Exposed! 8 Lies the World Wants You to Believe About Success
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” ~Albert Schweitzer
That Schweitzer quote pretty much sums up my feelings about success. And most likely, you already have many of your own beliefs and notions about success.
But would you believe me if I told you that some of them are wrong?
And it turns out that inaccurate beliefs can lead to taking inappropriate actions or prevent you from taking any action at all!
It’s not the things you don’t know that hurt you. It’s the things you believe are true that aren’t! If your ideas about success are faulty, success is much more elusive.
7 Lies the World Tells You About Success
There are many common misconceptions regarding success – blatant lies the world expects you to believe.
Lie #1. There is only one type of person who becomes successful.
One of the biggest lies the tells us about success is that successful people have a certain type of personality.
Let’s examine that theory, shall we?
Bill Gates is considered introverted, but not shy. Barack Obama is often described as very aloof. Of course, there many successful extroverts as well. Whatever personality type you have, you can rest assured that it’s more than enough to reach a high level of success.
Lie #2. Money is the root of all evil, and it will turn you into an evil person.
Lie #2? Money changes a person. Money has never changed anyone. Money only provides the opportunity to act on your impulses. With money, all the things you daydream about buying and doing are finally possible. Money only shines a light on the truth.
One must be intelligent to be successful. Actually, the opposite may be true. While there are many examples of brilliant people attaining high levels of success, there are even more examples of those with ordinary intellect being just as successful.
Consistency and determination are far more important than intelligence when it comes to success.
Lie #3. Success means doing something that’s never been done before.
Though you might not believe it, the truth is that it’s not really necessary to have an original idea. You don’t have to invent the next Facebook or Microsoft to achieve success. It’s possible to be successful by marginally improving upon the work and ideas of others.
Lie #4. Workhorses are the only ones who succeed.
Just outworking the competition is often enough to guarantee success.
It takes a lot of time to become and stay successful. We all have the same 24 hours each day. The question is, “Are you spending your 24 hours as effectively as possible?”
You know what I always say? Work smarter – not harder.
Focusing on the most relevant tasks each day will decrease the amount of time you must work. Most people avoid the most pertinent tasks, because they aren’t enjoyable.
Lie #5. It’s lonely at the top.
A lot of people say success is lonely. Do you imagine yourself sitting home alone because of becoming successful? Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s true there are fewer successful people than unsuccessful. However, you’ll have far more business and social opportunities because of your success.
Lie #6. You gotta get lucky to be successful.
Luck is an important component of success. It’s true that many successful people have also been extremely lucky at times. However, the only way to be lucky is to give yourself numerous opportunities to be lucky. The more work you do, the better your odds of being lucky occasionally.
Luck is nice, but hardly mandatory. You don’t need it.
Lie #7. You gotta have it handed to you (or accidentally stumbled into it).
Here’s another fun success lie. “The most successful people had an easy time. “
Truth? You’d be shocked by the adversity faced by many of the most successful people to walk the Earth. Many successful people started in the most disadvantageous situations and faced incredible obstacles.
The difference is that most of us would’ve quit 100 times. The successful person kept moving forward.
Lie #8. You need willpower of steel.
It’s important to have a lot of willpower to achieve success, according to the success liars.
In reality, willpower is in short supply unless your life is at stake. Willpower is useful during the early stages of developing new habits. After a habit is formed, willpower isn’t necessary. How much willpower do you need to brush your teeth each day?
How many of these misconceptions did you believe? Have you changed your mind? What do you believe now?
You might also want to read my book, 127 Powerfully Simple Life Makeover Hacks: Easy Ways to Empower Yourself and Improve Your Life in 30 Days or Less. (See that one and most of my other current titles at BooksAngieWrote.com.)
Having an accurate representation of success dramatically increases your odds. Embrace the truth and you can expect to achieve a new level of success in any endeavor.
Hey! Before you go – tell me what you think in the comments.
