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Omar Zenhom is an entrepreneur and educator. He’s the Founder of Business Republic, where through his blog and services he and his team help others build businesses that can’t be ignored. His latest endeavor is an alternative business education called The $100 MBA – a culmination of his years in business and education.
Favorite Success Quote
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t – you’re right.” – Henry Ford
Key Points
1. Belief is the Mother of Success
All success is derived from one key ingredient.
Belief.
If you do not believe that you can achieve something, then no amount of training, preparation, or encouragement will convince you otherwise.
You can have the best coaches, the best training courses, and the best business plan, but without that burning internal belief that you can and will make it happen, you are doomed to failure.
Conversely, if you have that fire inside of you that says “I will be successful no matter what” then even the most challenging circumstances and overwhelming odds will not keep you from achieving your goals.
Believe in yourself and you can achieve anything.
2. Success Comes from Inspiration or Desperation
Success almost always comes from one of two places.
Inspiration or desperation.
Either you are hit by a lightning bolt of inspiration and creativity, or you situation becomes desperate enough that you can no longer stand living life as it currently stands.
For most people, desperation is the motivator behind their success.
And this is a good thing.
The more pain that you are in, the more that you are suffering, the faster and more hungry you are going to be on your path to success.
If you are in a dire enough situation, you will either find a way or you will make one.
But when life is comfortable and easy, success is normally contingent on a jolt of inspiration.
So if life sucks right now, then get excited!
It means that you have the opportunity to change things and completely rewrite your life’s story, starting today.
3. Creativity Comes from Being Yourself
If you want to unlock the true keys to creativity, then just be yourself.
It might sound cliche and a bit ridiculous, but it’s true.
If you are your 100% unfiltered, raw, and authentic self, then creativity will flow naturally.
You will think about things and approach problems in a way that is uniquely your own, with your own special genius.
But if you are constantly trying to fit into the mold that society has cast for you and constantly looking to do as other people do, then your creative genius will be stifled and you will be unable to come up with anything original or truly creative.
4. You Are Not for Everybody and Everybody Isn’t For You
Some people think that they need to get everybody to like them.
You don’t and you can’t.
Not everyone in the world will like you or resonate with your message, just like you don’t like everyone else or resonate with their message.
In fact, trying to be liked by everyone is a surefire way to be loved by none.
It is only the people with polarity, the people who piss some people off, who are able to make people love them.
The worst thing that you can do is to create a neutral response.
Whether people love you or hate you is none of your business.
As long as you are acting ethically, being yourself, and doing what you want, you can let other people hate you and sleep like a baby.
5. Formal Education is No the Key to Success.
In the 21st century, formal education has little to do with achieving success.
With the fragile myth of job security being shattered on a daily basis, people are beginning to realize more and more that the keys to success lie in internal resolve, self education, and hustle.
Having an MBA means nothing if you have no experience and no drive.
If you are wondering whether or not you should go to business school, 9 times out of 10, we can save you the trouble.
Don’t.
Go invest that $80,000 (or whatever you would have spent) on starting your own business, educating yourself, or hiring mentors.
Formal education is becoming a waste of time.
Influential Books
Anyone Can Do it by Sahar Hashemi
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Purple Cow by Seth Godin
Tribes by Seth Godin