In sports it is a well-known fact, that the greater your mastery of the basics, the better you will be at that sport. In fact, mastery of the basics, is often the key factor that separates great sportsman, from average sportsman. Imagine a champion soccer player who can't aim the ball properly, or a basketball player who misses the hoop. They just wouldn't make the team.
Similarly in everyday life, we need to pay attention to the basics of whatever we are doing. We need to ensure that we have a strong mastery of the fundamentals. We need to be ready for the opportunities that life brings us, so that when our time comes, we don't miss our shot.
2. Grow in Increments
It is easier to walk 10 feet, than it is to jump 10 feet. Almost all super-achievers developed their success one step at a time. Richard Branson the British business giant started out with a student magazine. He then progressed to a mail order music business. Later he opened a record shop and then a recording company. He continued along this line, until he had created one of the largest business empires in Britain.
When we think about this, it becomes apparent, that the path to greatness is completed one step at a time. We generally grow more when we take baby steps, than when we try to take giant leaps.
3. Strive to be the Master
The great martial Artist Bruce Lee was a master of almost every fighting style of his day. Not only did he study the traditional martial arts such as Wing Chun - Kung Fu, but he also studied western fighting styles such as boxing and fencing. Bruce Lee was always striving to become the best in his field. He would put in whatever effort it took, and do whatever he needed to do, to become the best.
Similarly if we want to attain greatness at something, we need to strive to become the best in our field. We need to observe what the masters are doing and imitate them. We need to be committed to continuous improvement. We need to make mastery our passion and focus.
4. No Matter What - Continue
Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing while still a young child. But this didn't stop her from becoming world famous. In spite of her severe handicap, she continued, and learnt to speak audibly and hear by means of letters drawn on her hands. She continued to persist and completed a university degree, before becoming a noted author. Helen Keller is the world's greatest example of the power of persistence!
No matter what, we need to cultivate the habit of persisting through trials -- of starting again after setbacks and using our failures as, an education for success. We need to remember that more than anything else - persistence is the master key, that separates the 'haves' from the 'have nots'.
Conclusion
When you apply this four step system, you will begin to realize that there is a process to becoming successful -- and anybody who follows this process, will become great at the things, which they want to excel in. And you too, will become exceptional, as you apply these principles to your own life, until one day you will look back on your life, as so many others have, and say to yourself, "I have achieved my success!"
