Can Success Be Replicated?
Whether you’re trying to start your own business, learn a new language or become competent at your new job. Success is something we all want and it comes in many facets. But the big question is whether success is something which we can study, apply and finally replicate.
The short answer is Yes and No, success is a complex concept with many nuances and broad definitions.
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It is subjective in many ways. What is successful for one person could be considered as a failure to another. But, I think we can all agree that success is achieving a goal you have set for yourself.
When we generally talk about success we mean something that stretches our ability and pushes us out of our comfort zone to achieve a result with a degree of difficulty.
The more difficult the problem is, the more society will deem you successful. This is because society rewards people greatly for finding solutions to problems others cannot solve or fix.
Steve Jobs is a perfect example of this dilemma, there are countless books encouraging people to follow Steve Jobs’s formula on how to be successful. But what these books fail to comprehend are the blindspots in his life such as his undocumented days spent wandering barefoot in India. Seeing dead bodies scattered around the Ganges river and lepers without limbs begging for food.
These are deeply psychological experiences which shape individuals profoundly, but cannot be measured or articulated in a pedagogical manner.
There are certain principles which can be imitated, however others are impossible to understand let alone imitate.
I will look at some factors which influence success:
Attitude:
Whether we are discussing the conquests of Napolean Bonaparte, the journey of Nelson Mandela or the stoic quests of JD Rockefeller. One common thread connecting all of these unique stories is the attitude of these individuals.
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Despite the hurdles and challenges they faced, there was a resolute mindset which would not bend to the forces of struggle. Attitude is something we are all fully in control of, despite our circumstances. This is something which is available to every single individual regardless of their background.
What separates the mentioned individuals from any other ordinary person is the choice of attitude, do I face the dragon or turn away from fear. Our natural inclinations often chooses the latter.
Consistency:
Elon Musk is the poster child of consistency, he has the ability to consistently maintain his efforts in highly stressful environments, in multiple industries. This is something quite remarkable, but we can take a few notes on the importance of consistency.
Elon shows that consistent effort is “the straw that breaks the camel's back”. You just have to keep going. It’s what the Japanese refer to as “Kaizen” - Continuous improvement.
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A single mindedness attitude towards improvement and never settling for good but always striving for great. This pursuit for consistency is what set Toyota Motor Company apart from other motor industry companies in the late 90’s when they completely dominated the market and threatened the American car industry.
Conditions:
External factors, such as who your parents are, where you were born, or global incidents which change the trajectory of the world play a significant role in success.
It doesn’t matter how great or brilliant Bill Gates was, if he wasn’t born in a free country like USA at a time when computers were accessible to young enthusiasts. He would have never been successful, Imagine if he was born in Afghanistan.
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Conditions are condusive to successful results, a small seed requires fertile soil, rain and sunshine to grow into a huge oak tree. All it takes is a random windy day to blow that seed onto a concrete pavement to wither away into oblivion. Thats the power of conditions.
In Conclusion
Overall there are key tenants which can be followed to achieve success in almost anything one puts their efforts into, but unfortunately there are external forces such as fate or chance. Which we cannot deny play a significant part.
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However without the necessary preparation and effort before the hand of lady luck arrives, nothing will be achieved, In the famous words of Shakespeare who said, “Nothing will come of nothing”
