Most of us grow up believing that the rich and successful must have some secret formula which gives them an edge. There must be some secret "they" know that we do not. Authors and information sellers make small fortunes every year selling these "secrets" of success. Here is the truth: there is no secret to success.
Why do people say there is a secret to success?
Marketers like to refer to information about success as a secret because it catches people's attention. Everyone wants to know the secret, whatever it might be. And people sure want to know the secret to success.
A good example of that was the video and book published a few years back called The Secret. Of course nothing in that book or video was truly a secret. It was all content that had been published in books in general circulation in the past. However by marketing this information as a secret they drew great attention to themselves and increased sales of the materials.
There is another reason people want to believe in a secret to success. We all want to believe we are reasonably capable and intelligent people. As such we certainly ought to be successful unless of course there is a secret that they are not telling us. That seems to be the only way they can be successful and we are not.
The Study of Success
Many have wondered, as have I, what makes some people successful and others not. Some of these people have engaged in a serious study over a long period and compiled lists of the common characteristics of successful people. The American father of this kind of literature was Benjamin Franklin who published such characteristics in his Poor Richard's Almanac. In the 19th Century a number of authors including Horatio Alger, Wallace D. Wattles, Orison Swett Marden and Napoleon Hill wrote on this subject. Hill probably was best known for this lifetime study of the subject and his many books on it.
In the 20th century a number of new authors tackled the subject including Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, and Dr. Stephen Covey. Covey wrote his doctorate on the subject and studied a large body of literature on it. He later published these findings in his best seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
Clues, not Secrets
What all these researchers and writers found was that success leaves clues. If you study what successful people do, and equally importantly, what they do not do, you will learn what make success.
There are two excellent ways to learn what makes people successful. First, do what all the success writers have done, study successful people directly. Observe them and learn from them. Many successful people are happy to share their success "secrets" with others and even mentor you.
A second way is to read about successful people. The more you read about the many ways that successful people have attained success the more you will learn about these clues to success.
Of course it is not enough to simply learn what makes success happen. You must apply what you learn in a disciplined and continuous manner. While this seems relatively simple it is not easy. It involves continuous self discipline, something that most people are not fond of doing. Success comes from careful planning, disciplined application of what you know, and adjusting your plans in light of what you learn through experience, a willingness to take calculated risks, a willingness to work very hard and to be very persistent. These are the chief characteristics of successful people. You will learn additional ones by studying the successful, but you will not find any secrets - because there are no secrets.
Daniel R. Murphy writes on success and how you can build wealth. Would you like to learn how others have been successful in business and in life? For a free success ebook and much information which can help make you successful and financially independent visit http://www.bookstowealth.com/. Begin your self-education today learning how others have become successful and rich! Do it today!
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