There is no set formula or path to being successful, everybody will tell you that, but they will all also agree with the fact that hard work and never giving up, is one of the sure paths to success or being successful at anything you do or set your mind to do.

Not everyone goes through rough patches to become successful, some find it a little easier than others. It is not everyone out there that went through trying times or fire to become success stories but make no mistake about it, every success story you hear or read about has lots of false starts, failures, and dedicated hard work behind it. Not every successful person rose from the ghetto or from the streets, but it doesn’t mean it came easy for them or that they didn’t put in work to get to where they are today.

Everyone desires success and to make it to the top but unlike the jungle where survival is mostly about the biggest, fastest and fittest of the species, in life it is not merely a survival of the most privileged, the most intelligent, the smartest, or the fittest but of the most hardworking person who is smart enough to take risks, go the extra mile and do what others might not think or want to do. In life’s street it is the survival of the fittest of the fit.

Like Bob Marley said ” ONLY THE FITTEST OF THE FIT WILL SURVIVE.”

Some desire to be successful but the only hard work they ever put in is with their tongues, when it is wagging, putting others down, bearing false tales or making up stories at the bar or salon. Some know all the juiciest gossips and stories in town. Some have the grandest schemes and plans but are always too lazy to pursue them to fruition or put in the work required to actualize them.

Others have the lock on who is who and what is going down with them at any point in time, but never seem to have the time to reflect on what’s going on in their own lives. They forget that if they spend half the time they do on others on themselves perhaps they will achieve their goal(s) in life. Yet everybody wants to be successful.

Most people measure success in monetary terms, but my definition of success isn’t dictionary certified and am sure most people will agree with me: [SUCCESS is when you are able to eke a living doing what you love, enjoying what you do and being able to impact the lives of others positively with your handiwork or career.]
Of cos several people will beg to differ but remember I said that this is my personal definition because to me everything else revolves around it.

A lot of people assume that because some are privileged to be born into wealth or rich families, that they have an edge over most people and so it is easy for them. This may be true but they conveniently forget that with this comes the added responsibility and pressure of meeting high expectations. They also forget about those who squander their inheritance and family fortune without still being successful, or those who lose their fortune while trying to invest or reinvest it.

Yes they might have that extra privilege of having being cushioned from hard times by having readymade trust funds set up for them or inheritances waiting for them but if they do not work hard they will lose, squander or run through their inheritance in no time.
My point is that even the privileged few who are successful today no matter their career path have had to work really hard to make a name for themselves in their chosen field(s) or to be where they are today.

No one said it will be easy or smooth or that success will even come but as long as you believe in yourself, your gift/talent, your brand, what you do, whatever or whoever you are then you will be a fool for not giving yourself a fighting chance by working hard.

No career, venture or business starts out successful, but with time, effort, calculated risks and plenty of hardwork, it always pays off in the long run. Ambition and perseverance might be overrated sometimes but hard work never goes out of fashion. Remember DREAMS don’t work unless you do.

Finally don’t trust man, trust God and your instincts, give it your best shot and always put your best foot forward and you will be glad you did in the end.

Some people think breaking out and getting noticed or receiving due credit is the difficult part of their career, but until they actually get up there with all the attention and pomp involved, that’s when they realize, that really the most difficult part isn’t getting to the top but staying on top once you get there. The hard part about being successful is staying successful. When you get noticed and become successful that’s when the real work actually begins.