SUCCESS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH REAL HARD WORK
“We are constantly bombarded with increasingly sensational claims to get rich, get fit, get younger, get sexier… all overnight with little effort for only three easy payments of $39.95. These repetitive marketing messages have distorted our sense of what it really takes to succeed. We’ve lost sight of the simple but profound fundamentals of what it takes to be successful” Darren Hardy” Success is achieved through real hard work.
Mr. Hardy says that there is no magic pill, no secret and no short cut to success. Being successful at work, finances, weight loss and family or relationships is earned by putting in real hard freaking work, one day at a time, one decision at a time.
By doing all the mundane, unexciting, frustrating and often defeating tasks every day; like swallowing your pride and apologizing to your spouse instead of going to sleep in the other bedroom; Or taking up the courage to make those extra dreaded business calls late in the evening at the office.
It would be great if we could buy our success, self-esteem, good relationships, and good health at the next supermarket, unfortunately that is not how it works.
THE COMPOUND EFFECT
He talks about 3 friends, who live in the same neighborhood each makes around $ 50,000 a year. They are all married, are healthy with average body weight. Scott decides to make small positive seemingly unnoticeable changes to his lifestyle.
Scott cuts 125 calories from his diet every day, traded his favorite soda for water, started to read 10 pages of self-development books every day, and listens to inspirational audio material on his commute to work every day, walks around the block for 30 minutes daily. He is determined to stick to these changes.
Brad, friend number two makes questionable choices. He recently purchased a large screen tv so that he can watch his favorite cooking programs and even tries out the cheesy casseroles at home- desserts are his favorites.
He adds an alcoholic drink per week to his diet. Friend number 3 Larry does make any changes to his lifestyle. He is doing what he has always been doing.
There is no noticeable difference after 5 months among the three friends. Scott is still reading and listening to motivational material, Larry is still doing the same, and Brad is living life and doing less.
After two years, there is noticeable differences among the friends. Almost 3 years later, the differences are astounding. Scott has a trimmer waistline, by simply removing 125 calories from his diet every day, he has lost a good 33 pounds.
Scott invested almost 1000 hours in himself reading and listening to self-improvement material; he put his newly gained wisdom into practice at work, earning him a promotion and a raise at work. Most of all, Scott’s marriage is thriving.
Meanwhile Brad consumed 125 calories more every day in almost 3 years and gained 33.5 pounds and weighs 67 pounds more than Scott.
The whole situation makes Brad reach for more food, is insecure, withdraws from his wife. His wife takes the withdrawal personally. Brad does not realize that his poor choices are the root of their marital problems, he finds fault with his wife.
Brad does not know how to examine himself, they do not offer self-development lessons on all his favorite cooking programs. The thought would have occurred to him, if he, like Scott had invested in self-development books. Larry is exactly where he was almost 3 years ago, only bitter, blaming the government, high taxes and the weather.
After almost 3 years later, Scott uses the positive nature of the compound effect and Brad gets the negative results of the compound effect. Scott’s success was the result of small, positive consistent choices over time. Brad’s problems are because of the small seemingly insignificant changes he added to his daily routine.
At the time of making choices, the results are invisible. Making positive choices gives nothing immediately. For example, dragging yourself out of bed in the morning and going for a run or the gym.
Setting uncomfortable boundaries for your children; apologizing to your spouse instead of moving into the next bedroom, putting in those few extra hours in the evening, making some dreaded business phone calls. Overtime these will result in good health, good relationships with your children/spouse, promotion at work etc
Making negative choices gives instant pleasure. Choosing to eat a slice of cake, drinking soda every day, gives pleasure. While drinking water gives no pleasure. Smoking two cigarettes just two cigarettes a day & bad shopping habits.
The above can result into weight gain, coronary disease, lung cancer, other lung diseases, not to mention huge debt and bankruptcy. Every choice we make ignites a compound effect over time; either positive or negative.
The reality of it all, we need to be conscious of the choices we make and choices we do not make. One does not have to anything big to go off course, but small unconscious changes in a period of 10-15 years can derail one from their intended goals and land them for example bankruptcy and divorce.
Mr. Hardy “knows” that we are human beings, who are not programmed, it is alright to enjoy a slice of cake every now and then, just remember everything in moderation.
I learnt a lot of great ideas from this book, but this thing blew me away and i am practicing it. Mr. Hardy said that he he writes down something nice about his wife every day for a year. Then he complies everything into a letter, that he gives her on Thanksgiving day.
The first time he did it, his wife cried tears of joy, and said it was the nicest thing anyone had done for her in her life. 4 months earlier, he had gifted her a brand new BMW on her birthday. The beauty of this whole experience is, Mr. Hardy focus on the positive side of his spouse.
WILL POWER vs WHY POWER
What are the bad habits sabotaging our success? What success habits do you need to accomplish your goals? 95% of our habits are completely unconscious. For example, our spending habits, and the way we treat our children/spouses.
Habits usually start out as spiderwebs, with time they become hardened like cables, making it different to break them. Will power does not work, it is why power that can break those habits.
He illustrates this perfectly; your child is stranded on a high rise building, and the only way for you to rescue that child is going across a beam between two buildings. Almost all parents will go over the beam to rescue their child in an instant. Now that is why power.
You need to find your why. Why you need to break those bad habits, to improve your life circumstances. It might be to build a good relationship with your spouse, children or other family members.
It might be financial independence, you might on the verge of cardiovascular disease or pre-diabetic, desire for a nice home, the list is endless. Just find your why.
“When the why gets stronger, the how becomes easier.” Jim Rohn
Knowledge is no longer power, it is what you do with the knowledge you have that counts. This explains why 44% of doctors in the United States are overweight, they know the consequences of being overweight. Do your results prove that you have mastered that knowledge?
TURNING FEAR INTO POTENTIAL
“The key to success is massive failure” Thomas Watson former president IBM. Life is like a pendulum. On one side, is success, happiness, joy etc and other side is fear, rejections, sadness etc.
Push the pendulum on the side of fear, going out there, hustling, pounding that pavement, making those afternoon dreaded sales calls, coming face to face with rejection. Turning fear into fun, releases your full potential. The higher the pendulum swings on the side of fear, the higher it will swing on the side of success.
Mr. Hardy takes it up a notch up, suggest a challenge among your friends, to go out there, and see who gets the most rejections. The person with the most failures get a prize.
Sometimes we are not responsible for what happens to us, be we are responsible for the way we respond to circumstances.
This was really motivational! I like the different examples to show how small steps can lead to big results.
Love this! It’s so easy to underestimate the power of those small everyday choices. There are so many instant gratification aspects to modern life, but everything truly valuable takes time to develop.
Thank you for taking time to visit.
This is super inspiring. Great way to break down how small habits shape our future. Thanks.
Stirring post and it is true that without hard work, you can’t achieve anything and believe me that success has its own taste if achieved by hard work and dedication.
Never thought about this
We learn everyday.
So much truth in this. Enjoyed this post.
There are no shortcuts. Ever. Hardy is right. If we want success, we have to work for it!
Reading this confirmed further for me some things that I had been realizing for myself, like small changes really DO matter with budget or eating. Even blogging! Everything is about gradual changes that make a difference. I loved reading your examples, too. ????
It is all about the attitude. When we encounter failure, its either we wallow and sulk or forget it and more on. Life is full of challenges. Grab every opportunity to make things a little better.
Amen sister
Great little book to read and re-read every now and then. Powerful and full of advice. It’s a good book to start off self-development.
It is a very inspiring post. You have very well highlighted the importance of determination and strong will power to become successful.
Wonderful, insightful post! I made a positive choice to read this.. thank you!
It is a very inspiring poet. You have very well highlighted the importance of determination and strong will power in becoming successful.
Turning fear into potential…..very important for all of us, at some point in time, in our lives!
Inspiring post!
Thank you