If You Want Success, Be Honest With Yourself

Sometimes you just think you know what you want.

You might work on a goal, hustle your ass off, and then realize you don't want it. The more you experience life, the more you learn about yourself.

You can read all the books in the world- but some lessons you have to learn in real life. Here's how not to spend years doing things that'll lead to dead-ends.

Forget money and attention

What would you do if no one was watching?

Would you still do the same things if you'd get minimum credit for your work, zero money, and no fame? You either work on something that matters or risk living a lie your whole life, never enjoying success.

You can spend years chasing money or false goals your ego is attracted to.I spent three years chasing a goal which I wasn't sure about. I always was in conflict with myself.

I thought, "Why am I doing this? What motivates me?" 

Initially, I thought it was money. However, I never felt I needed the extra money.

I realized the things I love are either cheap or free. Reading books, going out with friends or women, writing, learning or watching a movie

I did just fine with my monthly salary. It wasn't "cool", but I didn't care anymore.

Then I thought I wanted the "F.A.M.E" of entrepreneurship. But it didn't feel authentic to me either. I had no interest in building a marketing agency. It wasn't the right project for me.

I like creating stuff. I like learning.

If you say you want to do something or do it with lots of resistance, you don't want it. I've been lying to myself and forcing myself unnecessarily.

I wouldn't call it a waste of time because it taught me valuable skills like selling. It taught me grit. It taught me about myself.

But other than that, it wasn't my path.

Most people follow social norms and lose themselves. They're influenced by others, even if it's just a book or a random video.

"Who would you be if you didn't do these things?"- Derek Sivers, Hell Yeah or No

What do you value?

Every decision you make has to start with you and your values.

Whether you consider a shift in your career or a small decision that doesn't seem to matter, you must understand yourself first.

You decide what's important to you and optimize your life to fit that goal.

Thinking in terms of values will save you years of pain and conflict.

Not once I heard people say, "I knew I shouldn't do it for the money. Yet I did it anyway and regretted it."

You start at one place, then get carried away and find yourself doing something else which you didn't want to do.

That is what happens if you're not careful. I was in conflict with my side hustle business for three years. I heard this little voice telling me, "It's not for you". Then it grew into a monster I couldn't ignore anymore.

I didn't know what to do or what mattered to me, so I kept pushing. 

Eventually, I broke. Building million-dollar businesses ain't my thing. I love creating and learning. I think I'd rather "influence" a small number of people than conquer the world,

What do you value? Is it freedom? Creativity? Making tons of money?

Don't bang your head against the wall if you can't answer that question. Keep experimenting, and keep this question in mind. With time and experience, you'll get to know yourself and be able to answer that question.

Find work that feels like play

The best way to create great products and deliver great work is to be curious and in love with what you do.

I think when your work doesn't feel like work, you maximize your chances of success. If you're in a hurry to measure results, you'll run out of patience.

Work that feels like play draws your attention away from the clock, away from analytics and other measurement tools. It helps you stay patient.

I love reading and learning new things. It's a play for me. I open Amazon and choose whatever book I want. I feel like a kid in a candy store.

One day I read about marketing. The other, I read about dating. Then maybe I read about tech or even history. At night I read fiction. I can do this for years. This way, I live more moment to moment.

I don't think there's a specific goal or purpose to life other than living it with your whole being.

Conclusion: Find what's meaningful to you

Be honest with yourself. What do you want out of life? What makes you feel good? When you find that 1% discipline you want to invest the rest of your life in and has meaning to you, go all in.