What do you think when you hear the words, overnight success?

The idea of an overnight success is ridiculous because it doesn’t exist. This might sound like a strong statement, but it’s true.

When you hear or read about a person that seems to be an overnight success, it’s because you’re not aware of the years that person toiled in anonymity before they became an overnight success. And the reason is, toiling in anonymity isn’t attractive or sexy and doesn’t garner the same attention as the phenomena of an overnight success.

Look at these two statements.

Person works hard for years and then becomes successful in their chosen endeavor or craft.

Person becomes a success overnight.

Which one makes you ask how?

If you’re like most people, then it’s the second statement that will intrigue you, and understandably so. I mean, who would want to work for years to become successful when it can be achieved overnight?

If you want to be successful in any area of your life, you must invest time. How much time is going to depend on the endeavor you’re pursuing. And in some cases, you won’t know for a long time if you’ve been successful.

You see, success can mean different things to different people. For some, it might be something as simple and tangible as accruing dollars or winning games. And for others, it might be as nebulous as great relationships or being a great parent. Both are very hard to measure. The one thing all successful ventures have in common is that they don’t happen overnight.

So, the next time your attention is captured, or you’re intrigued by someone you think has achieved overnight success, remind yourself that what you’re seeing is a snapshot in time, a finished product. You and most other people will have no idea how much time and effort they invested in becoming an overnight success. And if you desire to become an overnight success, you too will have to invest an unknown amount of time in becoming one.

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