Let us not forget that we live in a world of quick-fixes, ready-mixes and microwaving. We believe in fast track ways and escalators, for solutions.
Many think success is a result of aspiring, finding the right connections, being seen with right people, making the right noises, and looking and acting smart. If only one could buy success, fame, self-esteem, good relationships, and health and well-being in a nicely wrapped package at the local chain store! But that’s not how it works. What does work is making small, right choices that will reap huge benefits later.
Welcome to the compound effect!
What is it?
This examines the principles of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices. Darren Hardy has researched this phenomenon and has written a book for the benefit of those looking for some kind of sure-fire, long term and sustained success.
He is very emphatic that there are not 5,000 things we need to do well to be successful, but probably just about half-a-dozen things. These are the fundamentals that deliver the compound effect.
The fundamentals
Choices : They can be our best friend or our worst enemy. They can get us focused on our goals, or send us into a galaxy far, far away. Choices represent the root of every one of our results, and each choice leads to a behaviour, which becomes a habit overtime.
None of us make bad choices intentionally. However, it is also a fact that we sleepwalk through most of our choices. Half the time, we are not even aware that we are choosing something over the other. It is these little things that inevitably — and predictably — derail our success. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to make empowering choices consciously.
Owning 100 per cent : There is hardly anyone who will deny taking responsibility for what happens in his/her life. “Of course I take responsibility for my life” is the stock response you will get if you ask anyone about it.
But when you examine how most people operate in the world, you will notice how people deal with the decision they make in their lives — they will finger-point, play the victim, blame others and expect someone else to solve their problems. The reality is we alone are responsible for what we do, what we don’t do or how we respond to what is done to us.
Luck, circumstances or the right situations are not all that matter. Through choosing to be officially liberated from being a victim in the past, present and future circumstances, we make our way to success and happiness.
Routines and rhythms : A daily routine built on good habits and discipline is what makes the most successful people stand above everyone else. Even good, passionate, ambitious people can fall short when it comes to consistency, and find themselves at ground zero over and over again, wondering what they did wrong.
Winning the race is about pace, and consistency is key to achieving the required pace. For practice, all one has to do is choose three areas of life in which he/she is not consistent enough, and make a declaration to stay steadfast in his/her new commitment to consistency.
Reference group : Birds of the same feather flock together. The people with whom you habitually associate with are your “reference group”. According to Dr David McClelland of Harvard, your “reference group” determines as much as 95 per cent of your success or failure in life.
Together, when you focus on making empowering choices consciously, build positive habits and convert them into routines and rhythms and be associated with the right kind of people, you discover that the Compound Effect is already beginning to deliver results.
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