The Secret to Success

I have the opportunity to attend a series of seminars given by Elder and Sister Ritchie called "Launching Leaders." They have a lot of great advice about how to be successful in life. As part of their teaching, they have suggested that we take notes, review those notes, and then share what we have learned with others. I think blogging what I have learned is a good way to review and share what I have learned.

First of all, the promises of what will happen if you follow everything in the Launching Leaders program are:
1. You will have increased productivity
2. You will have a higher self-esteem
3. You will be happier

We also learned the formula for success. To do this we looked at advice given by J. Paul Getty, the founder of Getty Oil who made billions of dollars, as well as advice given to Elder Ritchie from the LDS apostle David B Haight. When this advice is combined to make one list then that is the Formula for Success.

1. Get up early. This means like when the sun is rising, not what feels early to you. Elder Ritchie suggested that "early" should be between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. I'll have to work on this one a little bit, because I do love sleeping in, but I know I am definitely more productive when I wake up earlier.

2. Work hard. This one should be pretty self-explanatory. You won't get anywhere if you only give a small effort into what you're doing

3. Get your education. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to go to years and years of college to get a certain degree. It could be college, or it could be whatever training you need to do what you want to do in life.

4. Find your oil. You do not literally have to find oil, but find something that people will come to you for. J Paul Getty became so successful because people wanted the goods he had to offer, which in his case was oil. Find something you can make or do that people will want to come to you for.

5. Make your mark. Get your name out there, become known. Leave some impression of yourself, some way for people to remember you.

6. Be prepared to serve. Elder Ritchie says that this step is the most important out of the six steps in the Formula for Success. So many times people will follow the above 5 steps then find themselves rich and successful but then they become prideful and arrogant. This always becomes your downfall. You need to have the intent to give back to the world in some way. Use your success to somehow make the world a better place.


I am so glad that I have been able to have the opportunity to attend this series of lectures and I will post more after each lecture that I go to!