4 Unexpected Consequences of Achieving Success
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This post isn’t going to be easy to write. I want to share a thought with you without sounding like I’m whining—it’s not going to be easy. Please hear me out. When you’re on the journey to create freedom in your life, you work super hard and focus on what it will take to get there. In your efforts, you don’t think too much about what life will be like once you accomplish some of your major goals.
I worked hard from June of 2011 until January of 2015. January of last year was the tipping point where things went from good to crazy amazing. I had been writing for several large media publications for a while, an interview I did with Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income went live, and I did a TEDx Talk. After January, my life and business were put on overdrive. I spent the better part of 2015 just trying to catch up.
As my business and the opportunities grew, some things started to happen that I wasn’t expecting. I want to share them with you because with talking to others; they have also experienced something similar. There are many who will read this that will deal with these unexpected consequences of success as you make your dreams a reality this year.
1. Your Relationships Change
Not all of them, but the ones that you thought were solid might not be as sure as you think. There are people I counted as close friends that distanced themselves as I experienced new opportunities. I acknowledge that it could be me—maybe I’ve changed—but I’ve tried to stay humble and focused.
Changing relationships are a part of the cycle of life. Some friends will come and go. Some friends will reveal their true colors. Some friends will get jealous/envy your success. You can’t control how other people interact and think about you, but you can control who you allow to be in your life. Surround yourself with people who will cheer for you no matter what. People who will laugh and cry with you—people who will help you without expecting anything in return.
2. There’s a Constant Pull for Your Time
As you grow, so will your circle of influence. Many more people will be in your world and want some of your time. They will send social media messages, emails, and even texts. If you are like me, you want to help whenever you can and in whatever way you can. It’s very hard to say NO.
Success means more responsibility. It means more people want to be a part of your world. People will see what you’re doing, and they’ll have questions—they won’t be shy about asking them. Just because they try to connect or ask doesn’t mean you have to give up your time. It’s your job to stay focused and in control. If you don’t, you’ll get off track.
3. You Battle Extreme Highs and Lows
There’s assumption that once you reach a certain metric that everything will be peaches and cream all the time. It could be a certain money goal or place in your life, but even at that level, you will still experience lows. That’s the reality of life. You will have times when you feel like you’re on cloud nine and times when you don’t even want to get out of bed when you think about all that you have to do. Learn yourself. Learn your moods and how to address what you’re feeling. Be the master of your emotions.
4. You Have to Work Even Harder
Success doesn’t mean you can coast. It means you might have more responsibility, and that means working harder. Success isn’t an end destination—it’s a constant journey to be the best version of yourself. Work even harder to create more freedom and make an impact in the lives of others.
I don’t want this post didn’t come off sounding too whiny. It’s been a blessing to live this life. I’m writing this post from my hotel room in Panama City, Panama. I’ve been here training at a company and have gotten paid well to do it. I love getting to do this for a living. It’s been great, but it has also been eye opening. Get ready for success and what will follow. The more prepared you are, the more you can handle the unexpected moments.
What have been some things you’ve experienced that you didn’t expect?
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Photo: Flickr/ Nikky Stephen
