go for it! keep at it!
Today, I saw a graphic on Instagram as I was scrolling. It displayed three of the same images stacked on one another. On the left side was a bow & arrow, and on the right side was the target. Each of the images was captioned 93% of people, 6% of people, and 1% of people, from top to bottom in that order, respectively. Now, apart from the captions, another thing distinguished these images from one another. The first image, captioned “93% of people,” had just a loaded bow and arrow aiming at the target, showing that many people have dreams and desires but rarely act on them. The second image, captioned “6% of people,” depicted a bow and arrow that was let go, shown missing the bullseye of the target, which signifies that some people try but give up quickly. However, the third and last image, captioned “1% of people,” showed a bunch of arrows all being launched from the bow, none of them hitting the mark until finally, the last arrow that was shot hit the bullseye. So, what I learned from this is that success takes patience and perseverance.
We are so quick to quit something after three weeks of no results, but we often forget that it takes a decade to become a practicing doctor or lawyer, for example. This conclusion, although easily realized, is often forgotten by most people (myself included) due to the information overload we are bombarded with daily and the “busyness=success” mindset that is rampant in society. This idea of keeping at it and really just trying again and again when you want something is not a new concept. It’s as old as time itself, and in theory, it seems really easy and fun to try out. Though I must say that this journey of trying really hard for something is filled with loads of failure and disheartenment. I myself have embarked on countless adventures trying to seek fame and wealth, and almost all of them flopped. At the time, I placed the blame for my failures on everything but myself. I wasn’t lucky enough; that’s why my NFTs failed. I didn’t have 0 ping to take my opponents' walls in Fortnite; Chess is just not for me. The list goes on and on.
The point is real change and success can only happen when you put the entire blame for bad outcomes on YOU. You have to acknowledge that there is a problem with you and the way you are doing things before you can even dream about change and ultimately success. I think the problem with me and a lot of us is that we have countless desires (lots of things we want to do); however, we are wired in such a way that we can only allot our time to a few things. It’s up to us to choose what is truly important in our lives and then really dig deep and stick to what we said we would do. A current example of one of the few important things in my life that I really dig deep for every day is the gym. I go to the gym six times a week and regularly push myself till failure; I’ve gotten accustomed to it. Now, I can’t even imagine skipping the gym; I get withdrawals! ;) Additionally, I’m totally fine that I’m not some super strong Hulk-like man. I had to accept that I can’t be like most of the guys I see on the Internet, especially not in just a few months of lifting weights. I changed my whole mindset toward the things I wanted to be successful at in life. First, I began to really enjoy the idea and process of growth instead of always looking for results. “I’ll get there one day, not in one day,” is what I tell myself.
So, to sum it all up: First, let’s ditch the idea of overnight success and really look for growth rather than results. Second, never stop working towards your goals because success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. Lastly, we are all on our own unique journeys; don’t compare your day 1 to someone’s year 1. You are going to achieve all of your goals if you keep them in your mind constantly. Become obsessed with this idea of success by desiring and visualizing that you already have everything you could ever want. You’ll be success-conscious, and now all you have to do is have faith, as it removes self-imposed limitations. You will reach heights you could have never imagined. I believe in you, so please believe in yourself. You are meant to be great. Follow your heart and go for it! Keep at it!
