Does Old Success Adage Still Ring True?

I was challenged last week about the adage Rory Vaden uses in his Take the Stairs program - an adage that has been around the motivational speaking industry longer than Rory or I or any of us, perhaps, have been living. The saying goes "Successful people do what others will not do."

The contention was that people in low-level jobs, such as housekeeping, trash collection, waitresses, etc., do things others will not do and they are not necessarily successful. Very true - but a thought process not necessarily in line with the spirit of the adage. Mass-murderers also do what others will not do, and they wouldn't be considered a success by the world's standards. At the same time, some of these people may perceive themselves as wonderfully successful, depending on their perspective of success - whether they're washing dishes or disposing victims.

The spirit of the adage, in my mind, is "Successful People do things that make them successful that others will not do." Often, we can look at a successful person's life and see that what they've done isn't so far out of our ability to do, but rather out of our comfort zone or the definition of ourselves we've built over the years.

There are two main thoughts that come to me out of the debate I've been having over this issue in my mind.

1. Success is what we define it as, on an individual basis.
2. Success doesn't come from doing from what others won't in every case.

Which leads me to this conclusion:

Succes is reached by those who do what others who haven't achieved that success will not do, regardless of what the definition of success is. Which means we must define success for ourselves, then find what it takes to get there, and do those things. The adage itself works in a very comparative sense that way - if two people are faced with an identical task, and one is willing to work in a way that accomplishes it better than the other, the adage fits well. Even in this case, two people with the same task can accomplish it with equal results in completely different ways, which, rather than disproving the adage merely gives it more channels with which to operate.

What is success to you? Is it based in money? Family? Spiritual meaning? Freedom? Looks? Sex? Joy? Usually its a combination of all of those things and more, to one degree or another. I know I have felt more successful at times when I've made less money and spent more time with my family than the inverse.

Define your own success. Then do what it takes to get there, whether others are doing it or not. In the end, the only one to judge if you are a success or not, and be right, is you.

Anne Took the Stairs

Photo taken by me at Tgeregt Restaurant - our first dinner.

My friend and fellow speaker Rory Vaden promotes his program Take the Stairs, encouraging people to realize hard work is what's behind success, and the more challenging route can be more rewarding. Rory knows his stuff, and I believe in what he's saying

But for me, taking the stairs means slow arduous treks and gasping for air, which isn't the impression I want to leave once I get to the top. I need to take a few 1000 stair steppers first, drop another 30 lbs, and get my back back in shape.

Being in Europe this week, I find myself faced with lots of stairs, mini steps, spiral staircases, uneven brick roads, and bicycles, motorbikes, and cars racing along the same track I'm often attempting to walk upon. The Anne Frank Haus has many stairs, narrow, skinny stairs that go forever upwards, it seems. Heading back down on the museum side isn't much better, as they are part spriral themselves.

I was faced with a choice. I could say I went to the Anne Frank Haus knowing all I did was go to the museum, or I could tough it out and head upward, and upward, and upward. And it was worth it. Seeing the artifacts, watching the videos of the times and some survivors, going behind the bookcase that hid them for so long - an amazing experience if you ever get the chance.

What hit me hardest, though, was seeing the room she was in - covered with pictures of movie stars and people she aspired to become like when she grew up. Pictures not unlike any young girl would save, in those days and these days. Anna's diary was one of hope - that she would become a famous journalist. I'm just sorry she never saw how she turned out to be one of the most famous journalists of all.

Anna chose to take the stairs - she made choices unimaginable for girls her age all in the name of survival. The least I could do was take the stairs to witness it. I'm still not quite willing to choose the stairs 100% of the time. But I'm going to choose not to let stairs be the obstacle between me and my future, actually or metaphorically.

Do you have stairs to climb?