✏ What Success Looks Like

We live in exciting times — the rapid advancements and the use of technology have evened the playing field for the start-up business vs. the major corporations to market their products and services. No longer are major production crews necessary for commercials, marketing or media. There’s an app for that!

For the aspiring entrepreneur and ambitious leader, anything is possible in today’s world. But what does success look like — really?

“PERCEPTION” OF SUCCESS:

You see them walking from their mansion to their museum garage filled with exotic sports cars, or gingerly pulling up in their Bentley, flat brim cap on with the stickers still on it, at the private airfield next to their G6 for the cameras to catch them shaking the pilot’s hand and boarding their jet for the next adventure in their perfect life.

They look right into the camera and tell you that just one year ago they were just like you, struggling to pay the bills and trying to find a way to capitalize on their marketing talents. Now, they are millionaires, and they want to help you achieve the American dream. Generous of them, right?

Don’t fall victim to an over-saturated market of alluring ads all over social media where everyday people “just like you” can make millions overnight by simply following somebody’s sure-fire formula for success.

Newsflash: the only ones getting rich quick are the ones selling you their books, courses and online programs.

If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be a secret.

But amazingly, people still go deep into their website (and eventually their wallets) to learn more. Each new web page builds your confidence until finally, you’re inspired enough to bet your savings on these snake oil salesmen.

Why do they need to park four Lamborghinis in their driveway and walk past each one while talking? Why not just do the sales pitch in a studio?

They are marketing directly to the millennial who wants to see the material gratification of success. They deliver reinforcement to their audience that they are just as entitled as the next guy to earn easy money, and lots of it.

Even doing that, your odds are approximately 292,000,000 to 1. But hey, somebody’s got to win, right?

Here’s the real winning tip: the reality of being successful lies in one secret that we all have the ability to access at absolutely no cost . . .

HARD WORK

There is no substitute for hard work — it is the foundation of every success story.

THE “REALITY” OF SUCCESS:

Unfortunately the pitch for reality isn’t as exciting as perception, unless you thrive on the challenge of success.

Fortunately, the aspiring and tenured leader completely understands the rules of reality and is willing to invest themselves completely in the process as opposed to a pipe dream.

That investment starts with a strong foundation of integrity and character.

Those two traits alone will carry you through the challenges you face as you gain experience through hard work, sacrifice, overcoming barriers, and experiencing failures, while taking those small steps forward that are absolutely necessary on the journey toward the ultimate pinnacle – earned success.

You earn your stripes along the way as a result of your courage, braveness and abundance of confidence to inspire and empower others to follow your clear vision to achievement.

Success should never correlate itself with riches. True success associates itself directly with your legacy. You are the only person that can write that story, and each page should be filled with adventures, not images of possessions.

Look at it this way, if these overnight success stories were true entrepreneurs, wouldn’t they be savvy investors, as well?  I can’t imagine an infomercial with Warren Buffett or Elon Musk in their vintage t-shirt, jeans and sandals walking down a driveway that looks like a car dealership.

IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!

Leadership is a privilege.

Go do great things today – earn it – and go make a difference.

Venture + Lead + Prosper