10 Keys to Success

During my senior year of high school I took a marketing class with one of my favorite teachers and a mentor of mine. She taught with so much conviction and passion, and taught me a lot about how to be a successful and confident person even after graduation. Her class was project based, and one of the projects was to create a list of our personal 10 keys to success. We then had to make a video (which I will not be showing you) and show it to the class.

I wanted to share my updated version of my 10 Keys to Success, which will hopefully inspire you to create your own!

1.) STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF

I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay true to who YOU are, no matter what. You will face so many obstacles and challenges in life that may make you question a lot. Do not forget who you are and what you believe in, because in the end it is you who got you to where you are.

2.) Find Your Passion

Do what you love. Explore, try different things, and find something you really enjoy and that you are passionate about. I think this is critical especially when choosing what to study and what career to go into. Many people go for whichever career pays the most, which don't get me wrong... is also important. BUT... if you choose a job solely for money, you are going to be incredibly unhappy. You can live a happy, healthy life and make a good living without having to sacrifice one or the other.

3.) Radiate Positivity

It is so important to stay positive and spread that positivity in every encounter you face. Sometimes it is hard to see the positive side of things, sometimes it seems impossible. Trust me, I know how much easier it is to just see the negative. However, I believe that by being positive for yourself as well as for the people in the environment around you is a great way to live a happier, healthier life.

4.) Surround Yourself with Awesome People

Personally, I am very close with my friends and family, and I lean on them for a lot. I think that having a support system full of people that you know you can count on is imperative to growing and being successful. Many people take on the mindset that they can just do it on their own and figure things out, but it is so much better when you bring people on the journey with you.

5.) Work Hard

Good things do not come to those who just sit around and do nothing. You HAVE TO put work in to get some results. Having a strong work ethic not only improves your individual knowledge and success, but it also shows others (including possible employers) that you care about what you do and that you take it seriously. Don't wait for someone to hand you something, go out and get it.

6.) Don't Be Afraid to Fail

Failure is essential to growth. By this I mean that you can only succeed once you've learned what failure is. You have to be able to pick yourself up after you fall, learn, and keep on going. The greatest people who have invented things like the iPhone, didn't get it on their first try. It takes a while to get some things right, and that's okay. Don't be afraid to fail, embrace it and move forward.

7.) Dream Big

There is no limit to where you could go, who you could be, or what you could do. The only limit that would ever be placed on you is one that you put there yourself. The sky is not even the limit anymore, because we've put people on the moon. Dream big and chase those dreams, because if you work hard and keep pushing forward, you will get there.

8.) Prioritize & Stay Organized

Planning saved my life! Time management is so, so important and crucial to success. Invest in a planner, it doesn't need to be fancy, but just write out everything you need to do and prioritize tasks so you can best manage your time. You will find that this helps not only with getting things done, but also with managing stress.

9.) Treat Yo Self

Don't be afraid to "treat yo self" when you achieve goals or accomplish tasks. It is okay to do things for yourself and reward yourself. It is a great motivator to keep being productive and working towards your goals. It is also great to relax sometimes and to just take a break.

10.) Enjoy the Ride

Life will throw you all kinds of curve balls. You will face obstacles that seem daunting and impossible, but don't forget that everything happens for a reason. Have fun and enjoy your life. Do things that make you happy, and embrace the challenges that teach you life long lessons.