The attitude for succeeding at anything new

An article by Karan Kanodia    2 Comments

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The attitude for succeeding at anything new

Through this post, I will attempt to describe an essential state of mind which is necessary for the success of anything ‘NEW’. This mindset is most relevant, as these four components are critical to the success of something ‘NEW’ – naivety of mind to believe in something that might not seem “reasonable” or “possible”, consistency to stick with what you started (you will need this in your pursuit of success in almost anything), ‘eagerness to learn’ to be able to continuously adapt your idea till you find the right model,  and most importantly, the philosophy which governs your life or in other words – your core values.

Naivety

This is crucial as if someone told you the amount of obstacles you would face in your journey, you probably won’t start. So you ‘jump in’ thinking that everything will go well and every obstacle seems like the last one, after which, everything will just scale up to make you a billionaire.

• Don’t over-think; Just start!
• Believe in the impossible.
• Balance your openness to learn with the naivety which enables you to envision what others can’t (Already much written about evolution of ideas, so I am only focusing on the attitude).
• Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish!

Consistency

Mainly for people who are yet to run something successful, as people who have run a successful business clearly understand its importance.

Channelize your excitement – What do you do in case you are pursuing something that is not yet successful, and another idea has started to  excite you? Firstly, factor out sunk costs. Sunk costs are not why you should pursue something. Often one gives something up because of the excitement of something new. This is where you have to keep your foot down and learn to say no and continue doing what you initially set out to do (assuming you are smart enough not to give up the opportunity of building the next Facebook).

Eagerness to Learn

It is extremely important to have a balance of openness to iterative learning and being naive. Don’t be too emotionally attached to your idea as that might take away crucial opportunities for you to find the right model. Your naivety helps in taking the first step towards changing the world but your adaptability will teach you how to change the world.

Philosophy of your life

This is what will keep you going in your toughest hour and be the answer to your day to day confusions, so that you can focus on what you are building. Yes, it is a that important!

• Philosophy – It doesn’t have to be something so complex that even you can’t comprehend clearly. It can be as simple as having a strong belief in the God. So keep looking and start defining yourself. Again, your philosophy can also keep evolving as you learn, but the key is to not postpone this learning.

Final Words

This article is mainly a reflection of my experiences as a first time entrepreneur. What according to you, defines the attitude for succeeding?

Do you have some personal stories/experiences to share?