Why most people will never be successful

[jollystomper]

Came across this article during my lunch break and was curious what others might think of it:

Why most people will never be successful

Some interesting quotes from the article:

"Success" isn't just having lots of money. Many people with lots of money have horribly unhappy and radically imbalanced lives.
Success is continuously improving who you are, how you live, how you serve, and how you relate.
So why won't most people be successful?

The more evolved you become, the more focused you must be on those few things which matter most. Yet, as Jim Rohn has said, "A lot of people don't do well simply because they major in minor things."

To be successful, you can't continue being with low-frequency people for long periods of time.
You can't continue eating crappy food, regardless of your spouse's or colleague's food choices.
Your days must consistently be spent on high-quality activities.

This isn't about perfection. It's definitely not about being busy all the time. Actually, the balance of true success involves what Tim Ferriss calls "mini-retirements" or regular sabbaticals.
Yet, if your daily behaviors are consistently low quality, what do you expect your life's output to be?

 

[Nemo2]

Success is adhering to someone else's criteria.

 

[GrayHare]

What's a "low frequency" person?

 

[MichaelB]

What's a "low frequency" person?

Barry White was pretty low frequency. Josh Groban is another.

 

[Silver]

Someone asleep/unconscious is pretty low frequency.

 

[rdy2go]

Who writes these ridiculous columns? Are there that many mentally ill writers out there that have nothing better to do than write bilge like this? What demons possess them?

 

[gerntz]

For successful to have meaning, others have to be unsuccessful. It's like everyone moves to Lake Wobegon.

 

[eleighj416]

The writer is clueless!

Ed

 

[travelover]

What's a "low frequency" person?

I think that means they have sex once a month, or less.

 

[Amethyst]

Writers gotta write. You still get to decide your own measure of success. After all, there is no do-over.

 

[RobbieB]

I was so happy until I read this and now I'm in the depths of despair.

OMG, I only did half the stuff I was planning to do instead of twice the stuff.

I'm such a failure, I think I need professional help. No wait...

All I need to do is stop reading this crap. I feel better already -

 

[easysurfer]

One person's success is another person's failure.

Success really in the eye of the beholder.

 

[FIREmenow]

Writers gotta write. You still get to decide your own measure of success. After all, there is no do-over.

I remember a saying some time ago (back when the PC police weren't so prevalent) - "Real men don't need people to tell them how to be real men."

I would say that "Successful people don't need articles to tell them how to be successful."

 

[Meadbh]

The problem I have with this article is that it recommends ditching "low quality" habits and relationships to focus on "high quality" ones. But the author never defines "high quality", and provides no evidence, even anecdotal, to support his recommendations. The whole premise is based on his instincts. As such, therefore, I regard it as business mumbo jumbo.

 

[Car-Guy]

I remember a saying some time ago (back when the PC police weren't so prevalent) - "Real men don't need people to tell them how to be real men."

I would say that "Successful people don't need articles to tell them how to be successful."

I think I'd pretty much agree with all your points.

 

[Bigdawg]

What I got from it is that Bill Gates drinks Diet Coke and Warren Buffett drinks Cherry Coke.

 

[audreyh1]

Barry White was pretty low frequency. Josh Groban is another.

 

[audreyh1]

Who writes these ridiculous columns? Are there that many mentally ill writers out there that have nothing better to do than write bilge like this? What demons possess them?

+1000

 

[Koolau]

I guess if the FIRE thing doesn't work out for me, I can go write some fluff pieces and submit them to CNBC. I'm betting I could string together enough drivel to make $50 a week or so. Hope the author of this "piece" made no more than that. YMMV

 

[ER Eddie]

Sounds like he's trying to drum up business for his motivational coaching sessions.

"Excel," "be the best you can be," "don't major in minor things," "succeed" ... blah blah blah.

Just listening to that stuff makes me want to take a nap.

 

[FireBug]

Success is adhering to someone else's criteria.

Nemo... don't know if this was your original thought or not.....but it hit home to me. All it needs is a mike drop.

 

[FireBug]

I was so happy until I read this and now I'm in the depths of despair.

OMG, I only did half the stuff I was planning to do instead of twice the stuff.

I'm such a failure, I think I need professional help. No wait...

All I need to do is stop reading this crap. I feel better already -

yep

 

[Major Tom]

What a poorly written article. I couldn't find it less interesting if I tried. Even if you are interested in "success", this article reads like a poorly written self-help tome, complete with all the cliched phrases and quotes. Slogging through it was cringe-inducing.

Mind you, I'm not really interested in either success or "success". I'm too content hanging out with all the cats in my life, my SO, and having the occasional glass of wine. Success? Who needs it? I've already reached nirvana

 

[Chuckanut]

Thank goodness for this article. It will help me have a good nap.

 

[W2R]

I was so glad to see that this all-knowing author defined what success if for us. Not only that, I completely met his criteria so I am officially a success.

From the article,

To be successful, you can't continue being with low-frequency people for long periods of time.

Oh good! I don't continue being with anybody for long periods of time during the day because I always arrange to have plenty of "alone time" each day. I spend some time with Frank, who is a wide bandwidth individual and thus quite fascinating.

You can't continue eating crappy food, regardless of your spouse's or colleague's food choices.

Eating crappy food? Obviously this author does NOT live in New Orleans. I mean really, I suppose we could eat at McDonalds or something, but with so many restaurants offering inexpensive good New Orleans food a person living here would have to be insane to do that.

Your days must consistently be spent on high-quality activities

Who gets to judge high quality? Me? Oh ok! Then I met this criterion as well. My high quality activities for today were eating lunch with Frank, cooking and freezing dinners for the coming week, listening to interesting and mentally stimulating podcasts, doing a jigsaw puzzle on my iPad, taking a nap, and browsing the internet. Definitely high quality (and relaxing) activities that were absolutely appropriate for me in my successful retirement.