10 Steps to Success: The Third Door Edition đ„łđȘ
Life is a journey. There is no final destination, just continuous evolution.
Have you ever really thought about what you hope to achieve in your life? Have you ever wondered how to be successful? Have you been living your life based on everyone elseâs checklists?
If so, know that you are not alone; author Alex Banayan had felt the same way that you do untilâŠ. he found his mission.
It was a quest to discover the secrets of the worldâs most successful people. By conducting interviews, Banayan unveils the answers to questions some have never even thought to ask. Over the course of seven years, he travelled the world and did everything in his power to obtain just a few minutes with successful individuals. He learned valuable lessons that he chose to eventually share with the world.
Alex Banayanâs Third Door is the type of novel that you pick up and simply CANNOT PUT DOWN (trust me, I lived it đđ). The Third Door is an emotional roller coaster, a mesmerizing experience that will truly change your perspective on life.
This article will lead you on your road to achieving your goals based on the philosophy of The Third Door.
Your journey to success starts here. *DUN DUN DUUNNN*
Step One: Think for You
It all starts with what goes on in YOUR brain.
Every decision you make, starting right at this very moment will have an impact on your future. Now itâs up to you⊠are YOU going to choose the path that everyone chooses, or will you make your own?
â Most people live a linear life⊠successful people donât buy that model.. They opt into an exponential life.â ~ Elliot Bisnow (Entrepreneur, Banayanâs mentor)
Society portrays life as a step-by-step process that must be followed. You must change this process and write your own destiny in order to truly have an impact on the world. To live an exponential life, you must take the road less travelled on, the unconventional path that only a few take.
âStart making the little choices, that will lead you to the road of successâ ~ Alex Banayan
Your definition of success could be very different from the people around you. Once you identify your personal vision and eventually reach it, your definition of success WILL and SHOULD change. Success is not a stagnant concept, it is forever changing; every definition is tailored to the thoughts of each unique individual.
Donât merge into the highway that everyone takes; stick to your own road, and make decisions for yourself. The thoughts that you desire to turn into reality can be accomplished.
NEVER forget that.
Step Two: Desire is Everything
Desire is the key to achieving your goals. It is the feeling of wanting something so badly that you would stop at nothing, and sacrifice for in order to obtain.
Personally, the desire in my life comes from my motivation to never letting my life come to what I fear, an average 9â5 job. My greatest desire is a life full of innovation, where I can wake up every day, dream, and spend my time innovating towards a better future.
âI didnât have the experience, but I had the heart, the discipline, and the desire. You may have a desire, a wish, a dream â but itâs got to be more than that â youâve got to want it to the point that it hurts. â ~ Sugar Ray (American Professional Boxer, 6-time World Champion)
Once you identify what YOU desire in YOUR life, you should be propelled to give it your all and stay immensely dedicated to whatever you wish to achieve.
Remember, nothing is impossible and in the wise words of Ms. Frizzle *cue magic school bus theme song*: âtake chances, make mistakes and get messyâ.
Step Three: Prepare for take-off
At this point, you must escape your fears of living the unconventional life and prepare to go into the unknown (like Elsa did LOL âđ).
âLuck is like a bus if you miss one, thereâs always the next one. But if youâre not prepared, you wonât be able to jump on.â ~ Qi Lu (American Engineer, former Microsoft Executive)
Being prepared is as essential to life as fuel is to a rocket. *Elon Musk secretly preparing to announce the first-ever electrical rocket đđ*
Being prepared puts you at an advantage, whenever you face an obstacle you will be able to manage your problem more efficiently to help proceed to your launch.
5⊠4⊠3⊠2.. 1..
Step Four: Blast off
âIf you do not ask you do not getâ ~ Richard Saul Wurman (Founder of TED Conference)
3 words. Just do it.
Step Five: Find the Third Door
As Alex Banayan explained, the structure of life can be compared to a nightclub; there are three ways to get in:
- The main door, where 99% of people try to get in
- The VIP door, exclusive to celebrities and billionaires
- The Third Door, the door that no one talks about
The Third Door is the entry that the majority of people do not think about. While taking a leap towards the Third Door, obstacles are bound to come your way.
âWhat if this door is closed and that door is closed and that door is closed â how the hell are you going to get in? You just need to figure it out. You need to use common sense, build relationships; I donât care how you get in, but youâve got to get in somehow.â ~ Jessica Alba ( American Actress and Businesswoman)
The Third Door can be a difficult path, that may lead to failure. Yet, at the same time, it will provide you with the experience of a lifetime. You will learn valuable lessons and gain knowledge that can be used to retry.
Step Six: Never give up
Failure is inevitable. At some point in your life you will fail, what matters is not that you failed, it is how you faced your failure. You will be disappointed, but you should never become unmotivated because eventually, it will BE A-OKAY đ.
Use your failures as learning experiences and motivation to do better next time. If you do fail, you need to recognize that what you are doing is not going to work and adapt your approach.
Success is not guaranteed, it is achieved through immense preparation, hard work, and dedication.
âItâs not about kissing the same frog 100 times and hoping itâll be a prince. Try a different speciesâ ~ Dean Kamen (Inventor of Segway and Insulin Pumps)
If you do not have your prince yet, that simply means that you have not kissed enough frogs. When you stay dedicated to the search, eventually you will find your prince đžđ€Ž.
Step Seven: Effort is essential
Keep in mind, you DO NOT know everything!
â You have no way of knowing whatâs going on in the lives of the people in your pipeline. You canât anticipate their mood or how generous theyâre feeling. All you can do is control your effortâ ~ Alex Banayan
The principles of your connections with other people, as portrayed in the quote above can also be applied to your own work.
The challenges that you face may be unknown. The only thing you can do is put effort into the solution, whilst trying to overcome your obstacles.
Step Eight: Think long term
Think about it this way: Would you rather have 100 dollars today, or 1 dollar every single day for the rest of your life?
By the time you reach 100 days, you would break-even and make a profit going onwards. You should ALWAYS make the decision that will benefit you in the long-run, rather than in the short-run.
Recognize the value, importance, and impact of your decisions on your future; based not only on the monetary value, but also on the emotional and physical values.
â It is better to make a fair deal today that sets you up for more deals down the road, then a great deal that does not set you up for anything. Choose long-term positioning over short term profits â ~ Bill Gates (Co-Founder of Microsoft, 2nd Richest Person on Earth)
One of Gatesâ close friends, Warren Buffet is an individual who portrayed this message in action.
After graduating from Columbia Business School, Buffett had the opportunity to settle down with a high paying job on Wall Street. Instead of accepting this offer, he attempted to work under his professor and idol Benjamin Graham, who refused to hire him. Despite this, Buffett remained persistent and proposed to work for Graham, without a salary. In this situation, Warren Buffett chose to prioritize quality mentorship and long-term positioning over short-term gains. His persistence led him to eventually acquire the position working for Graham; he gained unparalleled knowledge and expertise that continues to impact his investments to this day and shaped his success.đ€
Always remember to have the mindset of an intern, as well as a lifelong learner!
Step Nine: Never stop learning
Learning isnât something that you only do as a kid, it is a lifelong journey. Even if you believe you have achieved your goal, you must continue to work hard and set more goals for yourself.
â Itâs about humbling yourself enough to learn, even when youâre at the top of your game. Itâs about knowing that the moment you get comfortable being an executive is the moment you begin to fail. Itâs about realizing that, if you want to continue being Mufasa, at the same time you have to keep being Simba.â ~ Alex Banayan
Lifelong learning is meaningful when you recognize that it is for your own personal fulfillment. Be intentional about your learning decisions, and identify that learning stems from curiosity. Learning is not restricted to the classroom, a lesson that can be taken away from EVERY experience.
Learn for yourself andâŠ.
Step Ten: Live for yourself
This may be one of the most important steps to follow. An abundance of our population in todayâs society works day in and day out simply for the sake of working and making money. Many do not look into themselves and attempt to figure out what their passions and desires are. When you love what you are working on, it doesnât feel like work and this can help you enjoy life overall.
âMost people do things because thatâs what society tells them they should do. But if you stop and do the math â if you actually think for yourself â youâll realize thereâs a better way to do thingsâŠIâm happy because I do what I want every day.â â Steve Wozniak (Co-founder of Apple)
Think. Desire. Prepare. Take action. Find YOUR path. Never give up. Put in the Effort. Think long-term. Keep learning. Live for yourself.
That is how you get on your journey to success and happiness. âš
