Everyone says they want to make it. Fewer are prepared for what it actually requires. Turns out, success doesn’t arrive on a silver tray, hand-delivered by the universe because you’ve journaled about it with intention. It comes from a thousand tiny decisions. From noticing which doors might open and having the guts to knock. From doing the unglamorous thing every day, even when no one’s watching.
It’s not about being the smartest, or the most connected, or the one with the fanciest title. It’s about staying in the game long enough to matter. With some strategy. Some stamina. And just enough delusion to think, "I can actually pull this off."
1. Get Really, Really Good at Something (Anything)
Let’s start here. Everyone talks about passion like it’s a prerequisite. I think we’ve got it backward. Passion doesn’t start the fire. Competence does.
You don’t wake up passionate about financial modelling or brand strategy or writing copy for a mattress company. But you start doing it, you get better, and then one day you notice you care. Not because it’s your life’s calling, but because it feels good to not suck at something. And it feels even better to be great.
The top people in any field aren’t always the most inspired. They’re the ones who kept going when it got boring. Who showed up again when no one replied to their pitch. Who quietly got better while everyone else looked for something more exciting.
Whatever your thing is, commit to it. Make it yours. Do it well enough that people start asking, “Can you show me how?”
That’s where momentum starts.
So pick a skill, commit to it, and get so undeniably good that people have no choice but to notice.
2. Outwork, But Don’t Overwork
Hustle culture is a lie, but so is thinking success will just happen if you manifest hard enough.
The truth is less cinematic. You need focus. Not frenzy.
Work smarter, not just harder. Focus on high-impact work, not just busy work. If you’re spending eight hours a day tweaking your logo instead of actually building your business, congrats—you’re doing a lot, but accomplishing nothing.
Start by figuring out what actually matters. Not the stuff that makes you look productive, but the stuff that builds your future. The things that generate value, open doors, create leverage.
Top performers don’t just work harder; they work on the right things. Prioritize the tasks that actually move the needle. Ask yourself: If I only had two hours a day to work, what would I do? Now go do that, and stop refreshing your inbox every five minutes.
This is the part that requires discipline. Saying no when it’s easier to just say yes and look busy. Blocking time for deep work. Resting like it matters, because it does.
It’s not about being everywhere. It’s about being effective where it counts.
3. Learn the Game (Because It’s Rigged, But You Can Still Win)
Here’s the part nobody tells you: Success isn’t just about skill. It’s about knowing how to navigate systems, people, and opportunities. The workplace is political. Industries have unspoken rules. And the best jobs don’t go to the best candidates—they go to the ones who know how to position themselves as the best candidates.
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Learn how to negotiate.
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Network like it’s your second job.
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Figure out who actually has influence in your industry (hint: it’s not always the person with the biggest title).
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Read the room. The ability to shut up and listen is an underrated skill.
Master the game, and suddenly doors start opening that weren’t even visible before.
4. Get Comfortable with Rejection (Because It’s Coming for You)
No one likes rejection. It’s uncomfortable. It’s humbling. Sometimes it’s downright humiliating. But it’s also inevitable if you’re doing anything worth doing.
People will ghost you. Clients will pass. Publishers will say no. Sometimes in writing. Sometimes with silence so deafening it echoes. It doesn’t mean you’re not good enough. It means you're in the arena.
The difference between people who rise and people who stall isn’t that one group avoided rejection. It’s that they learned to tolerate it. To metabolize it. To keep going anyway.
Take the hit. Shake it off. Rewrite the pitch. Hit send again.
Resilience isn’t sexy. But it’s everything.
5. Stop Waiting for Permission
No one is coming to give you permission. Not your boss. Not your professor. Not the committee in your head that keeps saying “almost, but not yet.”
The most successful people I know all did something bold before they felt ready. They wrote the proposal before the website was perfect. They launched the business without a full roadmap. They pitched themselves for something that technically they weren’t qualified for—yet.
You don’t need to fake confidence. You just need to act before you’re completely sure.
Most people wait too long. They wait until they’re certain. Meanwhile, someone else with half the talent and twice the nerve is already doing the thing.
Nobody is going to pick you. Pick yourself.
6. Build Relationships, Not Just a Resume
You know what’s better than a perfect resume? A strong recommendation from the right person.
Success tends to show up through people. Not just the ones with big titles, but the ones who know how to say your name in a room you haven’t entered yet.
Invest in relationships. Not in a transactional, "What can you do for me?" way, but by genuinely supporting, helping, and learning from others.
Offer value before you ask for something.
Follow up.
Send the email.
Remember birthdays.
Recommend good books.
Make the connection that isn’t for your benefit.
Reach out when you don’t need something.
This isn’t about being strategic. It’s about being human. But it turns out, being human is a very good long game.
7. Take the Work Seriously, but Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
This one’s easy to forget when you’re in the middle of trying to prove yourself. When you're comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel. But the truth is, even the most impressive people are making it up as they go.
Everyone is winging something. Everyone is insecure about something. No one feels totally ready.
The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is momentum. It’s self-respect. It’s joy. It’s building a life that feels honest, even when it’s messy.
So laugh at your awkward moments. Take a breath. Call your friends. Eat the cake. Celebrate something small.
And don’t let your ambition squeeze the life out of your actual life.
A Few Things That Helped Me (And Might Help You Too):
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The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson – A masterclass in wealth, decision-making, and leverage.
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What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith – A deep dive into the habits holding successful people back.
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The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel – Because financial success is part of the equation, too.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You just need to start.