How to Be Successful: The Simple Rule for Dealing with Advice

Sifting through a long line of unsolicited advice can be daunting when craving success. It's tempting to take the words of anyone who appears knowledgeable on the topic, but the truth is, many have never experienced what they preach.

Here's a simple rule: trust those who have walked the walk. Only follow the advice of someone who has reached the very goal you are striving for. If they haven't achieved it, consider their words carefully before acting.

In an article Sam Altman?originally wrote?in January 2019, he shares advice on the topic of how to be successful. Altman is the former president of Y Combinator and CEO of Reddit, and now the CEO of both Loopt and Open AI, a company that raised $1b in funding in 2015 and whose product Chat GPT became the fastest-growing consumer application in history after it hit an estimated 100 million monthly active users just two months after launching.?

First step to being successful? Set big goals. It's essential to focus on adding another zero to whatever your success metric is. Whether it's money, status, impact on the world, or something else entirely, don't settle for less than you deserve.

Below are some of the key maxims Altman shared in his article that I believe are relevent to those growing businesses in the field of sales and marketing:

Self Belief.

Believing in yourself is also a crucial element of success. The most successful people I know believe in themselves almost to the point of delusion. But that's not to say it will always be smooth sailing. You'll deal with naysayers and pessimists who will try to tear you down. But the key is to differentiate between self-belief (which you want) and self-delusion (which you don't). Seeking the truth may be complex and painful, but it's necessary.

Don't follow the crowd.?

The biggest wins come from thinking independently and boiling everything down to what people really want and how that will manifest in the future. So start thinking from first principles and try to generate new ideas – and don't be afraid to exchange them with others who can help you get even better.

Good Sales Skills

Thinking up ideas alone won't get you far. Being able to convince others of your vision is crucial. Sales and communication skills belong to every department. To become skilled in sales, you need to believe in what you're selling. Create a product or service that you're proud of and that others will adore. If it's important, show up in person. This was Altman's secret, and it served him well.

Take Risks With Ease

Altman's next piece of advice is to have your essential needs covered, then, make it easy to take risks. This means not living a luxury lifestyle that you fear losing. To get the jackpot, do not let lifestyle keep you from playing the odds. Altman knows that keeping your life cheap and flexible comes with trade-offs, but it is all about playing the long game.

Focus on What's Important

Focusing on the right thing is more critical than working on something for countless hours. He believes that most people waste valuable time in irrelevant areas. We often enter autopilot mode, working on things that don't matter and focusing on tasks rather than their value. Before you get to the point of being entirely focused, Altman insists that you ask yourself what really matters to you and put an extended period of thought into it.

Work Hard

Are you ready for extreme results? Then it's time to shun the anti-hustle crowd and start working hard. As Sam Altman, a successful founder said, "working hard at your maximum potential should be celebrated." Hard work compounds like interest, and the earlier you adopt this practice, the more you'll benefit from it in the long run. So, forget about wasting time travelling and partying in your twenties. Instead, get started on honing your craft and pushing on with those moonshot ideas.

Be Bold

Do you want to spark people's imaginations? Then don't be boring! If you're making progress on an essential problem, you'll have a constant tailwind of people wanting to help you. Altman encourages following your curiosity because if things seem exciting to you, they'll be exciting for other people too. When you hear someone enthusiastically geeking out over their invention, you feel compelled to get involved. You help them out, make those introductions, and set events in motion.

Be Willful

Do you yearn to reach your potential? Don't let self-doubt, giving up too early, or not pushing hard enough hold you back. Get intentional about what you want to accomplish because, with a little effort, there is always a way. So, don't pray for people to find you or hope to be picked; instead, ask the question, and be surprised by how many times the answer is yes. Altman has found that optimism is also key to success, and he believes that a pessimistic person can never be very successful.

Be Hard to Compete With

Are you tired of a race to the bottom? Then, it's time to find your unfair advantage! What sets you apart? What strengths have you taken years to cultivate? Emulating others is a trap, so don't follow the crowd. Your differentiator has to be more than price, so think hard about what sets you apart before you move forward. Remember, your uniqueness is your strength!

There you have it, guys and gals! These are some tips to help you succeed. The sky's the limit!