What are the 5 keys to success?

Whether we want to admit it or not, at some time in our lives, everyone of us has, at least once, read an article or two about the purported "keys" to achieving one's goals.

In recent times, though, I've seen that authors and advice-givers of all stripes are falling victim to the common pitfall of grossly oversimplifying their strategies for achieving success.

Our psychology predisposes us to have a leaning toward reductionism, which is a normal disposition. Ten commandments are preferable than twelve, and the rule of three is more palatable than, for example, the rule of eight. The issue, though, is oversimplification, which is a result of hyper-reductionism that gives the impression of being harmless but is, in fact, harmful.

I've been reading through as many of the top articles and pieces of advice on "how to be successful" as I can get my hands on, and I've realized that they all, to a certain extent, have some remarkable similarities. The fact that there is not just one secret to success but rather five is perhaps the single most crucial factor. They are: perseverance, expertise, enthusiasm, self-control, and good fortune.

Determination is one of the five keys to success, and although it is vital, it is not sufficient on its own. It's important that you understand that when I use the word "success," I'm referring to the greatest conceivable levels of that word's application. It's not being a manager at a medium-sized company or a top player on your high school basketball team. Imagine yourself as the CEO of a company, the most valuable player in the NBA, the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, an Oscar, a Grammy, the Nobel Prize, etc. It is important to consider the exact degree of achievement since having drive alone may be sufficient to achieve some level of success. But, alas, it is not sufficient on its own to achieve ultimate greatness. Nevertheless, allow me to diverge.

In such case, what really is determination? Both a steadfastness of goal and a readiness to strive unceasingly toward that aim in spite of any challenges, problems, or setbacks encountered along the route are essential components of determination.

It is not easy to do great things, and in the end, it is always much more challenging to accomplish great things than you anticipated it would be when you first started out. This is something that you should keep in mind. You were aware that it would be challenging, but not to this extent.

A strong tolerance for discomfort, monotony, and boredom, as well as a significant amount of patience and self-discipline, are all required to accomplish ambitious objectives.

It takes a very long time to do something of significant value. And you need tenacity in order to keep your sights fixed on anything, anything, for a long period, the amount of time it takes to do something really remarkable. Anyone is capable of maintaining their concentration for a week or a month. Some people are even able to maintain their concentration for a whole year, but this does not constitute real determination. The test of one's true resolve comes over the course of many years, decades, and perhaps their whole lives. To achieve mastery in a field requires that kind of dedication. That is what is required in order to do big things. It's a misconception that someone may become successful "overnight," that they were "born natural," or that they were a "prodigy."

Mozart is often held up as an example of what people (incorrectly) refer to as a prodigy. People have the impression that Mozart merely walked up to the piano one day, sat down, and immediately came up with Symphony No. 41 on the spot. I'm sorry to have to break it to you, but he did not. Not even close. An exhaustive investigation into Mozart's history, along with the histories of all other so-called "prodigies," makes it abundantly clear that these individuals were extraordinarily hard workers who, yes, had some natural talent but nowhere near the amount that people like to claim or believe they had. This is the case with all of the so-called "prodigies."

Lazy people would try to rationalize their own failings by attributing them to others by calling them prodigies or naturals.

Skill. The combination of hard work and talent is sure to bring success. Developing true expertise in a challenging endeavor is impossible unless significant time and energy are invested in the process.

Malcolm Gladwell refers to a phenomenon that seems to be occurring as the "10,000 hour rule" in his book Outliers. It would seem that this rule is applicable to a wide number of industries, including but not limited to music, literature, acting, athletics, and other such areas. According to the theory known as the "10,000-Hour Rule," it takes about that amount of time to achieve mastery of a subject or, said another way, to turn oneself into an expert in a certain field.

10,000 hours! It is no surprise that most individuals are content to settle for mediocrity given the amount of effort, sweat, and tears required. How is it possible for someone to remain focused (that is, determined) for such a significant amount of time? The response is to have passion.

Passion. Nobody, not even the most driven, can keep a straight face for ten thousand hours if they lack love for what they are doing. It is difficult to practice anything continuously, day in and day out, for the years or decades that are required to attain 10,000 hours unless you are enthusiastic about the subject you are doing. There is truth to the age-old adage that if you like what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. To some extent, yes.

Discipline. Even if you are really enthusiastic about what you are doing, there will be moments when you just don't feel like practicing, training, writing, playing, or any of the other activities associated with your endeavor. There will be times when you just aren't feeling it. But you can't let it deter you from moving on. You can't sit around and wait for a flash of inspiration to hit you like lightning; if you do that, you'll spend your whole life gazing up at the clouds.

Find an activity that sparks your interest, make it your goal, then devise a training plan for yourself and commit to following it religiously regardless of whether or not you feel like it on any given day.

Keep in mind that the difficulties we face today will make us stronger tomorrow.

You're going to need some good fortune, to cap it all off. No matter which very successful person you speak to, they will all agree that you need a certain amount of luck in order to achieve the highest levels of success. This is true regardless of the field in which the individual operates.

Complaining that someone else "got to where they are solely because they are fortunate" is a sign of weakness. The weak exploit their (actual or perceived) lack of luck as an excuse and utilize it as a crutch. People who have achieved some level of success but not complete success may develop a cynical attitude as a result of this and believe they are "self-made men." But take note that I stated semi-successful, since these individuals who claim to have built their own success from scratch are seldom among the most prosperous in their industry. Those who are most successful are always astute enough to acknowledge that at least part of their achievements are the result of chance.

There are many other types of luck, including genetic, social, timing, and taste luck. All of these factors are arbitrary, and by definition, anything that is both arbitrary and advantageous may be considered fortunate.

Even the ability to put in a lot of effort may, to some extent, be the result of fortunate biological or genetic factors. However, I find it difficult to accept the notion that the ability to put in a lot of effort or that it is fully innate (also, I see no evidence for it).

To achieve greatness, you will need to put in a lot of effort, most likely more than you ever imagined. However, you must not be so foolish as to believe that you have accomplished all on your own.