No shortcut to success, 5 reasons why

Most people don’t listen when told that there is no shortcut to success. The idea of the long journey always seems daunting such that the short cut seems appealing. Most people who rise too fast and those who never take the time to learn end up losing whatever it is they thought was success. Here are 5 reasons why there are no shortcuts to success.

1. There is no substitute for the experience of the climb

In one of my books ” Five principles of programmed success” I mentioned that there is no substitute for the experience of the climb. The reason for this is that as a CEO sometimes you cannot substitute the everyday knowledge with a policy or standard. You still need the janitor, the clerk, the manager, all these people have institutional knowledge which cannot just be substituted by short cuts in policy to create immediate success.
At the same time a person who experiences the climb up the mountain has a higher chance of staying on top of the mountain. The more you experience the journey the more you will appreciate the top of the mountain. Once you appreciate you will not make silly or awkward decisions. The experience of the climb will give you a better insight of who you are and why you are there.

2. Absence of the long journey makes you unfit

Imagine if Mark Zuckerberg had just bought Facebook. Would he understand what it needs to be successful as easily as he does now? Getting to the finish line without the sweat makes you unfit to be a champion over several tests. Once a champion twice you will be tested. As a champion you will be tested to see if you truly deserve to be called a champion. If you won the championship by one round you might never last when you are tested over the full 12 rounds. A shortcut makes you unfit for success.

3. You can’t a put a roof first before the foundation and walls

Building a house has no shortcut, there are levels that must be considered and how these must be done. Success is similar to building a house, every aspect must be preceded by another. A person who gets a capital of 5 million dollars to start a business has a choice. To build the business with all the small things being done or to simply start earning a big salary and expect all the rest to work. Most entrepreneurs get it wrong in that aspect, they start big before they learn small. If you are going to be big then be big in the small practices. Practice makes perfect.

4. The long journey builds character

One of the things that I have learned over time is that long journeys build character and discipline. The more time you spend understanding how to do something and perfecting it the greater the character you build. Most champions do not win their gold at the championship race, they win years before by what they do in the practice field. Success is earned over time, when the actual race comes it is proved. There is merit in waiting for your time as you build your character, because when the time comes you will be truly ready. Immature success is the result of immature character.

5. Defense is easier with passion

Wars are sometimes won over not because of the skill, but because of the passion. Shortcuts do not cement passion for whatever it is that you are going for. Emotional connections are built over time and there is no substitute for building the right connection for an emotional attachment to success. The more intimate the success building the better the emotional connection. This is why you find that the truly great businesses did not just spring up but that they came up over time.