“The first million is the hardest.” Berrey, circa 1920
Long before Elon Musk became a household name, he was telling people about his dream of one day going to Mars. Just about everyone ignored his hyperbole. Then he succeeded in launching the first privately manufactured rocket into orbit around earth. Now, he is considered a genius.
Today, Musk’s words capture the ears of millions. He is often quoted.
His success altered the perceptions others had of him.
This was a very commonplace event for the self-made millionaires in my Rich Habits Study. Until my self-made millionaires succeeded, what they did and what they said was virtually ignored or ridiculed by everybody they came into contact with.
When you succeed, you will alter the perceptions of everyone you know – family, friends, co-workers, superiors and casual acquaintances. When you succeed, you have gravitas. You become credible.
Success makes you relevant.
When you’re relevant, it becomes much easier for you to get what you want from others in order to get things done. Success creates positive momentum in your life. It acts like an accelerant, fueling even more future success.
This is why it is so important to never quit on your dreams. When you persevere and finally break through to realize your first success, it’s a game changer. You gain instant credibility and the ears of those around you. You change everyone’s perception of you. And this makes future success so much easier.
The first success is the hardest. There’s no doubt about it. But once you succeed, it gets much easier. Your success magnetizes you, attracting other successful people and money to you. It’s as if you are suddenly accepted into a very exclusive club, whose membership is restricted to other powerful, successful people.
Never quit on your dreams. You only need to succeed once. Success removes the mountains, clears away the potholes, greases the gears and creates a snowball effect that grows and expands your success and it’s byproduct, wealth.
