Stop Copying Others. Do Your Own Thing
Insight of the Day: Real success is getting what you want, not what others think you should want.
It’s tempting to follow someone else’s blueprint for success. But here’s the thing: their path isn’t your path. What works for them might be a disaster for you.
Insight of the Day: Real success is getting what you want, not what others think you should want.
Today’s story comes from Morgan Housel:
The ultimate success metric is whether you get what you want out of life. But that’s harder than it sounds because it’s easy to try to copy someone who wants something you don’t.
It’s possible to be humble and learn from other people while also recognising that the best strategy for you is the one closest aligned with your unique personality and skills.
A few things happen when you do.
You do your best work and have the most fun when you’re not burdened by fear that someone else thinks you’re doing it wrong.
You measure how you’re doing against your personal benchmarks, which can both push you to your potential and prevent you from chasing someone else’s.
You have a much better shot of getting what you want out of life. Which, again, is all that really matters.
Figure out what matters to you. Not what should matter, or what others say matters. What actually matters to you. Then go after that. It’s simple, but it’s not easy. But it’s the only way to build a life you actually want, not one you think you’re supposed to want.
