Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Although everyone wants to become a success, not everyone has a firm grasp of where to start. Depending on individual circumstances, it can seem overwhelming. So, how do you build onto your version of a successful life?
Well, it really depends on what you view as a “success.” Some people think their wealth is a measurement while others simply live their best lives.
It really depends on the individual.
In any case, there are steps you can take to help you strive to become the success you want to be. Whether you’re trying to be a blogger, freelance writer, or want to design games and graphics, it all comes down to a good flow of effort.
How to Become a Success in Your Field
Everyone has an opinion of how to get started. And all of them have validity depending on the situation. After all, everyone is different and will have a unique spin on life in general.
You can’t pit your success against another because of that individuality. In any case, you’re only in competition with yourself. As long as you strive for self-improvement, finding success in anything is much easier.
Here are the steps I took to become the success I am today.
1. Sustain Yourself First
Regardless of what you’re trying to create, make sure you’re able to sustain yourself. Because if you quit a full-time job in the hopes of becoming an overnight success, you’re putting yourself at financial risk.
Nothing is ever a guarantee in life. And sometimes, you have to work those crappy jobs while you work to become something more.
Before I quit my job at the school district, I made sure that I could sustain a workflow for three months straight as a freelance writer. This way, I could still make sure the bills were paid while working from home.
2. Know Where You Want to Go
How do you see yourself five years from now? What is it that you want to accomplish? What is your end-game?
If you’re not sure where you want to be, it’s hard to take those first steps. This is because the actions you initially take will depend on what path you choose.
I want to be a writer. When I began my career in 2012, I made a choice to become a success at freelancing. Now, my overall plans have shifted throughout the years, but the end goal has always centered around writing.
3. Create Realistic Goals
I’m a big fan of setting goals. As long as they’re realistic and are able to keep you grounded, that is. Some goals I’ve heard from others are simply too lofty, in my opinion.
A realistic goal is something that can propel you forward while still keeping your feet on the ground. It’s OK to wish and want grandiose objectives. But, you still have to take the steps to get to that point.
For instance, I create goals for myself for writing a certain number of words each day. And, I have my spreadsheet set up to show me if I am getting close to beating my word count from the day before.
The point is to set goals for yourself that you are capable of achieving. Building momentum to accomplish smaller goals is a great way to build self-confidence.
4. Create a Plan of Action
Creating goals is great. But without a plan of action, it’s far more difficult to achieve your objectives. Having a solid plan in place can keep you on course to become a success.
In my case, I built momentum by writing more and more words per day. Eventually, I was able to replace a full-time income from nothing more than content mills.
Each time I want to add something more to my career, I try to hammer out a plan of action to keep things real.
What steps do I need to take to reach X? What do I need to perfect my abilities that go into my career? How do I get from point A to point B?
5. Learn All You Can
Regardless of your career path, there’s always something you can learn. Even if it’s just to brush up on something you learned in the past, keeping information fresh in mind increases your value for clients.
I’m always in a state of self-improvement. If I don’t know something pertinent to my career, I spend time learning.
Since the Internet is what it is, you can learn virtually anything. You could go so far as to simply research the topics for free. But always keep moving forward with knowledge.
6. Learn from Failings, Don’t Dwell
When things don’t go your way, learn from the experience. Don’t dwell on what you could have or should have done. Analyze what happened and use it to guide your path to prevent issues from happening again.
I’m a firm believer that a true failing is one that you refuse to learn from. Otherwise, those failings become a learning experience. And the lessons you incorporate only helps you to become a success later on.
When I started as a freelance writer, I spent a great deal of time learning how to improve my writing. Every comment from editors and clients went into my notebook. Then, I spent time learning how to fix those problems.
This kind of goes along the lines of learning all you can. But, some of the most informative lessons are those when you fail.
7. Explore All Possibilities
There are a number of ways you can enhance virtually any career path. You don’t have to settle on just one thing, industry, or position. It all really comes down to what you want out of life in general.
For instance, I wasn’t satisfied with just being a ghostwriter for a content mill. I wanted more, and I wanted to help others become a success themselves. This is one of the biggest reasons why I built this site and the YouTube channel.
As I said earlier, think about what you want as your “end game.”
For me, it’s setting up a writing business and getting a few books published. However, those goals may change depending on the opportunities that happen. Always in motion, is the future.
Did you know I have a book on Amazon about freelance writing? It’s the story of how I got started using content mills like Textbroker and became the success that I am today.
Get Your Copy of A Freelancer’s Tale Today!
It All Comes Down to Effort to Become a Success
In reality, you are the only one who can tell the difference between success and failure. This is because “success” is a very subjective term.
Some people view their bank account as a measure of success, while others may want nothing more than to just do what they love.
But in the end, it all centers around the amount of effort you put in.
In the real world, the chances of a great opportunity landing in your lap are exceptionally thin. Instead of wishing and hoping to become a success, you have to put in the work to get you there.
Sometimes this means making a few sacrifices to reach your goals. You need to get yourself going if you want to make those things happen.
Want to get that novel published? The words aren’t going to write themselves.
Want to lose weight? Taking steps for better health and fitness are key.
Want to build an amazing blog that people love? Deliver the content they want to read and start a few marketing campaigns.
My point here is that no matter what you want to achieve, you gotta put in the effort. Otherwise, you’ll simply sit still and spin your wheels.
Are You Working to Become a Success?
Remember, everyone has an idea of what it means to them to become a success. But if you’re unhappy with where you are, there’s a reason. Figure out where you’re going wrong and make changes to achieve your goals.
Truth be told, you’re the only one holding yourself back.
Stop getting in your own way and reach for the stars. Just make sure you’re keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground.
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