The Road to Success: 7 Tips From Successful People

By Alvina Bernice Salim on March 17, 2017

Image via Unsplash

When we see successful people, we often wonder, What are their secrets? How do they accomplish such amazing things?

Well, I’ve researched what some successful people have done. So read on and check out their WOWs (Words of Wisdom)!

1. Take action on your dreams

 “Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” — Napoleon Hill

Whether it’s crushes or classes, you won’t achieve your goals just by sitting around. So start working toward what you want right NOW. Or okay, maybe after you finish reading this article!

2. Spoiler alert: it’s okay to fail

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” — Colin Powell

Right on point. Don’t be afraid of failure, because hey, it’s a part of success! So if you fail, get back up. Try, try, and try again till you make it! Perseverance is key to success.

3. Believe in yourself. Be you.

Image via EnkiVillage

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

The first time I read that quote, I was struck by its power. I mean, it’s amazing what people can do when they really believe in themselves.

Take Sylvester Stallone, for example. He was born with a partially paralyzed face and talked with a slur. But he dreamt of becoming an actor! Does any movie company want to hire him? Not at first. He slept for weeks at a bus terminal because he became so broke pursuing his dream. He had to part with his dog, selling it for $50 — the lowest point of his life. Yet he believed in himself. Eventually, he starred in the movie he wrote himself, Rocky, which was a big hit. Plus, the newly successful actor bought his dog back! A happy ending indeed.

Of course, not all of us have that kind of dramatic life story, but you get the point: believe in yourself!

4. Aim high

“You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan

Yup, let’s aim higher than that 324 meter Eiffel Tower, shoot for the far-far away moon, and dream big! Don’t set the bar too low.

If you aim high, say, all A’s in your subjects, you’ll probably get a mix of A’s and B’s. But if you set the bar too low, say, pass all subjects, you’ll risk failing some.

That’s why big goals are important!

5. Get out of your comfort zone

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

Woah, scary but true. We’ve all been forced outside of our comfort zones at some point: being the newbie in a room, or giving a presentation in class. Those moments that elicit butterflies in our stomachs? Nope. Not pleasant.

But if we want to grow and succeed (and who doesn’t?), casting our fears aside is necessary. Plus, when you are fearless, life is more exciting! So try new things: join clubs and organizations in college, take up a leadership position, sign up for a trapeze class … whatever’s challenging!

6. Be curious

“Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.” – Arnold Edinborough

GIF via Pinterest

Travel, ask questions, be genuinely interested in people, and most importantly, read. Read like the noble cat above.

I know, those 357-page school textbooks we’re forced to plow through aren’t a page-turner — they make some of us hate reading. And if you’re one of those people, trust me, you’re missing out a LOT.

All successful people read. In fact, some read books at a crazy rate — like Warren Buffet, who read between 600 and 1,000 pages daily. Wow.

7. The bottom line

Image via 123RF

As professional footballer Pelé puts it:

“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.”

So, to all of us college students, here’s to striving for excellence! Good luck!

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