We all have chased the fake image of success at some point in time. Every one has a unique assessment of what success is. Many of us don’t realize that this is a fake image of success. Society has led us think we understand what success is. What it means to become successful? As a child, I thought success was this elusive or esoteric quality that only a few people possessed. I believed that you had to be gifted to become successful. Many of us see successful people in this light.

History shows us that we have always viewed the successful, rich or famous as better than us. Even though a lot has changed, our perception of wealth hasn’t. Those who don’t have it will always want it. Many of us view the world through a telescope. The world of the successful is too far out there for us to reach. That’s because we hold onto a fake image of success. My university professor once said that everyone has a perception of what success is. Maybe for you it’s being able to pay for mortgage, having thousands of followers, starting a business or getting awarded for an achievement.

These are big wins. Impressive even. We all crave that. Thinking that it is what it means to be successful.   Here’s the unrelenting truth. As impressive as those wins are for some it isn’t enough. We watch successful people and see metrics they’ve achieved. A conclusion is drawn that this is what it means to be successful. We rely on the fake image of success. Choosing not to look too deep. Afraid that we might not like what we see.

Comparison trap

What does success look like to you? Is it financial freedom? Numerous opportunities. Social media followers. What is success look like to you? Many of us can’t answer that question. Because we rely on what society says it is. Films and tv shows portray success and we want to live like our characters. We hear success stories and we want that. Overnight success stories either inspire or demotivate us. We wonder if we will ever achieve that.

There has to be something special about that person. How did they make it with $0. Questions surround us. This is where the comparison starts. Social media is our Achilles heel. I used to compare myself to my friends on social media. They were living the life while I had no clue what the future held. I believed I would be happier if I was living the life they were. All lies. Until you start chasing your dreams you won’t realize what it takes to be successful. Then you realize everyone’s journey is different. The road is either curved or straight. Their circumstances are different.

Stop chasing the fake image of success. What you see often isn’t the reality. What people want you to see sometimes isn’t true. That’s hard to swallow. But it’s true. You have to figure out what success means to you. Research on it and figure out how you can achieve it.

Also Related: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others?

Growth mindset

The fake image of success doesn’t last. True success is all about a growth mindset. Creating opportunity where there was none. They are a lot of ways to make money, but none of them are sustainable. Often, these money making methods can cause mayhem instead of success. You need to have a growth mindset to truly become successful.

What this means is you need to work on yourself. You build yourself up. People with growth mindset understand that success is a journey and not a destination. That is what many of us consider success. We see it as a destination. A end goal to achieve, but success is the result of actions we have taken. For example, starting a business is a action. Financial freedom is the end-result of the action you took. Many of us have to alter our perception of success and what it means to us. The journey to becoming successful is filled with road blocks. Finding ways to solving the problems you encounter is how you become successful.

There are a lot of people who have money, but have no idea how to solve their problems. This is a fake image of success. As I said this isn’t sustainable.

Set backs empower you

 The fake image of success sets a narrative that there are no set backs. True success is painful. They are numerous set backs. You are pushed down time and time again. You lose sleep, time and money trying to follow success clues. Remember success leaves clues. And that is what you do. You pay thousands of dollars on courses, books and programs. All to become successful.

It’s hard. Stressful. Painful. But it’s worth it. You can’t become successful without going through set backs. These set backs will empower you. Make you see things differently and it will help you solve problems. Every set back can be used as a turning point. In 2016, I hired people to help me build a website. That website failed. Two years I taught myself how to do it myself. People started paying me to help them build their website. That was my first turning point. What do your set backs teach you? Use that to empower and push you forward. The fake image of success will tell you set backs will stop you from becoming successful. This isn’t true. Set backs actually help you to grow a lot faster.

Also Related: 13 Habits of Self-Made Millionaires

No get rich schemes

The fake image of success has held you back for far too long. There’s no substitute for work. Many of us are looking for ways to make money without the heartache or the pain of pushing yourself. True success builds you up. It changes the way you look at the world. Success has changed it’s approach. Now it is all about servitude. But you won’t know this if you don’t work on it.

Starting something new creates changes in you that you never considered. Your habits shift as you work on your dreams. You start to wake up early. Chase your dreams with more vigor. Become more confidant as you realize you want more. Though you wanting more is also about making a difference. You relish in that. Those interested in get rich schemes never become successful. They are people who make money from it, but that doesn’t last. There’s a right way to do things and a wrong way. How many blogs are they on how to make money from get rich schemes? Not everyone makes money from it. But they are people who do. But you won’t make any difference and you can’t replicate your results. That means you have to start from scratch.

When you try to become successful the wrong way it won’t change you. New habits won’t form. Your mindset won’t change. Therefore, it will be a struggle to build yourself back up. This the problem with the fake image of success.

Also Related: 7 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

 How will you stop chasing the fake image of success? Let me known in the comments section. 

                                                           KEEP  P USHING

                                                               VANESSA