Let’s be honest. Not everyone at the top has all the talent and not everyone with the talent gets to the top. What gives? Could it be that there’s more to success than just having talent? I’m sure you know what’s coming. Of course there’s more to it. At the New York Acting school for Film and Television, we want people to succeed more than anything and we do our part by educating you, expanding your skills, supporting you with ideas and connections and also inspiring you to be and deliver your best.
So as I was thinking about success today and what it takes to be seen and win when everyone’s in the race with you, I recalled pearls of wisdom from the greats and wanted to share their advice with you. Because if you take it all to heart and apply it to your life - you’ll get where you want to go.
Robert Iger recommends getting up early and he’s not messing around. This Disney CEO is not the only executive claiming to rise at 4:30 every morning. Successful people do not stay in bed until 2:00pm on a Sunday. Or even 11:00am. Research shows that our brains are sharpest two and a half to four hours after waking. Get up early on a weekend and you’ve got a head start on the rest of the world.
Have you ever read about Benjamin Franklin beyond his inventions? He was a man committed to executing a plan. He would ask himself every morning, “What good shall I do today?” Successful people know the importance of even daily goals — the weekends are no exception. Sure, they can be a time for (planned and purposeful) rejuvenation, but you don’t have to be President to know that general slacking off is not an option.
Ok, on to the next success hacker - the father of success hacking really - Tim Ferriss. For a good kick in the pants, check out his book The Four Hour Work Week. In it, he helps people make the most out of their days and lives without spreading yourself too thin. It may be tempting to maximize your weekend productivity by running on the treadmill while calling your mother and trolling your newsfeed, but successful people know that this just reduces efficiency and effectiveness. Instead, be present for each single activity. Ferris recommends a maximum of two goals or tasks per day to ensure productivity and accomplishments align.
Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour commits to playing tennis for one hour every day. And she’s not the only big-shot making time for exercise. Richard Branson stays active with kite surfing and India’s fourth-richest billionaire is a serial marathon runner. Successful people know the importance of an active body for an active mind — weekends included. If nothing else, it will also counteract that glass of wine and cheese platter from Saturday night.
Tech legendary Steve Jobs once said, “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.” Weekends are the time to remind yourself of the forgotten little things — to keep your work-life harmony (the new ‘balance’) in check and reset if needed. Spending time with your friends, children or partner might not directly increase profits that day or propel you into the limelight, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Even the current US President famously makes time to sit down for dinner with his family.
Warren Buffett definitely doesn’t believe in an all work no play life. He may be considered the most successful investor of the 20th century, but in his “spare” time Buffett likes to play the ukulele. Successful people are often interesting people — and their hobbies have a lot to do with that. Sure, golfing on Saturdays can be a great way to network and source business opportunities. But, even solo hobbies — knitting like Meryl Streep or oil painting like George W. Bush — can aid success through fostering creativity and relieving stress.
Pop self help icon, Oprah Winfrey is used to having all eyes on her and that’s a lot of pressure. And to handle it and stay centered, she recommends stillness and mindfulness as a daily practice. This once-best-kept secret of the yogis is now common knowledge. Even the corporate world is acknowledging the benefits of meditation and mindfulness for reducing stress, improving productivity, facilitating creativity and maintaining general well-being. The weekends can often be busier than week days with attempting to cram in chores, exercise, family commitments, social engagements and more into a 48-hour period. The most successful people take daily time out for stillness, weekends included. They don’t call it a meditation “practice” for nothing.
Let’s end on an icon note, shall we? Jay-Z. He’s made an empire as a highly successful rap artist and entrepreneur, and the secret is right there in his lyrics: “You can want success all you want, but to get it, you can’t falter. You can’t slip. You can’t sleep. One eye open, for real, and forever.” (Decoded) Jay Z didn’t become worth $520 million by only wanting it five out of seven days of the week. If you want to eventually spend your weekends on a luxury yacht in the Caribbean with Beyoncé, unrelenting grit and persistence might just get you there. Well, we can always dream, right? ( Life Hack)
It all comes down to an attitude that goes deeper than just performance, talent and desire. You’ve got to hone in your ability to handle pressure, to focus, to get your to-do list done and so much more. Are you inspired?
I hope so. And when you’re ready, take the next step and see how the New York Acting School for Film and Television can take YOU to the next level.
Success is yours. Claim it.
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