Here are some of those
beliefs... no. Wait. Before
you comment that my point
of view is shallow and
materialistic, read this to
see why I feel this is the
only definition of success
that matters . (Hint: success
has nothing to do with fame
or fortune.)

With that out of the way,
here are some of the core
beliefs of incredibly
successful people:

1. "I can choose myself."

Once you had to wait: to be
accepted, to be promoted, to
be selected... to somehow be
"discovered."
Not anymore. Access is
nearly unlimited; you can
connect with almost
anyone through social
media. You can publish
your own work, distribute
your own music, create
your own products, attract
your own funding.
You can do almost anything
you want — and you don't
have to wait for someone
else to discover your talents.
The only thing holding you
back is you — and your
willingness to try.

2. "Success is inevitable only
in hindsight."

Read stories of successful
entrepreneurs and it's easy
to think they have some
intangible
entrepreneurial something
— ideas, talent, drive, skills,
creativity, whatever — that
you don't have.
Wrong. Success is inevitable
only in hindsight. It's easy
to look back on an
entrepreneurial path to
greatness and assume that
every vision was clear,
every plan was perfect,
every step was executed
flawlessly, and tremendous
success was a foregone
conclusion.
It wasn't. Success is never
assured. Only in hindsight
does it appear that way.
If you're willing to work
hard and persevere, who
you are is more than
enough. Don't measure
yourself against other
people.
Pick a goal and measure
yourself against that
goal — that is the only
comparison that matters.

3. "I am not self-serving. I
am a servant."
No one accomplishes
anything worthwhile on his
own. Great bosses focus on
providing the tools and
training to help their
employees better do their
jobs — and achieve their
own goals. Great consultants
put their clients' needs first.
Great businesses go out of
their way to help and serve
their customers.
And as a result, they reap
the rewards.
If you're in it only for
yourself, then someday you
will be by yourself. If you're
in it for others, you'll not
only achieve success —
you'll also have tons of
friends.


4 "I may not be the first ...
but I can always be the
last."

Success is often the result of
perseverance. When others
give up, leave, stop trying,
or compromise their
principles and values, the
last person left is often the
person who wins. Other
people may be smarter,
better connected, more
talented, or better funded.
But they can't win if they
aren't around at the end.
Sometimes it makes sense to
give up on ideas, projects,
and even businesses — but
it never makes sense to give
up on yourself.
The one thing you can
always be is the last person
to give up on yourself.

5. "I will do one thing every
day no one else is willing to
do."

Just one thing. Even if it's
simple. Even if it's small.
Do one thing every day.
After a week, you'll be
uncommon. After a month,
you'll be special.
After a year, you will be
incredible.

6. "I don't build networks. I
forge lasting connections."


Often the process of building
a network takes on a life of
its own and becomes a
numbers game.
You don't need
numbers. You need real
connections: people you can
help, people you can trust,
people who care.
So, forget numbers. Reach
out to the people whom you
want to be part of your life,
even if just your
professional life, for a long
time. And when you do,
forget about receiving and
focus on providing; that's
the only way to establish a
real connection and
relationship.
Make lasting connections
and you create an extended
professional family. You'll
be there when they need
you... and they will be there
when you need them.

7. "Strategy is important,
but execution is
everything."

Strategy is not a product.
Binders are filled with
strategies that were never
implemented.
Develop an idea. Create a
strategy. Set up a
rudimentary system of
operations. Then execute,
adapt, execute some more,
and build a solid operation
based on what works.
Success isn't built on
strategy. Success is built
through execution .
Incredibly successful people
focus on executing
incredibly well.

8. "Real leadership is
measured in years, not
moments."

"Leaders" aren't just the
guys who double the stock
price in six months, or the
gals who coerce local
officials into approving too-
generous tax breaks and
incentives, or the guys who
are brave enough to boldly
go where no man has gone
before.
(If you don't get that last
reference, you're too young.
Or I'm too old. Probably
both.)
Those are examples of
leadership — but typically
the kind of leadership that is
situational and short-lived.
Incredible leaders can
consistently inspire,
motivate, and make you feel
better about yourself than
even you think you have a
right to feel. They're the
kind of people you'll follow
not because you have to but
because you want to. You'll
follow them anywhere.
And you'll follow them
forever, because they have a
knack for making you feel
like you aren't actually
following. Wherever you're
headed, you always feel like
you're going there together.
Creating that bond takes
time.

9. "Work comes first.
Payoff comes later."

Ever heard someone say, "If
I got promoted, then I would
work harder"? Or, "If the
customer paid more, then I
would do more"? Or, "If I
thought there would be a
bigger payoff, I would be
willing to sacrifice more"?
Successful people earn
promotions by first working
harder. Successful
businesses earn higher
revenue by first delivering
greater value. Successful
entrepreneurs earn bigger
payoffs by first working
hard, well before any
potential return is in sight.
Most people expect to be
compensated more before
they will even consider
working harder.
Incredibly successful people
see compensation as
the reward for exceptional
effort, not the driver —
whether that reward is
financial, or personal, or
simply the satisfaction that
comes from achieving what
you worked incredibly hard
to achieve.

10. "I can make history —
and I will."

You may not make it onto
the pantheon of great
entrepreneurs. Yours may
not become a household
name.
But think about the past ten
years: technologies,
industries, and ways of
doing business that were
once notions are now
commonplace. You can be
part of the next wave —
whatever it might be. Or
you can make a small
change your industry. Or
you can make a small
change in your profession.
You can be at the forefront
of a minor or major change,
even if only in your
community or niche. You
just have to be willing to try
something new.

Happy new year

Nice one but that number 4 just sounds wrong in a way though I get the point.