Keys To Success: 6 Secrets That Will Guarantee Success In Your Life

Listen to the Keys to Success blog audio version 🎧

Growing up, I had varying ideas of what success was and how to achieve it. I heard it from my parents, my teachers, adults, and some sermons from church.

Such as work hard, do your homework, dress well, be nice to people, say thank you, pray every day, etc.

Now, all of the tips given were good but I was confused. I tried doing everything I was told to do by being on my best behavior.

I was quite the rule-abiding child, just like the adhesive glue to rules. I truly believed in doing the right thing because in doing so, I would succeed.

And so it became my living mantra: Do the right thing, even when you don’t feel like it, because it will lead to success.

My idea for success looked like a Hollywood celebrity. You know, the kind with the looks, the fame, the money and everything most people aspire to have. You can imagine how hard I worked to achieve that.

I lived in a way that borrowed tips on what success was and not from my definition.

Keys To Success

Keys to Success

There was nothing wrong with that, only that I lived from a script that didn’t allow me to live out of who I was.

All of the tips given came with good intent, however, I didn’t know how to select what resonated with me from what didn’t.

Because of that, I ended up following everyone’s advice and when I didn’t, I felt guilt.

The result was a confused and lost person.

So how does one end up being confused and yet look focused? That’s what I looked like to people or rather what I projected.

You see, the problem was, I hadn’t learned how to listen to the voice within that could spell out what I wanted, and in the way I wanted it.

In the process of taking in a lot of good advice, I ended up losing my voice.

In the process of taking in a lot of good advice, I ended up losing my voice.

It was so serious that I couldn’t even tell what I wanted or needed from people.

I discovered I had hit a wall when I couldn’t describe for myself the kind of life I wanted. The best I could do was read from other people’s scripts.

I say all of this to say:

1. Live From Your Script

Don’t get me wrong.

Listening to what other well-meaning people have to say isn’t a bad thing. There’s a verse in the book of proverbs that says, “Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.”

What I’m saying here is, while getting the advice don’t despise or overlook what’s in your heart. Consider it as a top priority above everything else that’s been said.

You’re unique in your own right and you don’t have to apologize for it. The way you see things, process things, comprehend things isn’t wrong just because it’s different from everyone else’s.

You don’t have to follow the common path if you sense you have an idea that’s good and is worth undertaking.

Disclaimer- In telling some people to be themselves could be the worst piece of advice given because they have a lot to work on in terms of their character but what’s alluded to being oneself, is staying true to your original unique design.

Walt Disney was told that he had no imagination. Perhaps the person was honest in their evaluation as and when they gave it but if Walt Disney took that as gospel truth, he would have lost big time and what’s worse, the world would have been denied of his precious gift.

We have to be willing to follow our path even when it's unpopular because it’s the only life we have and we owe it to ourselves and the world.

2. Be in The Present Moment

Being in the moment is about your consciousness.

This is where your mind and heart are in tandem with where you’re at in your life which is represented by your present job or what occupies your time, the family you were born into, your friends, associates, acquaintances, colleagues, etc.

Being in harmony with your present reality allows you to appreciate it and do your best while at it.

The gift of being in the present moment is that it guarantees you of doing equally as well or even better in the “next station” of your life.

One of the biggest temptations of being present in the moment is comparison.

We often compare our present reality with other people’s reality that “appear” to be doing better.

This is a great distraction and it will keep you from being and doing your best in your present moment by preventing you from receiving what you need to learn in that moment.

Don’t be deceived into thinking that you’ll perform better in a different place or if circumstances were better. How you act today is how you’ll act tomorrow.

The key is to work in the now, to exercise practices that prepare you for whatever’s coming next in your journey of life.

3. Be brave

It’s safer to go with what everyone else is doing, especially if you’re the kind of person that feels secure from following the standard.

However, we were not created the same. Some of us were meant to challenge the status quo.

The fact is, there’s something you will go out on the limb for.

So don’t be intimidated by the voices that tell you it’s not a brilliant idea, instead, be brave.

We’ve lived far too long in the comfort of the conditions placed around us about what could and couldn’t be done.

It became a safe space of operation where we were fearful of attempting the idea that kept popping in our heads. We shut them down for fear of appearing unpopular.

If you have that song, spoken-word piece, poem, proposal, or point you need to present in the next meeting with your seniors, go for it, and don’t hold back.

What’s the point of living if you’re not brave about the things that inspire you?

I dare you to show up and showcase yourself because someone somewhere is waiting and needs it.

4. Surround yourself with the right people

I recently listened to a talk by T.D Jakes and he said, “Gifted people are unable to see their giftedness because it’s normal for them. So it takes an inner circle of trusted people in their lives to mirror for them the true picture of themselves”.

From that statement, imagine having the wrong kind of people as a mirror for yourself. They would give you a distorted image of yourself.

You need trustworthy people that have a healthy self-image because if they don’t, they’ll project their inadequacies and insecurities on you.

I believe relationships are a tricky area because we tend to be so naïve about it, especially when it comes to love. We need to be open but discerning of who we’re allowing into our lives.

A good rule of thumb to have here is knowing not everyone that appears good is good.

Be willing to look beyond the surface.

Do your best to have the right kind of people around you.

5. Change Your Mind About It

An oft-quoted verse in the Bible is from the book of Romans 12:2 that says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

True transformation or change comes from a renewed mind. In other words, for you to realize transformation, your mind needs to change.

Let me let you in on a secret that is often bypassed; life is more about what you believe than it is about the skills and tools you equip yourself with to succeed.

Our focus has been on obtaining the externalities than working on the interior state of our being because we’ve been made to believe that the keys to success are outside of ourselves.

There’s no problem with acquiring an externality that will accelerate your progress or give you a better chance at an opportunity. If it can, pursue it.

However, it’s not the basis of your success because it’s your internal qualities such as tenacity, intelligence, determination, etc. that enabled you to acquire it in the first place.

To paint this picture better, imagine two people with similar academic qualifications from an Ivy League institution. One of them has a great attitude towards life wherein their world anything is possible. The other person belittles themselves and feels inferior in comparison to their friends.

In your opinion, who is most likely to succeed? You got it, the first person. And why is that? Because their mindset expects to succeed.

Similarly, you and I need to have the right mindset.

There are certain things we need to change our minds about if we’re to realize any positive change on the outside.

6. Being A Jack of All Trades

I know this one far too well because I was that kind of person.

Trying to do everything and being the best at it at the same time was a sure path to burn out.

I engaged in this for a few years in my life until I asked myself why I did it. At the root of it all was an insecurity.

The fear of being seen as incompetent drove me crazy and so I did everything to keep that from happening.

I sweat, stressed, and, strove because to me it was a badge of honour.

I bought into the lie that being busy would result in productivity and that it would increase my chances of succeeding in my career at the time.

I won’t share what happened to me as a result, all I can say is that it didn’t end well.

If this is where you are, I encourage you to find out what’s driving you and make a conscious decision to refrain from it, and engage in a more profitable activity that won’t require you to lose yourself in the process.

You Are A Success

Above everything else, I want you to know that you’re already the success you’re striving to achieve.

I’m inviting you to vouch for yourself in this race of life. If it makes it any easier, vouch for yourself because you’re alive for a reason, and there’s purpose to your existence.

In discovering that you have what it takes to move from where you are to where you need to be, you begin to realize that success isn’t out there, it’s within reach because you’re the definition of success in your story.

You’re the star.

There’s no stopping you from what you can achieve with your life apart from yourself.

Sign me up

for new blog notifications