Column

Too many leadership experts make being successful and fulfilled sound complicated. They preach the latest technique and offer the latest modality that they say will speed you to your greatest life. Take the magic pill and try the latest fad and all will be fine — life will be perfect.

Nonsense. Crafting an extraordinary existence takes work. Getting to greatness — personally and professionally — requires sacrifice. A primary sign of maturity is the ability to give up instant gratification for a much more spectacular pleasure down the road. And true, the right thing to do is generally the hardest thing to do. But there’s good news: With daily consistent efforts in the direction of your dreams and an application of the fundamentals of success, you really can get to the place you’ve always dreamed of getting to.

Success isn’t sexy. It’s all about working the basics of excellence with a passionate consistency. I love that word, consistency. It’s amazing how far you will get just by staying with something long enough. Most people give up too early. Their fears are bigger than their faith, I guess.

Stick to the fundamentals that you know in your heart are true and you’ll do just fine. What are those fundamentals? Things like being positive, taking the responsibility for your role in what’s not working in your life, treating people well, working hard, being an innovator rather than a follower, getting up early, setting your goals, speaking the truth, being self-disciplined, saving your money, caring for your health and valuing your family. I told you that you already know this stuff. As I wrote in my book Who Will Carry You When You Die, “The smallest of actions is always better than the noblest of intentions.”

Don’t complicate things. Getting to your life best is simple. Not easy but simple. It just takes focus and effort. That philosophy about the thousand mile journey beginning with a single step is true.

Big idea: Personal — and organisational — greatness is not about revolution but about evolution, those small but consistent wins. Sam Walton began with a single store.

Richard Branson began with his first little record shop. Steve Jobs started Apple out of his garage. Hey, I started with a few cases of self-published books that I’d printed in Kinko’s copy shop. And only 23 people showed up for my first seminar — 21 of them were family members. Every dream starts small. But you need to start. Today.

Robin Sharma is the author of ‘The Greatness Guide’ (Jaico)