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Last Updated on 2015-10-07 by Kassandra
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Based on your history, background, social circles, education and a slew of other factors, you already have many beliefs and notions about success.
Many of them are wrong. (Yeah, you heard me.)
And the reason why they are wrong is because if everyone knew what it meant to achieve success, we wouldn’t have the “98%” movement we do today.
Inaccurate beliefs can lead to taking inappropriate actions or prevent you from taking any action at all!
It’s not the things you don’t know that hurt you. It’s the things you believe are true that aren’t!
Success is much more elusive if your ideas about success are faulty.
There are many common misconceptions in relation to achieving success – have you been influenced by these inaccurate ideas?
9 Common Misconceptions of Success
Myth #1: Successful people have a certain type of personality.
Bill Gates is considered introverted, but not shy.
Barack Obama has often been described as very aloof. (Yeah, I’ll say.)
Of course, there are many successful extroverts as well.
So as you can see, whatever personality type you have, rest assured that it’s more than enough to achieve extremely high levels of success!
Myth #2: Money changes a person.
Money has never changed anyone. It only provides the opportunity to act on your impulses.
For example – I often have the impulse of handing out money any time I see someone in need or urges to go on Voluntourism trips across the globe! But right now I am either limited by time or money. And when you are limited by either of these (and most people are limited by both) you are unable to live out the passions and dreams in your soul.
But with money, all the things you daydream about buying and doing are finally possible.
Money only shines a light on the truth. — If someone becomes stuck up and greedy when they get rich? They were already that way before. They just have more to lose now.
Myth #3: One must be intelligent to be successful.
Actually, the opposite may be true.
While there are many examples of brilliant people attaining high levels of success, there are even more examples of those with ordinary intellect being just as successful.
Consistency and determination are far more important than intelligence when it comes to success.
Myth #4: It’s necessary to have an original idea.
You don’t have to invent the next Facebook or Microsoft to achieve success.
It’s possible to be successful by marginally improving upon the work and ideas of others.
Just outworking the competition is often enough to guarantee success, since most people are only willing to do the bare minimum. And that will NEVER bring you the success you desire.
Myth #5: It takes a lot of time to become and stay successful.
We all have the same 24 hours each day. The question is, “Are you spending your 24 hours as effectively as possible?”
In order to decrease the amount of time spent working to achieve the results you want, you need to focus daily on the most relevant tasks.
Most people avoid the most pertinent tasks, because they aren’t enjoyable. But having the success you want means you don’t always get to do what’s enjoyable.
Myth #6: Success is lonely.
Do you imagine yourself sitting home alone because you have become successful?
If so? Nothing could be further from the truth.
It’s true there are fewer successful people than unsuccessful – but it’s for a lot of reasons!
Due to your level(s) of success however, you’ll have far more business and social opportunities than you ever would otherwise had you not taken the steps to achieve the level of success you desire.
Myth #7: Luck is an important component of success.
The only way to be “lucky” is to give yourself numerous opportunities to BE lucky.
Luck favors the bold, my friends. So unless you are open to and seize opportunities to complete your goals, your “luck” just won’t be the same.
Remember – the more work you do, the better your odds.
Myth #8: The most successful people had an easy time.
Many successful people started in the most disadvantageous situations and faced incredible obstacles.
You’d be shocked by the adversity faced by many of the most successful people to walk the Earth.
The difference is that most of us would’ve quit 100 times.
The successful person kept moving forward.
Myth #9: It’s important to have a lot of willpower to achieve success.
Willpower is in short supply unless your life is at stake. Most people do not flex that muscle of will power – for example going to bed at a decent hour to allow your body at least 7 hours of sleep, or not drinking that 3rd glass of wine or eating 5 omg delicious brownies …
Catch my drift?
The key is, however, that willpower is useful during the early stages of developing new habits.
Once a habit is formed? Willpower isn’t necessary – the actions are just natural.
How much willpower do you need to brush your teeth each day?
How many of these misconceptions did you believe before today?
Have you changed your mind?
Having an accurate representation of success dramatically increases your odds in favor of your success.
Embrace the truth and you can expect to achieve a new level of success in any endeavor.
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Keen insight into the misconceptions that many harbor over getting wealthy. Wealth is a skill and any skill can be built. Great article!
Why thank you so much, Robert! And you are so right about wealth being a learned skill. Thanks for stopping by and leaving some comment love!
Thank You for a great article!!
Thanks again
Great post. I especially enjoyed Myth #8: The most successful people had an easy time.
I agree! It’s so interesting that people see successful people and it looks like it was overnight! But they don’t see the hard work and struggle over a season that really made these “overnight” success stories! Thanks for stopping by and leaving some comment love. ^_^