Recently, I was out for a run and I came across a man pushing his bike up a hill. As I passed the man, he looked over at me and said, “I wish I was lucky enough to be able to run like you!”
I kept going, but as I continued my run I thought about what that man said and what it meant. He seemed to have this idea that I was “lucky” to be able to run like I do, but my mind immediately went to all the work I’ve put in…
I realized that he was only seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Success takes hard work (and a lot of it)
A lot of us have this mentality that successful people are “lucky” to be in the position they’re in. We see someone on social media or a celebrity and think, “Wow, they are so lucky! I wish I could be them.”
I call this The Iceberg Mentality.
What’s really happening is that we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg! We’re not seeing all the hard work that’s under the surface, only the success that’s jutting out of the surface. Everyone who is successful (in anything or any industry) is putting in hard work day and night. There’s just no way around it.
So when that man told me he “wished he was as lucky as I was,” I started thinking about all the mornings I had woken up early to run. And all the nights I went to bed late because I ran at night. And all the healthy eating choices I made, even when I really wanted a hamburger. And all the times I went to the gym, even though I was tired and wanted to skip it.
I am not “lucky” to be able to run like I do… I put in a lot of hard work to get here.
Be real with yourself
So, the next time you say “I wish I was as lucky as _____,” I want you to look in front of a mirror. Ask yourself, “Am I putting in the effort and work to accomplish the goals they’ve achieved?” and give an honest answer.
If you can’t say that you are, that’s okay. It happens to all of us…even me. It just means that you need to put together a regiment. If you really want to get there, you need to commit to putting the work in—day in and day out. It’s all about having grit and sticking with it.
Mentors can help—and I always advise seeking out mentors to help you get to where you want to be—but ultimately the effort and hard work comes down to you. You’re the one that needs to do it. You’re the one that needs to stick to a regiment and put the hard work in.
But if you’re persistent and you follow your regiment, you will eventually get to a point where you are the “lucky” one! You’ll be the person that people look to and say, “I wish I was as lucky as them.”
So, are you putting in the effort and work to accomplish the goals these “lucky” people have achieved? Do you have a regiment?