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“Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life. Think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.” Swami Vivekananda
The secret to success is to focus on one thing and never, ever quit. When you single-mindedly focus on one thing, you eventually become an expert in that one thing.
Persistence, for most of the self-made millionaires in my Rich Habits Study, was a byproduct of the clear vision they created for the future they desired. You achieve clarity through a process I call Dream-Setting. Once you have clarity, passion, focus, good habits and persistence follow.
In my Rich Habits Study it took the average self-made millionaire between 12-32 years, depending upon their Path to Wealth, to accumulate an average of between $3.3-$7.4 million.
Most, however, do not become wealthy. Less than 5% achieve self-made millionaire status.
What’s worse, the vast majority struggle with poverty, or are one paycheck away from poverty.
Why?
Those who struggled financially in my study did not have a clear vision of who or what they wanted to be in the future. And without clarity, single-minded focus, passion, success habits and persistence are unattainable.
Because unsuccessful people lack clarity, they easily succumb to something I call Bright Shiny Object Syndrome – always in pursuit of something new.
Those suffering from Bright Shiny Object Syndrome are unable to devote themselves to one thing for many years, if that one thing does not immediately pay dividends. Because they lack clarity, they eventually lose interest and then begin looking for something else. They take their focus off what they were doing and seek out something else to do.
Those who suffer from this malady never achieve any success. They are too busy shifting their focus from one thing to the next thing.
Since I discovered this Bright Shiny Object Poor Habit, I now see this happening all the time. My eyes are now wide open. I see individuals I know, some of whom I’ve even worked with, who go all in on an initiative for a year, maybe even two years, and then quit, when success is not immediate.
Unfortunately, Bright Shiny Object Syndrome is the rule, not the exception.
If you want to succeed in life, you must have a clear vision of who and what you want to be. That clarity will infuse you with passion, focus and force you to adopt habits that allow you to automate persistence.
Get clarity on who and what you want to be. That clarity will infuse you with passion and force you to adopt success habits that will create the persistence you need in order to succeed and become wealthy.
Great article. I think it couples well with your article about pivoting.
Especially loved “ If you want to succeed in life, you must have a clear vision of who and what you want to be. That clarity will infuse you with passion, focus and force you to adopt habits that allow you to automate persistence.”! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Great !
This is so timely to what I’ve been wrestling with today. Great reminder.
I agree and have learnt the veracity of your words from experience. The trick is to have a passion: something of which the vast majority of people are totally devoid. They shuffle along like so many coolies staring at screens, bumping into each other along the road to oblivion.