Many of us were raised with the idea that as long as we worked hard, we’d be sure to succeed. This hasn’t necessarily turned out to be true, however, and countless folks have toiled for decades without the end result or reward that they were hoping for.
Countless factors may contribute to a person’s success, and many of them matter far more than working oneself into the ground. Here are some key factors that can significantly enhance your chances of overall success in life.
1. Diversification of skills and knowledge.
Sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein is famous for his quote about how specialization is for insects, and that humans should have a wide variety of skills and knowledge in differing subjects. Being an immensely capable person can often lead to you getting a “foot in the door”, so to speak, in situations where those with less diversified skill sets wouldn’t get a chance.
Here’s an example for you: I’ve had the opportunity to live and work in several different countries because I’ve been able to wear many hats in various situations. One gig involved horse care and training, stonemasonry, and blacksmithing, while another involved site security, team management, and social media promotion. I highly recommend learning as many different skills, languages, and techniques as possible, in subjects ranging all across the board, as you never know which will come in handy, and when.
2. Adaptability.
If you’ve ever worked with a large group of people, you’ve likely come across those who have balked at doing anything outside their personal wheelhouse. When asked if they’d be available to do something beyond their normal scope, they say that it’s “not their job” or similar.
While it’s important to have strong boundaries so you’re not taken advantage of by others, it’s just as important to be able to adapt to as many different situations as possible. This can include (but is not limited to) being open to doing roles that you weren’t necessarily hired for. If you’re one of the IT guys and you fill in for one of your colleagues to help at a marketing event, you may find yourself promoted to an operations position with twice the pay.
3. A strong understanding of people.
Studying psychology can benefit just about everyone, but it’s particularly helpful when it comes to learning how to read other people. This is because people will show you who they really are via personal “tells” (i.e., microexpressions, body language, certain word choices, etc.), which the average individual might gloss over.
Although it’s important to note that body language can be misinterpreted, when you get better at reading people, you have an innate awareness of who to trust and who to keep at a distance.
This is particularly important when it comes to things like business ventures, or whether to tell others your ideas about what you’re inventing, the story arc of the book you’re writing, and so on. If a person seems to be cool on the outside, but their subtle behaviors indicate a field of red flags, you’ll be able to spot them and protect yourself as need be, whereas others might be taken in by their charms and end up devastated.
4. Fortune (right place, right time).
This one isn’t often something that people can control, but there’s a lot to be said for the role that good fortune plays in personal success — specifically being in just the right place, at the right time.
Although this one might seem like a complete crapshoot, most of the people who have benefited from this type of coincidental good luck tell stories about how they trusted their intuition or instinct, which resulted in good things happening for them. Their inner voice might have prodded them to attend X event, or book a particular seat on a different flight than they originally wanted, which resulted in them meeting just the right person at the right time.
5. Creating and maintaining boundaries.
Hard work isn’t going to help you all that much if you don’t ensure you’re going to benefit properly from it. A perfect example of this is someone creating firm contracts for freelance work so potential clients don’t end up taking advantage of them.
There’s undoubtedly pushback when this happens, but if an individual doesn’t protect themselves with legal boundaries, they can end up being screwed over rather than reaping the rewards from their hard work.
Many people try to seek advantages over others whenever possible, and won’t hesitate to back out of a verbal agreement if it means they’ll benefit from it. With contracts and down payments, they’re invested and legally obligated to carry through on their obligations.
6. Visibility.
This is also referred to as “putting yourself out there”. While hard work is important as part of your success plan as a whole, making connections that’ll help you get where you want to be is even more important. Some of the most successful people around are those who have had doors opened for them by cultivating relationships with people who can help them achieve their goals.
This can start post-high school by getting involved in things like fraternities/sororities or special interest groups, but can also be cultivated socially. For example, if you want to get involved in politics, start doing volunteer work with the party you support. Get to know those in prominent positions, and as you cultivate relationships with them, let them know your goals. Most people are eager to help others succeed, as long as the relationships they have are respectful and reciprocal, rather than solely self-serving.
7. Unyielding focus.
Hard work is important, but what’s more important is when you keep showing up even when you don’t feel like doing so. Persistence, dedication, and an unwavering focus on the goal you’re striving for are the keys to succeeding where others will fail.
This focus is just as relevant to things like skill learning and career development as it is for personal health and fitness. The person who shows up at the gym to train even when they’re tired, when the weather is awful, and when they don’t feel like it at all, is going to get where they want to be much more quickly than the person who only shows up once in a while, when they’re feeling enthusiastic about doing so.
8. Reputation.
You can work yourself to the bone in an attempt to succeed, but if everyone in your life thinks you’re a terrible person, you aren’t going to get anywhere. This is why it’s so important to cultivate a reputation for being a good person who has real honor and integrity: most people care far more about what a person is like — if they’re trustworthy, decent, and honest — than if they have a particular pedigree or education.
This is why it’s not only important to conduct yourself with grace and dignity, but also to take responsibility (and make amends) if and when you mess up. Keep your word, show up when you’ve promised to do so, and you’ll gain a reputation for being a reliable, sincerely good person. That matters far more for your success than simple hard work ever will.
Final thoughts…
If you feel as though you’re putting these things into practice and aren’t succeeding the way you think you should, consider asking trusted people where they feel that you can improve. We all have blind spots, and someone you respect and trust to be honest with you may be able to make helpful suggestions. If they do, try to take it as constructive criticism to build upon rather than black marks on your character. We’re all learning as we go, and there are bound to be some growing pains along the way.
