Second Step To Success

Only 5 percent of the population, in a world filled with opportunities, ever reach the status of being truly financially independent! How can that possibly be? We all have the drive and desire to succeed. Why is it even with a lifetime of learning experiences and hard work, most of us often no better off than when starting out? Why do some people become successful? There are eight basic key elements individuals either utilize or over look that affect their chances of reaching a high level of success or not.

The process of achieving success for every individual is different. Obviously the processes for Bill Gates and Mother Teresa were very, very different. But for both of them, the process was the right one. Your individual values will set the direction you personally take.

Key Element #2 - Non-Conformity

Another reason so few of us succeed is that we go around acting like the 95 percent of the people who are unsuccessful. We conform. Conform to the wrong group, the majority. We learn conformity at an early age. We’re taught by our parents, from childhood, to act like the other children. Our schools teach us to do everything the same. There is no encouragement to break from the group and become an individual.

Then, before long, we’re on our own, practicing what we’ve learned. We became part of social groups that act alike. We get up in the morning, go to work, get together with others of similar interests for some social activity perhaps, have a few drinks, go home, watch TV for a few hours and go to bed. Whatever fits comfortably into our schedule without too much effort is what is usually done. Conforming to the actions of others seems like the thing to do, it is what we were taught.

New businesses open and try to be successful by copying similar businesses. Sure, they change their name and paint their walls a different color but very few are truly different. Then when someone does open a business with a completely new concept, it very often meets with raving success. The pattern begins all over, everyone copying the leader. It never occurrs to some, to be imaginative and different themselves. How many restaurants open every day serving the same basic items as everyone else. And only when a place that’s refreshingly original opens does someone say, “Gee, I should have thought of that.”

And they should have. Because it usually only requires a desire to offer something different. Something that only required thought to conceive. Conformity is a major cause of failure. Non-conformity breeds imagination and creativity and keeps the mind working. Most inventors, self-made millionaires, philosophers and great people of history have been nonconformists. That strong desire not to be like everyone else has driven them to create new ideas and better ways of doing things.

You need to step out of that all-too-familiar circle of comfort to achieve greatness. Or will you be content to work paycheck to paycheck, conforming to the surrounding groups so you don’t standout in a crowd? Will you be content to look back and say, “I should have…” or “I could have… .” Or will you be content to say “I did… !”