19. How to close the success gap

Takeaways: 

Comparing yourself to someone who’s been successful in an area you’re starting out in, without considering the full journey it took for them to get to where they are, can be really defeating. Without the full knowledge and consideration of what they went through or how many times they failed before getting to where they are now, it can feel like there’s no way it was as hard for them as it feels for you. The most common conclusions I find that we draw from this type of comparison are: 


They are exceptional - there’s something about them that made it easy for them. 

I’m not good enough - there’s something about me that makes it too hard. 

I’m missing something to be as good as they are - I need something external to give me what I need to accomplish that kind of success (natural talent, a different personality, a different body, a lot of wealth, tons of free time. 


Each of those conclusions leaves you feeling like there’s a gap between where you’re at and what you need to get to what your version of success is. 


The answer is the process. The thing successful people have that beginners don’t have is the experience of doing the thing, practicing their craft, failing and learning from their mistakes. I know it’s not sexy, but there’s no way to get around it. You have to do the thing to get better at the thing. 


You can’t wait until you have it all figured out to start because you figure it out along the way, after you’ve started. The process of failing and learning is what helps you become the version of yourself you need to be in order to succeed.