We live in times of sheer turmoil. Chasing after the next big thing, hoping we’re good enough, and ultimately feeling like we’re living unfulfilling lives. We’re always shown that we’re husks of human beings devoid of passion, drive, and motivation.
But that is not the case. It is because we want to strive to be better and more successful that we feel so inundated.
Today, let’s take a look at how we can happily pursue success and take back the control of our lives that’s been wrestled away from us.
Find a greater purpose and let it consume you
People who find true, fulfilling success always have a higher purpose in mind. They are not driven by materialistic factors like money, the make of their car, or how big their penthouse is. They want to make an impact on the world and transcend the age-old pattern of being forgotten when they die. These people want to help others, they want to make groundbreaking discoveries, they want to be the next big business strategist, they want to do something new. These are just examples of what a higher purpose can be like.
Obviously, money is important. Without it, you cannot achieve true sustenance and you’ll always be more worried about how you’re going to manage your finances than thinking about your next book. It is how the world is designed. Money is an important side effect of your striving towards your purpose. You derive money out of success, not the other way around.
Bill Gates didn’t do what he did to make money. Microsoft was a byproduct of his love for computer programming and his passion to make better software. The immense amount of intrinsic motivation that he gained from pursuing his purpose, always kept him from being derailed and frustrated.
My purpose is split into the three things I want to be in the future. I want to be a business consultant because I love creating business strategies. I am fully into the process of analyzing data to find proper information, designing new products and services, and optimizing processes. I want to be an author because I find catharsis in expressing myself with words. I want to be a teacher because I want to guide the minds of tomorrow so that they don’t feel as I lost as I did.
Jump into the ocean of uncertainty and fail
Let’s face facts, here. Life is all about making a series of educated guesses. You can have all marketing data in the world that tells you that your new product is going to be a big hit, only for it to crash and burn once it hits the market.
Thing is, when you’re making a decision, there’s always a chance that it will end favorably. There’s never a guarantee. You can always increase your chances by doing your background research, preparing yourself, and jotting down all the possible outcomes.
So why are you so afraid of embracing uncertainty? The worst thing that’ll happen is that you’ll fail. Why is that a bad thing? You’ll know what not to do the next time. If you fail, you might also figure out what can be done to succeed in the second try. All of these increase your chances of getting a favorable outcome. And isn’t that all we’re aiming for at the end of the day?
Instagram took a year’s worth of pivoting, reiterating, and development before it finally clicked with the end consumer. It is a perfect example of how failing fast and often can lead you to unprecedented progress.
Winners and losers are two sides of the same coin. The fundamental difference between them is that winners lose more than losers.
Be more empathetic towards others
People are unkind to something that they don’t understand. Even when that something is a person who exhibits the same emotional responses as they do. This is a line from a fiction piece I wrote but it should speak volumes about how unwilling we are to exercise empathy. It’s like we are allergic to the thought of actually diving deep to explore the emotional workings of a person.
As a marketeer, understanding customers’ wants and needs beyond the swathe of data is crucial.
Why did Apple revolutionize the smartphone? Did they have huge Excel files telling them that they should go for the current iOS homepage layout? No, they actually observed their users go through their software, noticing the small details, and ultimately decided on the best fit for their target segment
Empathy can turn the odds in your favor in sales pitches. Regurgitating a pre-written speech is a stark contrast to having a conversation where you actually listen to the customer. Do the latter, and see the results.
Understanding people can allow your mind to make peace with so many things that frustrate you on a day-to-day basis.
Let loose and go easy on yourself
Whose expectations are you living your life by? Is it truly you who sets the goals? Or is it your social media feed that is brimming with fake versions of people’s lives?
Maybe your idea of success is to have dinner with your family every night. Maybe you want to have enough money to sustain your hobbies. Maybe you just want to be able to take two lavish vacations a year and slowly add new countries to your list. You define your own parameters for success. No one else.
No one HAS to excel in everything that they do. No one HAS to be the next Bill Gates. No one HAS to be a millionaire by age 30. These are all expectations set by people who will probably never even get close to those things.
You are truly successful when you can truly claim that every thing that you do, starting from when you wake up to when you sleep, is because you wanted to do it. Thank you for reading, and I wish you a very fulfilling life.