Success is a tag given by others!

Success story… Ah! Who cares about success? I care about chasing my dream, passion like a yagya. The journey gets a tag by others as success.

Each one of us yearns for success. Everyone is in a pursuit to achieve it and at the same time wonders how to go about it. In a world where we are constantly competing with those we’ve probably never heard of, we strive for glory, hoping to get inspired and make it large. In this race, I found myself back in my years, but now, I breathe the breath of an entrepreneur, driven by my passion. This journey, however, was much trickier to get hold of, than I thought. So, here are some points that helped me through:

Value formoney

Before you start your journey to the stars and end up on magazine covers, you go through the faction of mediocrity. Surely, one must wonder what the value of a thousand rupee note be to someone who runs a thriving business but it all starts from somewhere, from the same rock bottom. It’s very important to value the money you earn.

Don’t ask what people need

It’s aptly said, “ Ask not what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and go do it”. People won’t understand they need something until someone shows it to them, inciting a certain ‘ want’ for it. There are lots of similar products that appeal to different people. Let yours develop an image that sets it apart, making it something that reflects you and what you represent. So, instead of asking what others need, ask whether you can really do what you love doing.

Innovation is the key

There are lots of people doing great things today. The world isn’t as small as it was a decade ago. One key aspect in most of them is the innovation they’ve integrated in their work. In order to make anything successful and important to people, one must identify the gap they are filling. Your product is special because it represents your values and vision.

Let your passion guide you

Your passion should be your driving force. Your obsession for the idea shouldn’t just be visible, it should be apparent. Passion is the most important ingredient that will get you through any situation, anywhere in life. It will instill confidence, courage and a lot of times bring you to a crossroad where you will be driven to take risky actions. But remember, you must survive long enough to let success come into the picture. Proceed at your own pace Not all those who wander are lost. It may take much longer than your patience will allow for you to find yourself on the last step to success but don’t rush it. Be patient and find your own comfortable pace. Everyone is on a different stairway to success. Find yourself a comfortable sweet spot, build support for yourself and then, take the final leap.

Do what you love

Do what you love, love what you do and most importantly, let it show. The people you speak to should understand your idea and relate you with it. Anything big, generally starts at home, or among friends. Portray yourself and your idea in a beautiful packing and sell it like it’s the best thing anywhere. Those closest to you will form the building blocks of what could be a great success and ensure you always have some backing even when you have trouble finding your way in the world.

Perspectives – the more the merrier

Before you take your idea to the world, share it with those around you. Gather as many opinions and critiques as you can find. This will help you fill the gaps and ensure your product is closer to perfection. There is no stand point in the life of the successful. The world is changing quickly and competition means, everything is constantly being enhanced, refined; adapting and evolving to be better.

(This article first appeared in the Indian edition of Entrepreneur magazine (September, 2016 Issue).