Success Is Not A Popularity Contest

By Dennis Harting

This is not an article about acting like a jerk. Nor is it a condemnation against being a nice person. However, in researching the most successful, it is quickly realized they are not always the most liked. Success is not a popularity contest. The qualities which make one a prom queen do not translate into heading a corporation. Making it to the top means that you will step on a few toes along the way.

Successful people make tough decisions. Any leader knows that it is impossible to keep everyone happy. The larger the number of people that any one person leads, the more individuals that will be upset with a decision. It simply is the nature of leadership. A certain percentage of the people will always be against the choices that are made. Of course, to be effective, their approval is not required.

Developing "thick skin" is a prerequisite for success. Consider the daily ordeal that anyone famous must endure. The pressures in dealing with the press whether one is an actor, entrepreneur, political figure, or athlete are enormous. These are people who are tops in their fields, yet are assaulted daily by critics. Like is always preached, "Nobody ever erected a statue for a critic". Famous people understand that someone will always be questioning their choices. However, they do no allow their success to be tied to the approval of others.

Let's be clear: everybody wants to be liked. That is a facet of our humanness. We, by our nature, are social beings. The interaction and approval of others is crucial to our survival. Very few people were ever able to live the "hermit" lifestyle without going literally insane. In fact, isolation is a technique that is often used to extract information out of prisoners during war. The need for other people is biological. However, the need to be liked and approved by all is neurotic. Extreme people pleasing is a disorder that often requires professional treatment. It is a sign of low self worth. Individuals who suffer from this usually do not have the qualities to be successful.

Do you want to be successful? If you answered in the affirmative, then it is time for you to raise your self esteem so that it is not dependent upon other's approval. The path to success in most any endeavor is already paved. There are people who went before providing a blueprint to follow. The question is whether you have the internal confidence to forge that path in spite of what other's think. This journey requires some risk, tough decisions, and courage to persevere through the down times. It is not a choice for the weak hearted.

Being true to oneself is one of the toughest principles to live by. It is said that life is not a popularity contest. This is definitely true when it comes to success. Again, consider some of the most successful people. What is their day filled with? They are confronted with difficult decisions that affects a fair amount of people. Periodically, their ideas are met with extreme resistance. This is especially true when dealing with communities or government entities. People begin to protest their dislike for a particular individual or company. Donald Trump and WalMart are prime examples of ones who regularly meet this disapproval. However, they do not back down. They believe in their cause which allows them to remain true to it regardless of what others think.

A healthy place to begin is with the realization that someone is always going to disagree with you. As you progress up the path of success, the number of people who fall into this category only increases. Monitor your self esteem throughout this process. Make your decisions based upon the goals you are trying to attain. Resist the urge to try appeasing everyone. It is a fruitless proposition. However, by doing this, you will gain the respect of those who you are leading in spite of their personal feelings. Successful people are not always the most well liked. Yet, if they act in an ethical manner, they are the most well respected.

When it comes to being like, it is helpful to remember that: some will, some will not, so what.

Dennis Harting is one of the leading authorities on success, motivation, and overcoming procrastination. All his programs can be found at http://www.yourrichlifeinc.com. He is also the founder of the highly acclaimed success forum http://www.freesuccessforum.com.

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Finding True Success In This World

By Courtney

An examination of what it takes to find true success in this world.

Most of the success created by great business people really has little to do with trends, climate, and circumstance. These great leaders can create a profit in any kind of circumstances. Of course they take advantage of trends and everything else, but they do not rely on them

Everything in this world has outside influence, but it comes down to realization of self-evaluation and the ability to alter what is and isn't bringing success. I believe that there are things out there we can take advantage of that can help us, but in the end it comes down to you as the individual.

You have the obligation to look at your self in the mirror and say, "What positive things are being done and what can I build on? What am I doing wrong that I can fix?" People don't realize that success lies in the subtlest of changes. These changes can alter the course of one person's existence.

The gap between yes and no and right and wrong are not that far apart. As easy as it is to fail in the business world, it truly is as easy to be successful. It comes down to you and your determination. Can you fail enough until you learn how to do it right or will you succumb to fear, pressure, and depression?

"Every time I fail," said Thomas Edison, "I learn something." He tried 1,114 times to find a filament to stay lit in a bulb. He failed 1,113 times. That might look on the surface as a failure, but yet he became one of the most valued individuals of our time and impression is felt even today.

What can be said for you and your road to success? You can look at your failures as roadblocks or steps toward your eventual triumph. It is truly up to you and your mindset. One important fact that needs to be noted that when you are evaluating your business make sure to not only realize the errors, but also notice the success.

Value those moments and compliment those that helped you to accomplish them. If you focus on negativity a lot then you will only create more negativity and failure. If you focus on success and doing whatever you can to achieve it then there will come a time when all you expect and look for is success.

You will know what it looks like and how it tastes. It will be as common to you as any of the feelings of your senses. It will seem natural and people will call it so. They will claim that you had a natural born gift. They will believe that you were blessed with it and will envy you. Hopefully deep down inside you will know that they have the same capacity, but lack possibly the knowledge to help them accomplish it.

Nothing comes that natural unless you make it a natural part of your life. What is exciting about success is that when you do it in one area then you can do it in numerous other areas. It will seem endless to you. That is why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

It is a widening gap that requires a greater deal of education for those that don't have those tools and just maybe you are the one to give it.

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About the Author: Court helps people to learn about finding success in this world.