Success Looks Like…
Perception is not reality.
Most of us know intuitively that success from the outside-looking-in always appears much more simple and straight-forward than it really is and a lot of my conversations end up having at least on moment where I dispel common myths of success, whether it’s related to blogging, freelancing, or building a successful business.
Many people incorrectly believe that there is a straight path to success as you gain more experience over time. Many people, whether they know it or not, ignore the path “in between” or think that the path to success is straight and worry-free.
It’s a crazy path and it’s not straightforward. It’s fraught with ups, downs, and side-to-sides with a bunch of back and forth and starts and stops and many mini-failures all up in there. Heck, you don’t even necessarily fully survive the “in between” time and you definitely come out a different person than when you first started.
I’m not saying that you should strive to be mediocre instead of being successful – I’m not even sure that’s a possibility for most people! But, what I am saying is that the path is winding, it’s dangerous, it’s anxiety-ridden, and it’s very much a wild ride.
Expect it and don’t be surprised. And if you can do just this you might even have a bit of fun while you’re at it.
The growth and success of your blog is about the same as well. There’s a lot that happens in the middle that doesn’t seem, at the time, to be headed in the right direction or moving you towards a point of so-called success.
You might be in a period of an exceptionally long downturn where you’re struggling every single day to sit down and write. Or, you could be in a significant upswing where everything is “just working” as you had always hoped it would be. Wherever you are it’s temporary, trust me – it’s not forever and that’s fine.
Success is really most simply the fact that you’ve survived and that you’re still here. Yup, you’re already a winner.
I recently came across a saying that came to mind when I read this (paraphrasing):
Don’t compare your insides to someone else’s outside.
What they mean is that if you look at someone else’s work and see how successful they are, you’re probably only seeing where they started and where they finished, with no mind or awareness of the convoluted pattern they took to get where they are.
However, when you look at yourself you know every up and down, every twist and turn, every high and low.
And when you compare the intimate knowledge you have of your personal situation to the barely surface deep knowledge you have of others you’re being totally unfair and unrealistic to yourself.
So don’t do it!
Love it, John. I need to be reminded of it frequently.
~Ivan
thanks ivan! i really appreciate your support!
Well said and a perfect visual drawing of what it REALLY looks like. Haha.
hah!
John, this is actually encouraging as I’m in the middle of one of those crazy circle loops. Bring it on 2012!
bring it on! how’s the first week been?
Your line drawing illustrating this point is way better than any slick graphic you could have come up with — it made me laugh. Thanks, John.
Cheers,
Ken
thanks ken. i thought it make sense.
Definitely moving through one of those loops at the moment. Thanks for the encouragement and reminding me that’s the norm!
sure thing chase! rock it!
LOL! That is the best graph of success I have ever seen!
It’s also the most realistic.
Thanks for the reminder, John! I’m gonna keep plugging along, walking the winding crazy path of success!
how are things? what’s the plan for the year?
John: I want to start an online community via a blog and I’ve bough the domain name and installed wordpress but I’m struggling to come up with orignal articles as my blog is foucused on spiritual development and presonal growth. DO you have any tips that could help me to write epic stuff.
just start. just start writing your thoughts. forget organization at this point. just start writing.
Theortically, theory and practical are same but practically they are not
that is true.
Fantastic blog, John! I love this line: “Expect it and don’t be surprised. And if you can do just this you might even have a bit of fun while you’re at it.” So true!
FYI, I explained a similar path regarding “career success” – check it out: http://www.liveitforward.com/vocational-zig-zag/ (Your picture is WAY better than mine).
I’m going to blog in the next few days on something similar and will connect back to this. Again, great job!
awesome! same difference here!
Amen to that graph
Sometimes I think failure and hardship can be a blessing. It forces us to re-examine our approach. We end up often being better off in the long run.
So true, Loren!
Wounds don’t have to turn us into victims; they can turn us into victors! Adversity brings about our advantage, and difficulties make us more dynamic.
Love the visual. I don’t know how we get it in our heads that things are supposed to be linear. The fact that I’m on the chart and doing the work and giving myself over to experience and time are what’s driving me.
exactly. we just need to get on it!