A while back, as I was going through some old file folders, I ran across a small yellow pamphlet. It was entitled “The Common Denominator of Success” and was written by Albert E. N. Gray more than 50 years ago.
Albert Gray was, among other things, a life insurance agent. This little yellow pamphlet was written as an address to a convention of other life insurance agents, but the message applies to all of us today. It’s as true today as it was five decades ago.
Gray said he realized that the secret of success was NOT hard work. He had seen far too many hard-working people fail to become successful and far too many successful people who did not work hard.
Rather, he discovered the common denominator of successful people was that they simply formed the habit of doing the things that other people don’t like to do.
Interestingly enough, he did mention that successful people didn’t necessarily enjoy doing the things others didn’t like to do; successful people just did those things anyway.
Now, depending upon a person’s goals and aspirations, what qualifies as something most people don’t like to do may be different. However, the common denominator of success will remain the same.
In the field of life insurance, it related to disliking the need to call on people who didn’t want to be called, and then talking to them about something they didn’t necessarily think they wanted to talk about. Successful people would make a habit out of calling people anyway, while unsuccessful people would not.
Successful people are not necessarily successful because they love doing what others hate to do. They simply do what others are not willing to do. They make a deliberate decision to make it a habit to do the things most people dislike. They don’t allow their moods to dissuade them, or their feelings du jour to dictate what they accomplish. They make a plan and they stick to it.
Successful people simply are willing to do what unsuccessful people won’t do.
I once heard Brian Tracy talk about going the extra mile. That extra mile, he said, has very little traffic. Interesting food for thought. What about you? Do you go the extra mile? Do you do the things that need to be done even if you don’t like to or “feel like it?”
Share your thoughts below….we’d love to hear your comments!
To your success,
Robin
Make it an incredible day!
13. June 2010 at 5:26 pm
Right on! Do today what most people will not do and Have tomorrow what most people do not have.
Great post!
13. June 2010 at 7:31 pm
Robin,
Very true words! It’s not necessarily about liking the task, it’s knowing it needs to be accomplished to move forward and succeed at your chosen business. Your attitude makes the difference between have to and need to.
I like to get those tasks done & out of the way. No need to spend extra energy on disliking it.
Have a great day!
Val
Val Wilcox´s last [type] ..It’s All About The Story
13. June 2010 at 8:10 pm
Maggie,
I love that statement….. Thanks so much for sharing….
Here’s to some incredible tomorrows!
13. June 2010 at 8:12 pm
Val….you make a great point about wasting energy disliking what needs to be done. I’ve never thought about it in those terms, but you are so right!!
Thanks so much for that thought…..
14. June 2010 at 4:21 pm
Yes what Gray said “he discovered the common denominator of successful people was that they simply formed the habit of doing the things that other people don’t like to do” is right on. Interesting enough you can train yourself to enjoy by creating a little game. I used to not enjoy blogging but I discovered the reason I didn’t is because I would sit down at the computer and have to think what I was going to blog about. I would get frustrated and feel like I was wasting a lot of time, which I was. But I now make a game to allow things to pop into my head of possible blog topics then I record them immediately. So now when I sit down I have all kinds of topics and it’s fun.
Thanks for reminding me of that,
Michael
Michael Berry´s last [type] ..It Will all Work Out
14. June 2010 at 7:27 pm
Michael,
Thanks so much for sharing that… you are so right about recording thoughts as we get them. I’ve kept a notebook for just that purpose because some days, ideas come by the dozen…and other days, I might not be able to think much past the coffee I’m drinking…
Thanks again for that….we appreciate you!
Sincererely,
Robin
15. June 2010 at 12:13 pm
Hi Robin,
Isn’t it amazing to think that sometimes the key to success is being willing to do everyday the things that unsuccessful people give up on/aren’t willing to do?! I can relate to what you wrote in that most days, the last thing I FEEL like doing is the thing that I know I need to do the most. Yet, I always seem to find the self-motivation to go ahead and do this thing (or things) anyway, and you know what, I feel so much better after completing them…no matter how small a task they might have been. I appreciate you sharing
Christine
Christine Casey´s last [type] ..How to Make Social Media Work for You
16. June 2010 at 7:21 pm
Christine, I appreciate your comments…I think you represent most of us when you say that often what we NEED to do is not the thing we FEEL like doing…but with a little discipline and understanding, we move ahead and reap the rewards when we do!
Wishing you continued success!
Robin
18. June 2010 at 12:01 am
Hello Robin! I love thought-provoking articles related to success because there are many ways to look at the idea. What I would add to your article is that if you don’t want to do EVERYTHING required by your business to be successful – find a new business. I “failed” at every sales job I had until I started creating leads groups. There were parts of the job I didn’t like but the parts I loved so far overshadowed those other parts that I am still doing it 10 years later. Find something where you love at least part of it – or why do it at all?
Mark Hiatt´s last [type] ..Networking Lessons From a Cockroach
18. June 2010 at 2:30 pm
Hi Judy,
I enjoyed your post and certainly couldn’t agree with you more. Success has a very simple equation : KNOWLEDGE + EXECUTION + POSITIVE ATTITUDE = SUCCESS.
I look forward to reading additional post by you.
Have a fantastic day!
Lloyd Dobson
Lloyd Dobson´s last [type] ..Master The Art of Email Through Autoresponder Secrets
14. October 2011 at 6:59 am
I’m glad that i found Your post. Good reading, gives more to think about success… Thanks!
Petra´s last [type] ..Before You Buy Soma 350mg
17. October 2011 at 6:44 am
Great for me that I found your Blog… I just started with my own Blog, can I reference to this post? I want to write something on similiar topic!
Jennyb´s last [type] ..I got started to blogging!