It's Time to Abolish the Idea of Overnight Success

Let's discuss the idea of an "overnight success". On our path towards success, we must focus on our own journey and not someone else’s success. In this article we'll discuss:

• The Major Flaws with the Idea of "Overnight Success"
• Why There's No Such Thing as an "Overnight Success"
• 5 Steps to Achieve Success in Your Business

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Have you ever heard the phrase “overnight success?” It’s typically what we see when a company or person blows up overnight, achieving high volumes of success and recognition. 

This seems like a dream for most business owners who see this success and want the same thing for their business. Who wouldn’t? Don’t we all want to be successful?

But there are two major flaws with the concept of an “overnight success.” 

1. Counting Others’ Blessings

Often we see these cases of unexpected success and think, “how did they become so successful so quickly?” A lot of times this can breed envy for that person or company. We try to find flaws that deem them less worthy and mitigate their accomplishments. Or we start to mirror their tactics and try to incorporate them in our business, even when we have completely different business models.

There’s a saying that says “He who envies, has no peace of mind.” We all want success, but if we spend our time counting others' blessings, we forget to look at our own. One thing we need to understand is that every journey is different. My journey doesn’t look the same as yours and even when it’s hard we have to be grateful and positive for the sake of our business and ourselves.

2. A Small View Breeds Untrue Judgements

From the outside, it may seem like a swift rise in success that exceeded everyone’s expectations. But often, this is simply not true. Unfortunately, we don’t see or forget the hard work that was put in to gain that success. The reality is that prior to its rise, that business and its team had been developing that idea for months, even years, until it came to fruition. It took a lot of long hours, sleepless nights, and missed family events that lead up to the point that it became a success. 

Sound familiar? This may not sound too different from what you’re already doing in your company. This is another reason why we have to focus on our own journey because if we put in the hard work, take initiative, and take necessary risks, we will also see the major breakthrough that will take our business to the next level!

There’s No Such Thing As An Overnight Success

Success is built on a disciplined focus, followed by a systemized approach. There’s actually a formula for success created by Brad Sugars, the Founder of ActionCOACH:  

DREAMS X GOALS X LEARN X PLAN X ACT = SUCCESS 

Big, audacious, massive dreams are the first variables in the formula. But dreams that aren’t written and aren’t shared are just wishes. Without being brave enough to write your ‘crazy’ dreams down, they are just intangible thoughts. They get no traction because unwritten dreams aren’t solidified. They are amorphous, lacking real power to help you drive for change.

Here are 5 Steps to Achieve Success in Your Business:

Step 1: WRITE DOWN YOUR DREAMS Regardless of what you are working on, document your dreams. You can do this by creating a dream board, keeping a journal, or Dreambuilder exercise - any of these things make your dreams tangible. Commit to the dream that you wrote and make it a reality. Keep in mind, dreams are things you want to achieve within 10-20 years from now. It all starts with pen and paper.‍

“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success”. - Pablo Picasso (artist, author, visionary).

Step 2: CREATE GOALS Now that you have the big dreams on paper, now it’s time to set S.M.A.R.T. goals to help you achieve them. Goals are things you want to achieve or change within the next 5 years. But setting long-term goals isn’t the only option. You can break the goals down into chunks. 

“Development is a series of rebirths”. Maria Montessori (physician, innovator, educator, trailblazer).

Step 3: LEARN Once you have set goals to reach an audacious dream, you must learn new skills or build on your knowledge to develop yourself into the person you need to be, to achieve the success you are seeking. The learning phase will take time and focus. Remember the old saying: practice makes perfect. You may have to add to your education, read books, take a class, go to a workshop, get a mentor, or do all the above.

“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.” - Gloria Steinem (activist, writer, and ground-breaking thought leader)

Step 4: PLAN Crafting a working plan is critical to achieving success. Plans need to have action steps and activities, outlined from a broad timeline, but the most effective plans include daily activities to get closer to achieving your goal. Daily action plans keep you focused and allow you to drill deep into the activities you need to do to get closer to your dream.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home, and think about it. Go out and get busy.” - Dale Carnegie (write, salesman, and public speaking innovator)

Step 5: ACT Now you are at the point where you must act. The action might lead to a failure, which means you need to go back to your learning and planning stages and rethink your strategy. Don’t consider a setback as a roadblock or the end. It is a directional beacon leading you into a new direction for success. But you must do something to get a result. Fear is a dream killer. It can paralyze you and it can make you rethink everything you have already accomplished. Overcoming fear in the action steps is paramount to your ultimate success. Here, surrounding yourself with supporters is very important. They are your cheerleaders and keep your confidence high. What holds you back? What reduces your confidence? Who do you need to get in your corners to help you move forward?

This is the formula that we share with our clients and has helped them achieve dreams they didn’t even think were possible. If you want to achieve the success that you see other people achieving, you will be disappointed by chasing someone else’s success. Focus on your dreams and your goals to see true success. 

To learn more about the Formula for Success, talk with a professional, certified ActionCOACH Business Coach. The first coaching session is complimentary and comes with our 17-Week guarantee!