,000 per month. But that seems out of reach for many people and it narrows down the number of successful people to an elite.

And if you compare yourself to others, not only do you run the risk of making yourself feel inadequate, but do you really want what they have?

One view is that we define our own success. I believe there is some truth in that because we each have unique values.

When you start to listen to what you want and not what society, your family, or your rivals tell you you should want, you are more likely to achieve success on your own terms.

When we feel we are not influenced by others to achieve, we are more likely to exert more effort and take more risks.

Success is not possible without effort or risk-taking. It doesn't just happen on its own. Think about what success means to you and only you.

Risk

How much risk should you take if you want to be successful in whatever you do?

It's a fine balance between being responsible and pushing the envelope just enough to make an impact.

If you are in the creative space, innovation doesn't happen without taking some risks. You can compile all the data that you want about your customers but if you truly have something innovative, your customers don't know they need it (yet).

But what about responsibility?

Allocate your resources - your time, labour, and money - wisely, just like you would do with anything else but leave yourself some space to experiment and to "gamble" just a bit with new opportunities.

It's these small "gambles" that pay off.

But like any gambling activity, you should be responsible enough to know when to stop.

But what if you don't know when to stop?

Ask for help.

A trusted business partner, a mentor, or a coach. Any of these could do.

The next time you have a wild idea for a product or service, ask yourself, "Could there be something to this? Could this risk I'm taking lead to the success I want to see for myself?"

Resilience

Hard work is a key ingredient to success but hard work is meaningless without resilience.

If you are aiming for an ambitious goal and you want to be successful, you will encounter the following:

→Unexpected setbacks

→Self-doubt

→Low progress

→Frustration

→Failure

You could be the hardest worker in the world but if you are not very resilient, even the slightest setback could result in you abandoning your ambitious goal and ultimately abandoning your chance of success.

So, how do you build resilience?

The first thing you can do is accept that you will not do everything perfectly and will make even the most obvious mistakes.

Practicing forms of self-forgiveness are good coping mechanisms. End each of these exercises on a hopeful and positive note.

You can also view every negative outcome as a learning opportunity. This helps set a positive mindset and mitigates similar future mistakes.

One thing to remember is that self-pity and pessimism erode your resilience and your chances of success.

The next time you feel that dark urge, recognize it and shift into a positive and growth mindset, embracing the challenge as a learning opportunity.

With enough practice, you'll be able to withstand almost anything and continue to work diligently towards your ambitious goal.

You Deserve Success

Do you want success? Do you deserve it?

I hope you said yes because many people don't feel they deserve it.

Have you ever said any of these things to yourself:

→This is too hard.

→I don't think I can do it.

→I feel like a fraud.

→What's so special about me?

If so, good! You are pretty humble.

But you may need to work a little bit on your self-worth.

Part of that inner work is giving yourself permission to be successful.

Success comes in many shapes and sizes and people from all walks of life can experience it.

Whatever part of yourself you dislike (and we all dislike certain parts of ourselves) has no bearing on your success.

I have met extremely successful people who came from horrible life circumstances and persevered and built a great life for themselves.

What they had in common was they accepted themselves and realized they were worthy of something better.

And so are you.

P.S. The man in the picture is a Canadian man of Métis descent. He has both indigenous and European ancestry and he is wearing a Métis sash over his suit.

What stuck out for you from this series? What will you take with you? I'd love to hear your insights, so please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and send me a DM by clicking here.

-Igor Ristevski