The Story of Success

Tales of successes are all around just waiting to be discovered. While conducting research for a blog post series “10 People Who Would Have Been Great Bloggers,” I stumbled on success tips – from Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, Francis Bacon and Estee Lauder – that are very relevant today.

These four visionaries are unique learners who we can learn things from because of their legacy and the body of knowledge they have left for us.

Earl Nightingale’s Success Sound Bytes

1. The key to success is that "we become what we think about"
2. You have to pay the price to be successful "As ye sow, so shall you reap"
3. Returns = Success: Enrich others and you will be enriched
4. Know where you are going
5. People who are successful have goals. Have a definite goal, focus on that important goal, channelling all your energies into accomplishing it
6. Act promptly and decisively
7. Knowledge is power when you take ACTION, always apply knowledge
8. We can do more than we think we can, so each day do just a little more that you have to do, even if it's only one percent, because with the cumulative effect you reap big rewards
9. Read broadly and "study the world’s great religions, philosophy and psychology"
10. Be curious

Napoleon Hill’s Personal Achievement Nuggets

1. Start a mastermind group because no one succeeds alone
2. 13 Steps to Success in Think and Grow Rich: Desire, faith, autosuggestion, specialized knowledge, imagination, organized planning, decision, persistence, power of the master mind, mystery of sex transmutation, subconscious mind, brain and sixth sense
3. Monitor your thoughts throughout the day
4. Study the habits of people you would like to emulate and interview them if possible
5. What you give comes back to you
6. "Whatever price you ask of life, life is willing

Francis Bacon’s Baconisms

1. Have planned procedures to investigate everything
2. I believe in practical knowledge so it is important to restructure traditional learning methods
3. Be weary of power and do not let it go to your head, and operate with integrity (Bacon’s life is a classic Greek Tragedy, he rose to the summit and fell from grace. He was charged and arrested for bribery. Though the king later pardoned him, he was banished from public life
4. If you make a mistake, own up to it, and learn from it
5. Good can come from adversity: After he was charged and arrested, he focused on his writing

Estee Lauder’s Laudersims

1. Pay close attention to the quality of your products
2. Offer a gift with purchase
3. Send samples by direct mail
4. Think creatively instead of thinking competition. Which non traditional market could benefit from your product or service (How about tapping hotels to purchase business books for their executive guests as a welcome)
5. Carefully recruit and train all sales representatives on how to give excellent customer service (Have product demos)
6. After you achieve success with your product, expand the product line and brand
7. Have raving fans: Give your friends who have influence samples of your products to carry around
8. Use viral marketing (Similar to "Tell a Woman" Campaign)
9. Trust yourself and your instincts
10. Focus, be aware of the world around
11. Know your customers, know your niche
12. Persist and have ambition

Lessons are everywhere, what tips have you learned from these innovative thinkers that you can apply to your business and life?