#305: Why Overnight Success Is A Myth

Riddle me this…

What do Steven Spielberg, JK Rowling, Lady Gaga, Marie Forleo, Oprah, and Rachel Hollis all have in common?

If you guessed “success that took time, grit, and persistence,” then you’d be spot on! (I’m sure that’s what you said ;)

So why do we, as entrepreneurs, look at Instagram and think that we’re the only ones who haven’t figured out the secret to overnight success yet?

The truth is that we don’t know the whole story. In fact, it’s rare that we know the truth until some time later. You know… the not-so-sexy story of massive amounts of hustle, hard work, and years of grinding the pavement. Yes, I said years.

And because of this, it’s easy to get stuck in the mindset that we want what we see others experiencing with their business or their success -- that explosion with “minimal” hard work and grit.

The reality is that there are very few successful entrepreneurs who have experienced overnight success.

Behind every successful story… there is commitment, determination, and resilience.

So, I’m just going to be bold and say that I think overnight success is a myth.

And… if I may take it one step further… I’d even go as far as to say that there is so much benefit to not experiencing overnight success.

In this episode, we talk about some of my favorite examples of people who might look like overnight successes from the outside, but in all actuality are not.

Plus, I’ll share the benefits of slow, consistent growth, because I’ve experienced first hand how beneficial this can be.

And, in true Online Marketing Made Easy fashion, I’ve got a little three-step process for eliminating that unconscious desire for overnight success.

Oh, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little worked up and passionate about this topic. You’ll know what I mean when you listen!

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll hear…

• [08:16] Ever heard of a Dyson vacuum? Yeah, the owner, James Dyson had 5,127 failed vacuum prototypes over a 15-year span before he became a success. Many times, we don’t know the whole story of failure, struggle, and success.
• [12:09] Here’s a fun fact, Steven Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California three times before he attended another school that he dropped out of to direct some of our favorite movies?
• [12:45] Can you guess how many times JK Rowling’s book, Harry Potter was rejected before being picked up? Twelve times — and she didn’t give up!
• [13:55] Did you know that Lady Gaga started honing her voice at the age of 4? Tune in to hear her inspirational story!
• [14:50] Queen O, Oprah, was fired from a job as a TV reporter because she was told she wasn't fit for television. Crazy, right? She didn’t let that stop her. Instead, she picked herself up and kept moving forward.
• [17:43] My mentor and friend, Marie Forleo held multiple jobs and was a bartender while building her business. Just like Marie, those early parts of building your business are important for building character.
• [20:33] Being in it for the long haul helps you identify who you are and what you stand for. Find out what millionaire entrepreneur, Laura Belgray has to say about taking years to hit the success she experiences today.
• [23:54] Growing your business steadily and slowly allows you to be more intentional, and intentionality gives you the time and space to clarify your business along the way.
• [26:05] Let’s take a play from Jaime Kern Lima from IT Cosmetics playbook and make it a priority to keep our faith bigger than our fear. Are you onboard?
• [30:16] Tune in to find out my 3-step process for eliminating that unconscious desire for overnight success.
• [34:10] Once you've reached the success that you're after, I challenge you to reassess and then create a new definition of success. I guarantee that your definition of success will evolve over time.

Do you ever have those days where you just need an extra boost of courage? Maybe a hug, maybe a little self-love, grace, and patience?

Be sure to grab the freebie I created to remind you that you're on the right path and if you keep at it and you commit to your dream, you too can have the same success. It's a fill-in-the-blank letter to yourself to read on those days when you need it most. You can get it right here.