10 Secrets of Success
January 7th, 2005 by Bob Bly
My good friend Roger Parker asked me to come up with “10 success secrets” and talk about them in a teleconference, which we did.
Here’s my list of what I think it takes to be successful:
1. Define what success means to you. Then pursue success as you define it – not as others do.
2. Love what you do for a living. Noel Coward said “work is more fun than fun.”
3. Find the intersection of your passions and the needs of the market.
4. Become the best you can be at what you do. Work tirelessly to increase your skill and knowledge.
5. Specialize. Master and dominate a niche of the market, rather than attempt to master the whole market.
6. Be the consummate craftsman. Always DO your best on every job.
7. Be the client’s ally and partner, not his adversary.
8. Do not undercharge. Charge what you are worth. But don’t overcharge; don’t make it difficult for clients to hire you.
9. When in doubt, get money up front.
10. Don’t waste time with things that may be pleasant or entertaining, but do not help you achieve your goals. Value your time as the precious, limited resource it is.
Make sense? Any you would add to the list or dispute?
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January 7th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
Bob, Thank you for the sound advice today. Simple and direct. Valuable. Terry The Writing Life
January 7th, 2005 at 4:18 pm
I really think you’ve pegged the most important ones.
What you have here is a framework constructed from personal experience and the success habits of other incredible performers like you, that anyone can model. You’ve done such a excellent job of identifying the “secrets” that I won’t waste effort rendering my inferior cogitation of all ten. Just one. Here’s an expansion of what I think is the most important concept:
4. Become the best you can be at what you do. Work tirelessly to increase your skill and knowledge.
Be a lifelong student of everything and make a disciplined effort to draw creative connections between things which seem unrelated. Never accept new information at face value but take time to really comtemplate it’s meaning to you, consciously incorporating new realizations into your existing belief patterns as you do that. Second-hand knowledge is plentiful in any discipline. Profound knowledge and difficult understanding awaits at the crossroads of disciplines. Know that knowledge is the most leverageable asset you can ever attain for yourself, so make investments often and at any personal (monetary) cost.
January 8th, 2005 at 2:12 am
Hey, great list.
January 8th, 2005 at 5:10 pm
10 Secrets of Success - Bob Bly Bob has some good suggestions. 1. Define what success means to you. Then pursue success as you define it - not as others do. 2. Love what you do for a living. Noel Coward said "work is more fun than fun.&quo…
January 8th, 2005 at 10:59 pm
Ok. I read this and just HAD to post about it. Legendary copywriter Bob Bly blogged about his 10 Secrets of Success and it puts anything from Tony Robins to shame - for marketers that is… I love blog posts…
January 9th, 2005 at 5:29 pm
Bob, it is a treat to watch your growing contributions to this new media.
I hope you are having fun exploring the capabilities of blogging. We certainly enjoy watching how do it.
Keep up the pace. Your blog is becoming more interesting every week.
February 6th, 2005 at 10:08 pm
Bob, this is a real gem. Truer words were never spoken. Well done.
July 29th, 2006 at 10:07 am
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August 6th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Good job.
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June 26th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Awesome list of points!!
What are your thoughts on “The Secret” DVD and the message it delievers?
October 4th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
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April 8th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
WOW. 2 areas really hit home for me.
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8. Do not undercharge. Charge what you are worth. But don’t overcharge; don’t make it difficult for clients to hire you.
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and
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9. When in doubt, get money up front.
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I just started a new project, and after raising my fees, and getting almost 70% paid upfront I think I am getting closer to the success I envisage for myself.
Less stress, more money.
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