Work as an Ineffective Secret of Success

Richard St. John’s Eight Strategies for Success

Richard St. John devised eight strategies that he hoped when applied, would lead to success. He came to those conclusions after conducting a seven-year study that included conducting interviews with the most influential individuals.

The Definition of Success

However, in order to test the efficacy of his eight suggested success tips, it is necessary to first define success. Various concepts have been proposed to clarify the idea of performance. In my opinion, success is described as achieving one’s goals and being content with one’s life. Personal, professional, or financial objectives can be pursued.

The Importance of Work

Richard St. John expounds on work as one of the tips towards success. He argues that nothing is earned easily and therefore one has to work hard. He also adds that he has fun while working. However, in my own view, working hard may not lead to success but rather one should work smart. Working hard is about committing most of our time on what we do so as to succeed. It may lead to the accomplishment of our career and financial goals but end up depriving us time to do other things that make us happy. For example, many millionaire business people rarely spend time with their families because they spend most of their time working.

Working Smart for Success

Working hard is not an assurance of success. For example, a student may invest most of his or her time in books but ends up achieving a low grade. It is, therefore, important to work smart as it involves a careful selection of the right opportunity and understanding the systems to apply. If the student works smart, they will choose the courses that suit them best and plan their studies well instead of spending most of their time in books unproductively. In conclusion, work is the least important of the eight secrets to success, however, it can greatly contribute to success if smartly planned.

Works Cited

“Richard St. John: 8 secrets of success | TED Talk | TED.com.” www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success.