Do you know what the difference is between the ‘successful’ people from everyone else?
I have made it an obsession to study those who have ‘made it’. And to work with coaches and mentors who have excelled in their industry.
The innovators, the game changers, the entrep
reneurs who seem to ‘have it all’ and ‘figured it out’. They have built successful businesses, risen to the top of their career ranks and designed a life they want to live.
The two keys to this success are simple: It's consistency and patience.
Not very sexy, I know.
You have to be consistent in your actions (which means no excuses allowed) and patient enough to wait for the results to appear.
You have to be consistent with your job, the workout, your relationships, your clients, your study – in order to achieve the excellence you desire.
It’s not just down to one email, one action or one conversation or one workout. It’s showing up, even when :
- You only had 4 hours sleep last night
-Someone you love isn't well and you need to be close to them
-When you don’t feel like showing up because you aren’t seeing results
-When you don’t feel like your work or effort is being acknowledged
-When you don’t see the results you were so sure you’d have by now
Consistency and patience – in the face of all of these things – is what gets you to the mountain top.
You don’t hear excuses from the icons – you hear decisions. They decided to start that business, go for that job, have that tough conversation, get up at 5am for the workout, knock on another door after being rejected again.
Before I made it to my ‘dream job’ at the BBC, I had worked in TV for 7 years in news, but had knocked on many doors that didn’t open for me. People saw
my success, but they didn’t see the rejection I had faced getting to those places.
People don’t want to hear this. They prefer the ‘overnight success stories’ or to hold people to a different level and think ‘they were so lucky, they were chosen, they had that something different…’.
The truth is, all that person did was make a decision - every day, to keep going for that goal and not give up – no matter what. It's not the most brilliant people who make it to the top, it's the most consistent ones.
So, what’s your decision today? Because all the ‘feel-good’ talk means nothing if it’s not backed up with daily action. And if you aren’t patient enough to stick it out until the results arrive, then you’ll never live the life on your terms that is ultimately meant for you.
Whatever you are striving for right now – just be consistent and be patient.
And you can’t fail.