How many times do you hear people talking about “making it?” The people at the top of the ladder, the executives and leaders with corner offices, they’ve all made it. And if you work hard and never give up, someday you might make it too.
Here’s the secret that all those successful people know: there is no such thing as making it. There is no magical plateau where you can coast without pushing yourself any further. If you are lucky enough to reach this point, you did it by hard work and sweat and never letting up. You did it by hustling hard.
The thing about success is that it is far from static. It’s not something you have or you don’t — it’s something you constantly build on. The idea of “reaching” your potential is a misnomer, because as soon as you reach your goal you realize that all the skills and experience and wisdom you gained along the way open up whole new vistas of possibility, new potential, and, yes, new standards of “making it.” All making it means is that it’s time to set new goals, to reach higher and stretch yourself further because you’ve proved that you’re ready for the next challenge.
Quite frankly, anyone who decides that they’ve made it and now they can simply phone it in will find that they don’t stay on the top for long.
So so asking whether you’re satisfied or whether you’re successful and start asking how you can do more, and do it better. And in the rare instance that you really have reached the peak of a certain path — great! Which mountain are you going to climb next?
In short, there’s no one end goal, only the ever- changing thrill of the game. And really, that’s a good thing! The most successful people find their happiness in constantly moving a striving for something better. If it were possible to simply make it and be done, you’d suddenly find yourself lost and directionless, with no use for the incredible skills and talent that you’ve amassed along the way. Luckily for us all, that doldrum doesn’t exist so long as your imagination is still alive. So enjoy the climb, and be ready to constantly adjust your perspective and set your sights on the next peak.
