HOW TO REVERSE ENGINEER YOUR OWN SUCCESS

As a kid, I was fascinated by success. The notion of being able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it, and then having the means and influence to back it up - it was always incredibly attractive to me.

In those early days, I saw a number of “unique” paths to getting there. At first, it was painstakingly obvious that becoming a pro baseball player was the way to go. Later, in high school, I was convinced that parlaying a stint as a politician into a prominent private sector position was the only sensible path. However, it was only once I became an actual adult that I realized success was actually less about following a particular roadmap than it was about cultivating a rock solid foundation built from the clearly identifiable patterns, processes, and personality traits that can be found among the overwhelming majority of successful people.

If I could rewind the clock a quarter century, I’d focus on building and strengthening certain skills rather than just immediately trying to achieve business success.

You live and you learn. After all, whether you’re young or old, leveling up starts with your mindset, how you treat yourself, and how you treat others.

Here are the 5 things I continually focus on improving in order to further reverse engineer my own success:

1 - Learning

Leaders are readers because leaders are learners. If you’re not learning, you’re going to be outflanked by others who are. I don’t know of many successful people that don’t spend a huge percentage of their time continuing to learn.

Take Warren Buffett. He pretty much reads all day, making sure that the few decisions he ultimately makes are all very well-researched and grounded in knowledge on the subject matter.

2 - Do What You Say

Following through on promises is a non-negotiable to successful people. Doing what you say not only increases your self-confidence, but also helps build your reputation as someone that can be relied on.

If you want ample opportunities in life, a reputation as someone that can be depended upon helps. A lot.

3 - Say What You Do

Being an effective communicator is directly connected to strong leadership. On a more technical level, saying what you do helps to ensure that those on your team know what your stance is on a particular opportunity or problem and how exactly you want to approach it.

4 - Care About Winning

Winning matters. Specifically, caring about winning. This is because caring about winning in small areas helps to ensure that you care about winning when the stakes are higher.

The other side of this coin is that there is a very thin line between healthy and psychotic caring. You know the guy that gets kicked out of his 8 year old’s soccer game for going ballistic on the ref?

Don’t be that guy.

5 - Organization

When you’re a teenager and your parents are shielding you from all the more challenging aspects of life, it doesn’t really matter how organized you are. Mom or dad will make sure that you do what you need to do.

When you’re on your own as an adult, however, you need to be organized. This is because being organized is necessary for having a plan, and having a plan is necessary for growth.

If you’re not borderline obsessed with ensuring that you have well-organized notes, a calendar, and some kind of feedback loop that helps you improve on and learn from your mistakes, chances are you won’t make it far as a successful adult.