Summary

The article discusses the commonality among successful individuals, emphasizing the necessity of taking a bold, seemingly "stupid" step to achieve greatness.

Abstract

The text argues that the most successful people across various fields have all taken a significant leap of faith, often perceived as foolish by others. This leap is described as a natural yet challenging step that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, the best from the excellent, and the financially average from the very wealthy. The author suggests that this pivotal action is the key to unlocking one's potential and achieving true success, which goes beyond mere competence to the realm of excellence or being the "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time). The article encourages readers to overcome fear and societal expectations to pursue their passions, citing examples like Steve Harvey and Snoop Dogg, who took risks that led to their current fame and success.

Opinions

Successful individuals often take a "stupid step" that is crucial to their success, despite it being counterintuitive or risky.
There is a distinction between being the best and being excellent; excellence is about surpassing the ordinary and achieving greatness.
The "stupid step" is a natural action that many can take but often lack the courage or motivation to pursue.
The article posits that self-confidence and the willingness to take risks are essential in bridging the gap between average and extraordinary success.
The author believes that financial success and fame are often achieved by those who dare to deviate from conventional paths, such as leaving a stable career to pursue a passion.
The text suggests that fear of failure and societal pressures are the primary barriers preventing people from taking the necessary steps to achieve their full potential.
The author emphasizes that the journey to success is not easy and may involve hardship and sacrifice, but it is ultimately rewarding.

That Stupid Thing That Has Made Every Successful Person You Know

What is that one thing they’ve all done…? The greats of our society, the elites, the very successful ones.

The Top-shelve Medium writers, the highest income earners, and one-time grand wonders.

That thing is merely impossible. It’s so natural that we all can do it. We just haven’t gathered the necessary push for it.

Best or Excellent

How does this relate to this article?

Well, if you were asked how you wanted to do with your SATs when you wrote them, I’m sure you would have said you wanted to make the best grades.

How good a writer would you like to be?

Your answer will most definitely be; I want to be the best I can be.

But guess what! It’s not that you don’t know, it’s not that you haven’t seen it, but you’re just acting as if it’s not there.

It’s there, you know, there is something beyond being the best of, which is being excellent at what you do.

Being the GOAT! As the millennials would say.

But amongst us there are the average, the best, and the excellent individuals in life. There is a difference in the confidence we have in ourselves.

You don’t have to see through a door in your house before you open it, once you know where it leads to.

This is the secret, the bridge, and the line that separates the best from the excellent, the ordinary from the best and worse in financial capability, the lower class and middle class from the very rich ones.

What’s the line?

I am not an avid reader, as I only love to read biographies. A few times a week, most times I listen to podcasts and interviews. And through these interviews. I have examined and realized that the most successful individuals who graciously crossed the line between rich and poor, fame and norm, ordinary and royal have taken a ‘Stupid Step’ for once in their lives. Which in most cases was what determined their present success in a continuum.

Steve Harvey said once a female friend took him out to go perform, and he made $50 a night. He quit his day job and concentrated on comedy full time. As he reckons, ‘Everyone thought I was stupid, I have two kids to raise and a wife, even my mother was against me’. But he got stuck to it, and today he is very successful at telling jokes.

I am sure that you would agree that almost everyone you know has that special thing they want to do. That stupid thing they joke about going through in life with. But they are just so scared to carry on with it.

It’s okay to want to live life as it comes, go to school, get good grades, have a hubby, be normal and work through life without stress. That’s ordinary living, if you ask me.

You obviously might cut through a few sacks of ginormous financial freedom if you’re lucky enough to climb through the career ladder. But you wouldn’t have been as great as you should be.

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. also known as Snoop Dogg in a radio interview was asked if he was a basketball phenom in high school as there were rumors of stories of such. He replied ‘Yes, I was the best all through high school and was scouted to play in the NBA, but I went through the thug life and that shaped me into a word wall’ He reckons he might have been successfully vied into the NBA and might have succeeded, but he wouldn’t have been as great as he is right now as a rapper.

What then is the hold?

For most of us, it’s the little things that matter that scare us from making that flimsy move that we sure know will change our lives forever. Leaving that not-so-suiting career, quitting that boring job, focusing on that low-income-loving skill. Because we have to put food on the table for ourselves.

For others, it’s just about making amends and returning the favor to whoever took us up and sponsored us through life. Not leaving a career in medicine to be a travel writer, not leaving a high-paying job as an attorney to be a photographer.

But remember, you still aren’t living if you haven’t taken that stupid step of faith and leap through the temptations of success.

Know also that it’ll be like a room separated with glass, where you’re looking at your success, at yourself being great on the other side. But you are scared of getting bruised when you break through the wall.

It sure won’t be easy. Before Steve Harvey had his break. During his stupid time, he suffered for three years and lived in his car, as did other successful comedians, rappers, musicians. You’d sweat, but for what it’s what. You’d be glad you did it, and you’d be the GOAT (Greatest of all time) in that career part.

DON’T FIGHT THE TEMPTATION OF SUCCESS