One of my many new guilty pleasures of the Great Quarantine of 2020 is binge-watching the classic TV series Dallas on Netflix DVD.
Now most of you might remember this series from the 70s and 80s with the classic line “Who Shot JR?” but that was in its heyday. I fell in love with this series growing up and continued watching it after I joined the Navy. I had family members record it on VHS and send that to me while stationed overseas.
But now, watching seasons 1 and 2, I realize how hokey that show was in its early years. Back in the first two seasons, there were no cliffhangers and the storylines were halting and hard to follow. But by the time it was at its peak popularity, you could NOT stop watching.
That’s sort of like how most successful things start isn’t it? Exciting at first, then struggle, then hopefully a resurgence and then legendary success.
Maybe you’re one of the many people who have chosen to try something new and exciting this year. Maybe you’re working on a book. Perhaps you’ve started a podcast. Maybe, like me, you’re learning a new skill like drawing. If so, then the journey to success is very predictable, including the part of it where most people quit. I call it the 7 R’s of Success.
Step 1 – REALIZE. This is the first stage. You decided to embark on a journey. Everyone is excited for you. You learn as much as you can to get started and off you go!
Step 2 – RELEASE. Now you’re moving forward. The book is humming along. The equipment for the podcast has been purchased and you have a few episodes recorded. It’s exciting and your friends and family are cheering you on.
Step 3 – REALITY. It’s harder than you thought it would be. You’ve got writer’s block. Your podcast sits with few downloads. You have a big choice to make, don’t you?
Step 4 – RETREAT or RELOAD. These are your choices. Sadly, most people retreat. They quit the new venture. But some reload. They find out what’s not working and get busy to improve it.
Step 5 – REENGAGE. If you didn’t quit, then you work on getting better. You learn additional skills. You seek advice and help from others. You do NOT give up.
Step 6 – REFLECT. Now that you’ve succeeded, it’s time to think back on lessons learned and continue to grow in that new skill.
Step 7 – REPEAT. You created a formula for success so now it’s time to keep growing. The sequence is predictable so your learning curve the second time through will be faster, and you’ll be smarter and more successful!
I’ve heard that you should never listen to the first few episodes of your podcast. You were learning and it won’t sound right. I’m sure the producers of Dallas wish that Netflix didn’t offer up the first two forgettable seasons. It’s ok though. People only remember the success when it happens. And remember, nobody remembers anything if you quit, which makes it such a tempting option, but you will never reap the rewards of hard-earned success.
What will you learn during 2020 that will make you LEGENDARY a few years from now?
