What exactly is success? This is something I’ve been thinking about, and I’ve read countless books on self-development in recent months. According to me, this is something completely subjective. No one else can decide what success is for you, it is exactly what YOU consider it to be.
For me, success is the freedom to decide what I do during the day and when I do it. It is also important for me that I like what I do and have a burning desire to develop every day. It should feel exciting to wake up every day and start the day.
An essential part of all this is having the strength and energy to do what you want during the day. Therefore, health is also an important part of being successful.
What Is Success For You?
This was my definition of success; you probably have entirely different interests and priorities. For many people, security is an essential aspect of life, and this means that they like to have a permanent job with good benefits. Of course, security is also important to me, but I believe that security also has other aspects. For me, it also means security not to depend on an employer. Instead, it feels more important to have the ability to create my own future.
If your goal is to be able to create your own future, and you think this is an important part of being successful, I have some tips for you in this article. Here are my top tips:
Everything Starts With Your Well-being
As I mentioned in my previous post, everything became much easier when I moved to Malta. I immediately noticed that my mood and well-being improved significantly, and all daily tasks became more effortless.
I could finally visualize the future that I wanted. I was aware of the importance of having clear goals and strategies for success even while living in Finland, but without a burning desire to create a future there, I never really found the energy to take the next step in my life.
This shows how vital well-being is for success. If you are in a place in your life where you are happy, most things will take care of themselves. You’ll be more fun to be around, something that brings you friends, and you’ll wake up every day with a smile on your face – a thing that gives you both inspiration and motivation to strive for new goals every day.
Be Grateful
It’s easy to see now that I’m happy, but leaving the complaints behind is also something that is extremely important for success.
How you talk to yourself will determine how you feel. Focusing on all the good things in your life and being grateful for everything you have makes everything much easier. It’s like a snowball effect, and you attract the good things in life.
People want to hang out with people who see opportunities instead of problems. You are also building yourself an ability to see opportunities instead of problems, and the obstacles are only there to be solved.
It also works in the opposite direction. If you spend all your time complaining about everything in the world, you will attract problems that were never there in the first place.
Take Responsibility For Your Life!
A common problem for many in today’s society is a lack of self-awareness. Too many people blame others for their shortcomings in life. If you want to get anywhere in life, you need to look at yourself in the mirror and take responsibility for all aspects of your life.
It is nobody else’s fault that you are not where you want to be in life right now. Most often, it is a result of the choices you made earlier in life.
Don’t blame others for your failures or lack of success. By doing so, you put your life in other people’s hands and indirectly admit that you’re not responsible enough to take care of your own life. I’ve made many mistakes in my life, and I keep on making new ones all the time, but you’ll never hear me blame anyone or any circumstances for my failures.
In Sweden, it’s quite popular with the victim mentality, where people blame everyone but themselves for their mistakes. One example is the iGaming industry and people blaming Online Casinos for them gambling away their money. This is the most stupid thing I’ve heard!
You can spend too much money on anything if you are not mature enough. Isn’t it the ultimate goal for any company to sell as much as possible and make money – no matter the industry? It can be about selling spots at a running event or selling running shoes. If you as a consumer can’t resist the temptation of overspending, it’s not about the services/products offered – it’s about you and your ability to take responsibility for your own life.
Dare To Fail
An important part of taking responsibility for your life is also taking risks and daring to fail. Those who are afraid of failure may be able to minimize mistakes, but they will never reach their full potential. Care less about what others think of you and take a step into the unknown. You’re bound to screw up on a regular basis. But what does that matter in the grand scheme of things?
Do you think I started a site called Gentleman’s Guide, not knowing that there would be a lot of talks and even mockery? I didn’t care about other people’s opinions then and even less now. I made it my full-time job and became number one in Men’s Fashion in Sweden. None of it would have been possible without a strong belief in myself and an ability to focus. If you don’t start with yourself and your interests, you will never be happy.
Don’t take yourself too seriously
If someone calls you stupid or insults you in another way, just admit it in the most polite way. More often than not, it’s just proof that the person directing their aggression at you is not feeling well.
We are all stupid at times. I make stupid mistakes all the time, and that is also one of my goals. With trial and error you will keep on improving and get better. Life is too short to take too seriously. Swallow your pride and admit that you are just a human-being trying your best to become the best possible version of yourself.
The only thing you should aim for is to become better everyday and learn something from your mistakes (more on that later).
You Can’t Wait For Inspiration
In most cases, it takes hard work to get anywhere in life. If it’s easy, you’ve probably set your goals too low. This is true of business, and it is also very much true if you want to get fit. It will require you to give up your Netflix nights or spend early mornings working on your dreams.
If you want to get somewhere, you can’t wait for inspiration. Motivation and inspiration come as a result of hard work. You can’t be lazy if you want to reach your goals. This is true no matter what you want to achieve in life.
Get Into A Routine
You know when you work best during the day. If you’re a morning person like me, make sure you set aside some time in the morning hours to work on your dreams. You become what you do on a regular basis, so you need to make it a habit to work on your dreams every day.
Be Consistent
An extremely important part of being successful is the ability to be consistent. To show up every day no matter how tired or unmotivated you are. Put in your calendar the things you need to get done every day. In my case, there are two things I have to do every day, work a bit and exercise.
When it comes to working, I am flexible, but I still sit in front of the computer for a few hours every day, whether motivated or not. This was also the case when I worked for another company. No matter how tired I was before or after the workday, I sat down to do some focused work for my own company every day.
The same has always applied to my training. Even if you feel that you will not achieve anything significant on a given day, the very act of showing up is a signal to your brain that you are prioritizing these tasks. Sooner or later, you will be successful with this approach.
When you look at people who are successful, you will find that they aren’t the people who are motivated, but have consistency in their motivation.
– Arsene Wenger
Act Instead Of React
Get a habit of getting things done instead of dwelling on every small thing. Overthinking is a thing that prevents you from being efficient and taking the next step in your life. If everything has to be perfect, you will never get started and will never be able to see any results from your efforts.
The time will never be perfect for you to start your business or follow your dreams. Planning and dreaming are essential, but it’s the execution that counts. Most often, it’s better just to get started and figure out how to fix the problems along the way.
Don’t Listen To Others
It is rare to have friends and acquaintances who only support you in your dreams. No matter what you do in life, you’ll encounter a lot of sceptics who doubt your ideas. Don’t let other people’s opinions influence you if you have dreams and something you are passionate about in life. Through hard work, you can be as successful as you dream of being. Remember that all people are limited to their own perception of reality.
People who have achieved success themselves know how much hard work it takes to get where they are. They will never have anything bad to say about anyone who tries. It is people who are not willing to work hard who generally try to transfer their bad conscience to others. Beware of people who spend time gossiping or speculating about other people’s lives. These people generally have no ambition of their own.
If I had listened to others, I would not be where I am today.
Surround Yourself With The Right People
Just because certain people were an essential part of your upbringing doesn’t mean they are the right people to hang out with today. We change over time and have new priorities in life. If you don’t feel that the people around you support you or share your vision, it may be time to find a new circle of friends. It is said that you become like the five closest people around you. It’s not entirely wrong.
I was lucky to immediately find the right people to hang out with in Malta. I found people with the same mentality and the same interests in life. Meeting others with the same enthusiasm for all the possibilities in this field was a significant change in my life.
Find Your Passion
Most of us have heard it thousands of times – go with your passion and it will feel like you are not even working a day in the rest of your life. It’s maybe easier said than done. Most of us have a passion in life, but can you really make a living of it?
The answer is actually yes to that question. You can make money of almost everything nowadays. And the best thing is that you can do it without even leaving your home. I’m from the generation that did not have all of these fantastic tools on the internet available growing up.
Nowadays, the whole world is your field of work and there are really no limits to who you can reach online. The challenge is rather the ability to narrow down your interests and focus on the right things among all the opportunities available.
But you have to find something that you are interested in. That’s what will keep you afloat through tough times when you might not be making any money. If you only chase the latest trends, you will quickly get bored if things don’t go as planned.
If you work on something you love instead, money won’t be the primary concern. It’s something that will come naturally when the time is right.
I worked tirelessly year after year on my lifestyle site and watched competitors come and go. Eventually, I was pretty much on my own and could reap the rewards of my focused efforts.
You Must Have A Burning Desire
No one else can force you to take charge of your life; the will has to come from within. You can hire the best personal trainers to get you started, but that won’t help you in the long run if you don’t have a strong will. The same applies no matter what you start with.
Life is also about constant development. It doesn’t matter how successful you are today. Without a burning desire to improve and develop, you will eventually lose your touch.
Have Clear Goals And Visions
Clear goals are important, but an underrated part of the process is having a clear vision for your life. If you can concretize what your life will look like when you reach your goals, much is gained. Think about how healthy and fit you will be when you finally lose those pounds through exercise. Think about how wonderful it is to live in your beautiful apartment when you can afford to live there.
I visualized exactly the life I have now already, months after I landed in Malta. Sometimes it may take shorter or longer than you planned, but if you have a clear goal and vision of what you want, you will get there sooner or later.
Hard Work Is More Important Than Talent
A common problem with anyone starting something new is a lack of self-confidence. Why should I succeed when there are so many talented people out there? In this context, I want you to remember an important message: hard work is more important than talent, especially if the talent doesn’t work hard.
I don’t feel that I am exceptionally talented in any particular area. I know a bit of everything and work hard every day to learn what I don’t know. I’m not the most talented writer, I don’t know anything about programming, nor do I have any SEO training or knowledge of graphic design. But through a strong desire to learn new things, I have somehow managed to get it right. A strong will makes you creative, and that is one of my biggest strengths!
Take The Job Where You Learn The Most
A common problem many people have is that they choose jobs based on salary and benefits. Instead, ask yourself if you like what you do and how much you can learn on the job. This will give you an excellent opportunity to start your own business in the same field in the future.
I never asked about the salary when I started the job I quit in January 2022. Instead, I saw all the opportunities the job could offer me in my own business – how much I could learn in SEO and the Affiliate Business. I also never asked for a raise even though I’m sure the opportunity would have been there.
Remember that a hundred or even thousand Euros more per month in the short term will have very little impact compared to the potential all that knowledge will give you in the future.
Take Care Of Your Health
When you are really stressed, it can feel like there is no time for exercise. There is also a risk of neglecting your diet as there is no time to prepare food properly. A common problem when things get stressful is that you start to lose sleep.
However, one of the pillars of everything is good health. You won’t perform at your best if you don’t feel good. This was also one of the main reasons I quit my job over a year ago. I noticed that the vast amount of work was starting to affect my sleep, and I also started to neglect my training more and more.
All this meant that I wasn’t performing at my best in my jobs either. It is impossible to be creative if you are tired. In my first week on my own, I got my sleep routine in order and was also able to find the time to exercise every day. All this has done wonders for my creativity, and I feel energized throughout the day.
It is never worth sacrificing your health. You need your health to enjoy life now and in the future.
Listen To Others
At first glance, this may seem contradictory to one of the tips above. But let me explain further. The problem with many people is that they prefer to talk only about themselves and their own interests. If you make sure to ask others about their lives and listen to their wisdom, you can learn a lot.
Finally – Never Give Up!
One of the most important qualities you can have as a human being is stubbornness. Life is full of adversity, both big and small. You will struggle daily with fatigue and lack of motivation. All the changes you go through will, at times, feel overwhelming. I often have moments of self-doubt, and a sense of fear for the future can creep in.
In these situations, I always try to carry with me a motto that goes like this:
Successful people look for solutions to problems, while mediocre people look for easy ways out. If you run away from problems, you will never have the opportunity to control your life. Successful people love their ability to solve problems and are always actively looking for more demanding challenges.
These are some of my top tips for reaching your goals. Good luck!
