The other day I was given a small “gift” from an officemate.  This person joined our firm recently.  She doesn’t work on my team.  In fact, I work for the international organization while she works for the US firm.  However, we are tied together by our cubes, as hers is located directly in front of mine.

I’m not quite sure how this person who doesn’t even know how to pronounce my name yet figured out that I would enjoy a list called the 19 Hard Things You Need To Do To Be Successful.  But I’m glad she came over to my desk, tapped me on the shoulder, and said, “I think you will like this” as she handed me a piece of paper.  Thank you, C!

When I had a minute to look at the 19 bullet points, I found myself nodding my head in agreement with each and every one.  I even revisited the list later in the day when I had less going on.  This time around I was a little hung up on the word successful because success is such a subjective term.  However, I understand that the creator of the list, Dan Waldschmidt, was going for business success.  But personally, I think “Hard Things You Need To Do To Make The Most Out Of Life” makes the list more widely applicable.

Anyways, these are the bullet points that stood out to me…

• You have to fight when you are already injured, bloody, and sore.
• You have to invest in yourself even though no one else is.
• You have to look like a fool while you’re looking for answers you don’t have.
• You have to make mistakes and look like an idiot.
• You have to run faster even though you’re out of breath.
• You have to be accountable for your actions even when things go wrong.
• You have to keep moving towards where you want to be no matter what’s in front of you.

And here are a few from yours truly…

• You have to step outside your comfort zone, especially when all you want to do is the complete opposite.
• You have to look around every once in a while (hopefully more) and fully savor all the wonderfulness in your life.
• You have to stay true to your authentic self and march to the beat of your own drum.
• You have to choose to see the good in people, even when you’re 100% sure it’s not there.
• You have to believe in yourself. <— This is a non-negotiable.

Your turn – what would you add to the list?