Rules for Success: Part 1
Do you have your own rules for success? At times of crisis many of us turn to inspirational quotations, sayings and mantras to boost our morale.
Familiar idioms can help to put us back on the right track, and remind us what is important. Additionally coming across a familiar or new turn of phrase, at a critical moment, can be exactly what we need.
One thing that all successful entrepreneurs know is the importance of continued learning. Here is what a couple of wise souls have said on the subject.
“Once you stop learning you start dying” Albert Einstein
And to offer a slightly cheerier version…
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss
Rules for Success
We have recently discovered a series of rules for success created by a variety of celebrities, professional sports people and business people, and thought it would be useful to share them here.
Although much of the information here may be familiar to you, it never hurts to revisit it. It may be just what you need to read, just when you need to read it the most.
Given the recent news that this year’s Wimbledon Championships have been cancelled, for the first time since WW11, we thought we would start with a tournament champion and household favourite, Roger Federer.
Here are his own particular rules for success, the lessons that can be taken from them, and how you can apply them to your business.
How Does Roger Federer do it?
Arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, even at the age of 38 he is still playing great tennis and remains a force to be reckoned with. So how does he do it?
Quote 1: “There is no way around hard work. Embrace it. You have to put in the hours because there’s always something which you can improve”
Lesson: What do you want in your life? Have you taken any action to achieve it? Everyone wants success, but only a few really work for it. And they’re the ones who realise their dreams.
Quote 2: “When you do something well in life, you don’t really want to give it up – and for me it’s tennis”
Lesson: Find something you love and dedicate your life to it. Stop worrying about how you’ll achieve it or how you’ll make a living from it. Instead go for it. As you progress, over the years, the money will come.
Quote 3: “What I think I’ve been able to do well over the years is play with pain, play with problems, play in all sorts of conditions”
Lesson: Your success and opportunities will come from your intentions. The circumstances may seem hard, but the real game lies in your mind. When circumstances seem tough, use your mind to stay positive.
Quote 4: “I always believe if you’re stuck in a hole and maybe things aren’t going well, you will come out stronger. Everything in life is this way.”
Lesson: If you feel stuck due to external forces, understand it’s how you will grow and improve. Sometimes in life, in order to survive the hard times, you just have to put your head down and keep going.
Quote 5: “Early in my career, I always thought it was just about tactics and technique, but every match has become almost mental and physical. I try to push myself to move well. I try to push myself not to get upset and stay positive, and that’s what my biggest improvement is over all these years. Under pressure I can see things very clearly”
Lesson: Whatever it is that you do – play tennis, sing, run a business – your craft will improve if you improve your mindset. If your mind is strong, you will be more creative. So, nourish your mind and be positive.
Quote 6: “Sometimes you have to accept that a guy played better on the day than you”
Lesson: You will fail no matter how good you are. Even Roger Federer doesn’t win all the time! Remember that losing, experiencing hard times, is all part of life. Losing isn’t the end of the world. It’s what you do after you’ve lost that counts. So, keep focused on your end goal.
The Final Word
We hope that at least some of what Roger had to say has hit the nail on the head, and given you a tool to move forward with. This is the most challenging of times for us all. Nevertheless, during crisis there is always opportunity.
Funding Track continues to operate a full service, although remotely. As such if there is anything we can assist you with at all please do not hesitate to get in touch.