Why is it that some people start with nothing, and make something remarkable of themselves, while others seemingly start with everything and yet amount to nothing?
There are a myriad of successful people, the veritable rags-to-riches stories that fill us with so much hope. If they can do it, so can I, we think.
But what is it that they do, and how can we replicate that success?
Not everyone who finds untold wealth starts a tech company from their garage, or hosts popular daytime TV shows. Very few run media companies, or airlines, or launch rocket ships into orbit.
Those super successful don’t share gender, age, race, or even personality traits. And while there are a few viable answers, undoubtedly one of the most important is a strategy that everyone can employ.
Hit the Pause Button
In today’s always-on world, there is no escape from the emails, messages, likes, shares, and all other manner of communication. And each of those pings and dings sets off a little chemical reaction inside of us. It thrills and it kills. And best of all, it’s always there, right in arms reach.
That dopamine buzz is instant, and it’s constant. We are forever rewarding ourselves right after performing any form of action. We share our ideas, or our good deeds on social media, and immediately we are rewarded for whatever it is that we’ve just done.
That kind of immediate gratification is as intoxicating as it is lethal. It’s completely crippling our dreams, and our plans to do better.
Hit the gym, and look for those shredded abs a day later. Save (invest) a couple dollars, and look for those killer returns at the end of the week. Do something nice for a friend or loved one, and expect an immediate boost in our relationships.
But the super successful have long since learned that to become wealthy, to live a rich, full life, we need to slow down.
Killer returns don’t happen overnight. Getting ripped takes hundreds of hours in the gym and on the track. And relationships are like trees, they need constant nurturing for months, maybe even years, before they’re ready to bloom and produce fruits.
Have Faith
Oxford Dictionaries defines faith as having complete confidence in something.
Today, take a page from society's elites’ playbook; have faith. Believe that by saving and investing today, that sometime in the future those dividends will start paying you back. Invest in your health; both your mind and your body, and trust that they will continue to serve you well for many years to come. Nurture the seeds of love and friendship (and maybe plant a few more), for those relationships will produce the most beautiful flowers, the most delicious fruits of your labour, if only you pour enough of yourself into them first.
Delay looking for the rewards of your efforts just a little longer than everyone else. For the longer you let your efforts steep, the stronger, more powerful those rewards will eventually be.
The longer you stick to your action plan of investing; through money, time, and energy, into the things you believe in, the greater your rewards. You just need to have a little faith that your efforts will pay off, even when you can’t see the immediate payoff from your actions.