We all want to be successful. It’s that promise of finally reaching the light at the end of the tunnel that inspires us to keep hustling — even when the going gets tough.
Yes, success is always the end goal. But, stop and ask yourself this: Do you really have a clear picture of what success is? Or, are you only operating with what you’ve been told? Are you falling into the trap of believing common myths about success?
If so, it’s time for a friendly wake-up call. Here are three success myths you’ve likely heard time and time again. But, remember, just because they’re oft-repeated, doesn’t mean they’re true.
1. Successful people all get up really early every morning
Yes, you will encounter occasional profiles of celebrities or other successful individuals who do get up insanely early. But just because it works for those few people does not mean that it works for everyone.
In fact, a large scale study of over 10,000 people found that the vast majority of people need more than seven hours of sleep every night – and that people who slept significantly less than that actually had poorer problem solving skills as well as other cognitive disadvantages. So if you’re trying to get by on much less sleep, you’re probably not being at your best every day.
2. Success makes your life perfect
Once you finally reach that big milestone — whether it’s a certain salary, a specific position, or a particular accomplishment — you’re convinced that the rest of the pieces of your life will fall into place. All you need is to achieve that objective, and everything will be coming up roses.
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Unfortunately, this rarely holds true. Sure, maybe that level of success will mean that your career has reached an all-time high. But, if you’re counting on it to be the key to eternal happiness and a flawless life, you’ll likely only be disappointed.
3. All it takes is hard work
You know that success involves rolling up your sleeves and putting in the hard work — there’s no denying that.
But, if you think that putting your nose to the grindstone is all it takes to achieve success, you’re in for a rude awakening.
It’s the stuff that can’t be predicted or planned — like a little bit of luck or being in the exact right place at the exact right time, for example — that often leads to the greatest amount of success.
4. It looks the same for everyone
Perhaps success to one person looks like a high-power job with a huge salary and 80 hours spent climbing the corporate ladder each week. But, maybe success is different for you. Perhaps your idea of being successful is being able to work on something you love for a decent living, while having enough time for the things you enjoy.
As with anything, it’s far too easy to fall into the comparison trap — we convince ourselves that we need to want what that other person has.
However, it’s important for you to realize that success is personal. It looks different for each and every one of us.
