I first thought of the title of this newsletter on the floor of a friend's apartment in Downtown LA. I was on the brink of landing a job as an assistant to a celebrity, which I landed. As I texted my friend, who asked, "Are you starting to taste the success?" I responded with, "Bro, I think the work is the success." All too often we perceive success as some sort of accomplishment but I started rethinking my meaning of success. The word success (n) means the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.
I would contrast that with my definition by adding the part of speech (verb) to the existing definition because success should be seen as an action. It's like saying, it's about the journey in who you become while striving for your goals and not just the destination itself. The true success lies in overcoming inner challenges, changing your beliefs, and following your heart despite the noise and doubts that accompany you.
There's a famous quote by Tom Brady, in my opinion the greatest to ever do it, and Tom replies when asked, which of your Super Bowl rings is your favorite
"The next one."
As if winning 7 Super Bowls was not enough! This mentality is something I have come to realize is rare yet the true qualities of a leader. Many people just want one championship but Brady dares to state that his next Super Bowl will be his favorite. Call it sly arrogance, but to truly break it down this is the obsession of someone's craft. An unrelenting hunger that drives someone already considered the GOAT forward.
Perhaps this is the right way to think about tasks we dread or the goals we have. We see them as marathons or desires with no real end in mind. While it's great to stop and pause about the achievements one may accomplish never losing sight of a north star such as one more customer that will love my product/service or one more investment, one more podcast, ultimately there is no limit to what we can attain if we incorporate a mindset of success is the work.
Cheers,
Dan
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