Most people Work, some have satisfactory Careers, just a handful identify and pursue their Calling.
“The pursuit and realization of one’s dreams will lead to a lifetime of fulfilment.” – SVC
In order to grasp the full meaning of the quote above, ask someone on their deathbed, or a group of octogenarians what they wish they had done differently. In their response, you will seldom hear; I wish I made more money, had more cars, houses etc., the top answers usually sound similar to…
A) I wish I had followed my dreams, because I could have been Mr. or Mrs. ABC or XYZ in life.
B) I wish I married that woman or man I loved, instead of listening to others.
C) I wish I helped more people.
D) How I wish I didn’t waste time on the stupid things.
E) I wish I went to school instead of skipping and wasting my life at dead end jobs which affected my children, and now my grandchildren.
Some of The Traits of The People We Interview
We love gamechangers, people who accomplish the extraordinary. People who change the world for good. People who have achieved extraordinary success. People who move humanity forward through their art or artistry. People who leave an indelible mark on the world. We are interested in great men and women; who have sacrificed and endured. We admire those who make our jaws drop in awe; with nothing else to say but wow! We love accomplishments that are out of this world. It will always be a privilege to discuss with individuals whose accomplishments inspire the greatness within others. We sort after those whose success and career longevity span multiple decades. We love compelling underdog stories.
How Should Success be Measured?
Since we come from different backgrounds, possess different gifts, possess different levels of access to capital and influence; we believe in the fundamentality of success. Success should not be measured by conventional standards alone; meaning, the accumulation of material items and wealth. Measuring or equating success with monetary standards is inaccurate because everyone started from a different point in life. More importantly; everyone is not playing the game of life by the same set of success metrics. The overwhelming struggles and challenges some people go through should be factored into the equation. Perhaps success should be measured by the level of joy one possesses. Success should be measured by the mountains each person had to climb to get to their current state. If we change the metric we use in measuring success; the people whom you think have it all, will probably be disadvantaged, because they may just be less content. Hence, the fidelity of the saying; “success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” Different strokes for different folks. You could also switch the word success for determination; with that said…
- Success is a family escaping from a war-torn zone or ravaged city to the serenity and tranquility of normalcy.
- Success is a young man or woman graduating university.
- Success is getting your first job and being able to pay your way in life, away from your parents.
- Success is finally publishing that book.
- Success is when that girl you like says yes, after you summon the courage to ask her out.
- Success is beating cancer, coming out of a coma.
- Success is surpassing or shedding off the exact number of pounds in weight from one’s targeted goal.
- Success is mentoring a young man or woman to the achieve their highest potential.
- Winning a gold, silver or bronze medal at the Olympics or any sports tournament is a huge success.
While the points above are all success stories, they should not be trivialized. The feelings emitted by serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins are the same; if one wins $1 or $10 million. However, the pride and joy of achieving something substantial such as a wedding, giving birth to a child, or the purchase of a new home could be higher than winning large sums of money. Wayne Dyer said “if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Be grateful, be appreciative and keep striving. Most importantly, don’t worry about your perceived failures, as they are part of your personal success journey. Given the fact that success means different things to different people, the quote above should suffice for its meaning.
Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship is not limited to creating a technology company. Entrepreneurs are everywhere; they come from different industries and exist in different domains. If done properly; entrepreneurship will be the most difficult endeavor most people will ever engage in. Often, your family may not support you, your spouse may not understand you, and you will often hear why can’t you get a real [JOB] Just Over Broke. What most do not understand is that; entrepreneurs are hardwired just like sculptors, musicians, painters, doctors, dancers and writers are wired. It is in their DNA, that is their calling. Hence, deviating from, or avoiding one’s calling will be antithetical to one’s life and value proposition. As an entrepreneur, or to those who follow their dreams, be prepared to be misunderstood or maligned until success comes. Until the business starts to be profitable and everyone recognizes, appreciates and throws accolades at you, most will not see or appreciate your worth. Today’s household names failed for years. Unfortunately, no one cares, the world only cares about winners, winning and conventional success. “We question all of our beliefs except for those that we truly believe and those that we never think to question” – Orson Scott Card
What are The Secrets of Successful People?
After you’ve acquainted and immersed yourself in this video, you should be able to answer the question in ways that this writeup cannot explain.
Video by MotivationHub