Think positively
People who have achieved success have something similar in their worldview, lifestyle and behavior. What makes successful people different? The secret of their success is that they are initially focused on achieving the goal. They perceive obstacles along the way as temporary difficulties from which they can gain useful experience.
Successful people have one thing in common: they are positive.
There are many books that promote the development of positive thinking: “Smile before it’s too late!” Alexandra Sviyash, “The Thinking Man” by James Allen, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, “I Can Be Happy” by Louise Hay. They tell the reader the main rules for success in life. They not only contain useful tips, but also exercises that will help you develop the habit of thinking positively.
Put yourself in others' shoes
When Richard interviewed the co-founder of the ice cream company Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Ben Cohen, and asked him what led him to success, Ben replied: “I have a good ability - I always try to put myself in the shoes of our customers and find out what they feel."
The ability to put yourself in the customers' shoes is another critical trait for those who want to succeed. The same idea was voiced by Henry Ford, who said: “If there is a secret in business, it is the ability to listen to the opinions of others and see the world through their eyes as if it were your own.”
* The book “The Big Eight” is provided by the publishing house “Mann, Ivanov and Ferber”
Find something you like
First you need to decide on your goal. Most people go with the flow: they have a certain scheme in their minds (institute, work, pension) in accordance with which they live. Change frightens them. In such conditions, success has nowhere to come from.
Many people are ready to do something they don’t like for decent pay, but this path will lead nowhere. One of the main rules for achieving success is love for your work.
Successful people have principles, the main one of which is loyalty to their goal. It is impossible to achieve success in a business you don’t love.
Ashley Vance - Elon Musk
How did a dreamer, who was interested in space, Jules Verne's books and computers in the 80s, grow into a real genius, whose talent knows no bounds? Elon Musk has become an engineer and entrepreneur of such a level that few can compare with him. His earnings amount to fabulous sums, but his dreaminess has not gone away - he chooses impossible projects and purposefully moves towards their implementation. For some he is an adventurer, for others he is a genius, and for others he is an unceremonious businessman.
One of the best technical journalists of our time, Ashley Vance, tells in his book what he really is. Relatives and friends also took part in writing the history of the formation and development of Musk’s personality. After reading, you will be convinced that any ideas that are completely incredible for most people have the right to the future. And what a great one!
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Be ready to show yourself
If you have a boring job, turn it into an exciting attraction. Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” tells how one girl had to fill out a huge number of monotonous forms every day at work. To make things less boring, she decided to compete with herself. Every day she set herself the task of exceeding the number of forms filled out the day before. As a result, she filled out several times more forms than any other office employee. The work no longer seemed dull to her; the excitement of competition appeared.
Even if your current responsibilities are not related to your aspirations, try to fulfill them to the best of your ability. You never know where it might come in handy.
R. Branson “Business the Virgin style”
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Unusual, bold, outrageous, shocking - this is all about Richard Branson. But the future founder of the Virgin group of companies did not even graduate from college - he was too cramped within the strict rules and conventions.
In the book, he shares his story and the story of creating a £16.5 billion corporation. It also reveals secrets of doing business that no business school will teach you about. So you can safely buy the book as a teaching aid for entrepreneurs.
Set realistic goals
Another thing that distinguishes successful people from everyone else is the ability to look at things objectively and set achievable goals.
Set clear deadlines for obtaining results. You want to lose excess weight. The abstract formulation sounds like this: “I want to lose 10 extra pounds.” A specific goal sounds different: “In 3 months I will lose 10 kilograms.”
The second formulation sounds more convincing. It makes you believe in the reality of achieving results.
Correct goal setting
F. Knight “Shoe Salesman”
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“The man behind the tick” is the name given to the father of the world famous shoe brand. The Nike story begins with $50, borrowed by Phil Knight from his father. Within a year, a young ambitious entrepreneur was able to turn it into $8,000, and today the company’s turnover is 30 billion a year.
Behind these numbers is hard work, boundless self-confidence and the lion's share of luck. Phil Knight tells the story of his creation with love and awe, so that people can be inspired by his example. I advise everyone to read this book, without exception. Even for those who are far from entrepreneurship. After reading, you will look at your favorite sneakers differently and even develop a kind of respect for them.
Exercise
Sometimes your head is so full of everyday worries that there is no strength left for the main goal.
Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way describes an exercise to help organize your thoughts. The exercise is called “Morning Pages”. Its essence is as follows: upon waking up, you need to write 3 pages of handwritten text, write, without thinking, what comes to mind. This “stream of consciousness” allows problems to come out and remain on paper.
Most Morning Pages practitioners report that they remain in good spirits for the rest of the day and are able to concentrate on achieving their goals.
E. Vance “Elon Musk”
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A book about the most daring and ambitious inventor of our time. He brought into reality what most people thought was science fiction, and continues to excite the minds of dreamers around the world.
Naturally, everyone wants to know how the life of a genius proceeded from birth to the present day. The book's author, journalist Ashley Vance, will satisfy your curiosity. The pages of the book contain the most interesting facts from Elon’s life. You will find out how his childhood and school years were, when he created his first startup, how much time he devotes to work and family, and much more. The book is based on exclusive interviews with the genius himself, as well as with his immediate circle.
Keep a success diary
Words on paper acquire magical power: you tell the Universe about your desires and aspirations. Keeping a success journal can be beneficial.
You can use a regular diary. It should be divided into 2 parts: the first will contain short-term goals (up to 1 year) and their gradual implementation, the second will contain those that require more time to complete.
Reviewing records of your own success in achieving your goals is the most powerful incentive to move forward of all!
A success diary will help you achieve your goals
A. Nevins “John Rockefeller”
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John Rockefeller is one of the most influential and wealthy people of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His personality is very contradictory and multifaceted. Allan Nevins described the life story of the oil tycoon honestly and impartially, so that readers can form their own opinion about this man. It included bribes, the ruin of competitors, and many other aspects that characterize the era of wild capitalism.
This book is not only about the first dollar billionaire, but also about the emergence of the American oil industry at the end of the 19th century. It will be of interest to all history buffs.
Take care of your surroundings
The support and understanding of loved ones is extremely important on the path to achieving your goal. You need to surround yourself with people you can trust.
Do not get involved with those who promise to quickly achieve what you want in a short time. The secrets of the vast majority of successful people are simple: a measured life, in which at least a little time is devoted to what you love every day, and movement forward.
The key to success is patience and perseverance.
The environment should consist of people you can trust
W. Isaacson “Steve Jobs”
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It's hard to imagine what our world would be like today if it weren't for the great and powerful Steve Jobs. He made a real revolution in the field of digital technology and forever immortalized his name in history.
The book is written based on his numerous interviews, as well as stories from close people, colleagues, and rivals. It will not only introduce you to the biography of the co-founder of Apple, but will also help you understand the philosophy of one of the greatest people of the current century. It contains Jobs' frank statements reflecting his views on the phenomena of the modern world and historical facts.
Have your own opinion
Don't be afraid of what people will say. There will always be someone who claims that our dreams, plans and aspirations are meaningless and unattainable.
At the very beginning of his career, Stephen King received so many refusals to publish his works that he even got a special nail on which he would string rejection letters. The number of letters grew, but King did not give up, he continued to write. Now Stephen King is a successful and sought-after author, the generally recognized king of the horror genre, having published more than 50 novels and 200 short stories.
Walt Disney was fired from the newspaper "due to lack of imagination and good ideas." If he had lost heart, we would never have seen any of his wonderful cartoons.
Ability to overcome self-doubt
There is not a single person in the world who would start doing something and not be periodically overcome by self-doubt. But doubts are different. For some people they make them stop and quit, but for others it is no problem. So, Nicole Kidman says that she is constantly tormented by doubts: “On the set, I sometimes have attacks of self-doubt, and then I take a list of actresses who would cope with the role better than me, and start following the director with this list. But then I pull myself together, calm down and continue playing.” Golf star Tiger Woods also says: “Before every competition I get nervous. But every time I pull myself together and say: “You’ve done this a thousand times already.” You can do this too.’”
Article on the topic
Not just “well done.” How to teach a child to be successful?
Golden rules of success
There are no clear recommendations on whether there are rules for a successful person, and no one can give you guarantees of achieving success. But if you follow a few important points, you can significantly increase your chances of winning. In a sense, these are the rules leading to a successful life:
- Take responsibility for your own life and actions. Many people tend to blame anyone for their failures: family, friends, environment, living conditions, but not themselves.
- Believe in your success. Many of those who begin to move towards their goals experience difficulties. This is completely normal; changes in life come with discomfort. This scares some people and they leave the race. Don't lose your goals! Perseverance, constancy, faith - these are the rules of unconditional success.
- There are no easy paths to success. It just seems that someone gets everything without making any effort. There are no uniform rules for achieving success. The main secret is this: success is achieved through long and painstaking work.
- Make sure you always look neat. Wrinkled clothes or dirty shoes can greatly spoil the impression.
- Don't borrow money. There is always the possibility of failure.
- Don't complain about the injustice of life.
- Take action! The easiest way is to stay where you are now. Without action, you will not become more successful or richer. Any experience, even a bad one, can benefit your future business.
- Don't be afraid to lose! There are no victories without defeats. The rules of successful people say: failures make us move on. Confucius said: “The greatest glory lies not in never making a mistake, but in being able to rise every time you fall.” Michael Jordan has experienced a lot of failures. Hundreds of times he missed the decisive shot. “I fail day after day. That’s why I’m a champion!”
- Every day take at least a small step towards your goal.
- Get out of your comfort zone. This is a kind of challenge. It is much easier and safer to do nothing. No one will tell you the secret of how you can instantly achieve what you want without making any effort, will not draw up a detailed action plan for you to achieve your goals, and will not tell you the rules for achieving one hundred percent success. No one guarantees an easy and carefree life.
The key to success is determination, hard work, perseverance and unshakable self-confidence.
The road appears under the steps of the walker.
B. Yeats “Enzo Ferrari”
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Enzo Ferrari is a unique man. Without being an engineer and without having assembled a single car in his life, he was able to build an empire that has no equal in the whole world. His name is synonymous with luxury, reliability and speed.
The life story of the Italian businessman is shrouded in secrets and mysteries. It is known that he was a rather tough and uncompromising leader, but at the same time he managed to be known as a sentimental person. The book will lift the veil of secrecy on his personality and introduce you closer to the icon of the racing world.
Read more
Regardless of life circumstances, each of us has access to books - the favorite educational resource of Bill Gates, the richest man on Earth. It's a cost-effective and incredibly effective way to increase your knowledge of anything.
Winston Churchill read biographical, historical, philosophical and economic works for several hours a day. Theodore Roosevelt read one book on days when he was busy, and two or three books on days off from work.
Mark Cuban reads more than three hours a day. Billionaire David Rubenstein reads six books a week. Elon Musk read two books every day when he was young. And Disney CEO Bob Iger wakes up at 4:30 every morning to read. And this list can go on for a long time.
Reading improves memory, increases empathy, and reduces stress, helping us achieve our goals.
Avoid any thoughts that weaken you
Usually, resentment is a feeling that manifests itself in relation to an external source. But it is also very important to rid yourself of any internal feelings that prevent you from developing as a person. Never allow yourself to feel that you are too weak, not smart enough, or unable to become what you want to become. You must play to your strengths and they must be your focus. It is important to understand the difference between a weakness that you want to overcome and a weakness that you consider insurmountable. There is a big difference between them, one approach is positive and the other is negative. Don't dwell on thoughts that make you feel like you are not who you are or aspire to be.
They value who they are
I truly believe that each of us has our own unique talent: the type of work and thinking that we are best at. The most successful people know their strengths well—they value it in themselves, and they strive to use it every day.
How to: If you're not sure what kind of genius you have, this article may help you identify it. Remind yourself of it every day and then tell yourself, “I value who I am and the value I bring to the world.” Do this at least twice a day, every day for two months. You'll quickly see how amazing it feels.
They care about their health
Finally, remember that success is not just your job; success is about you as a whole person. It will be difficult for you to thrive if your health and wellness takes a backseat.
How to: Most of the advice you've heard before, but it's still worth repeating: Sleep well (I love Michael Breus's newsletter, which shares tips and products to help you sleep better). Train several times a week. And if you haven't already, develop a meditation practice for yourself. Download an app, hire a meditation coach, find a meditation center, or book at least 15 minutes into your schedule to pause and focus on your breathing. Do this for at least 30 days and before you know it, meditation will become an element of your life that you cannot live without.
B. Alexandrov “Cheese”
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Our native country also has its own talented entrepreneurs, whom it would not hurt to get to know better. One of them is Boris Alexandrov. He owns the Rostagroexport company, the largest producer of glazed curds.
The entrepreneurial streak awoke in him back in Soviet times, when private business was banned. He even had to serve three years in prison for illegal business. But this did not stop Boris from realizing his dream years later. In general, read it and find out for yourself. The story is interesting and revealing, with a unique Russian flavor.
They actively care about their career happiness
We all feel stuck or unhappy at work from time to time - or have a sneaking suspicion that something isn't working. But successful people don't let this paralyze them. They get curious, they start looking for data, and they take action.
How to: Start by keeping a record (in any app or even on a piece of paper) that helps you measure aspects of your professional life, such as how often you're in the flow and doing work that matters to you. Do this for a month and you will be able to clearly identify what is involved in your work and what is not. You'll have the data you need to become more active in your career, whether that means spending less time on tasks you don't enjoy or looking for a new role altogether.
Act as if you are already “there”
Have you ever seen how an Olympic athlete or a high-level professional trains? They perform the same movements as if they had won, even to the point where they stand on a fictitious podium and accept a medal or trophy. They do this because they know that if you really want something to happen, you first need to visualize it very clearly. This vision should be so clear that it should not raise any doubts. Learn this and act as if you have already achieved your goal. How would you behave if you achieved something that you have wanted to do for a very long time? Think about how it could be and it will become a reality.
They develop self-confidence
There are many misconceptions about self-confidence. Many people think that you are either born with it or you are not. This is simply not true. Confidence is a skill, and people who have a lot of it tend to have worked hard over a long period of time to develop it.
How to build: pay attention to the negative messages you tell yourself. Do you compare yourself to your colleagues or beat yourself up after a difficult conversation? See if you can just notice this thought process over the course of a week or so. Once you've gotten used to noticing, tell yourself a different, more positive message, such as, “I'm just as talented as my peers,” or “Everyone makes mistakes. I need to learn from this and move on."
They educate themselves
Even the most successful people I know are never satisfied with the status quo. They are constantly learning and looking for ways to grow.
How to work it out: With the abundance of information at our fingertips, it's easy. Brainstorm skills you'd like to hone or subjects you'd like to learn more about, and find books, videos, or courses that will take your expertise to the next level. The hardest part is sticking to these goals, but try to have fun with it by learning one skill a month and rewarding yourself for learning it.
