by Nicole Levinson, CMO of Audo
We all see stories of people who started with nothing and became very wealthy. The successes of renowned figures motivates us to pursue our aspirations and attain them. But success can sometimes cloud our judgment and make us less likely to achieve future goals. Maintaining success can be very difficult. Once we reach our desired goal, where do we go next? How do we manage to keep winning? How do we get back to a normal work life? How do we move on to the next challenge?
Let’s first take a look at why some people fail to maintain their success after a big win.
Why Do People Lose Their Hard-Earned Success?
People experiencing early success may start thinking success will always be easy. It is common to lose sight of what it takes to achieve long-term success — drive, work ethic, intelligence, punctuality, etc.
Here are some reasons people have difficulty sustaining their success over time:
- Ego inflation. Early success can get to your head and give you a false sense of superiority. Without reminiscing what it took to get you your success in the first place, you may begin to think you don’t have to work as hard the next time around.
- Not taking further actions. Some people stop taking action after they achieve something monumental. You will never sustain your success if you don’t continue some of the same practices as before.
- Not improving yourself. Success often leads people to think they’ve already mastered everything regarding their work and they may stop expanding their expertise which can inhibit future success.
Here are five things you must consider to keep your momentum going after a big win:
1. Be Humble.
Keep your ego in check, keep it low, and focus on building a strong foundation. A strong foundation helps you succeed and maintain that success over time.
2. Celebrate.
Reward yourself for all the progress and success you’ve made so far. When we see little to no results from work, it can be easy to get discouraged. Rewarding ourselves for the little things can provide the motivation we need to keep going. Celebrating even the smallest success releases dopamine into our system, giving us a rush that drives us to achieve.
3. Keep Expectations for Yourself in Check.
After completing a challenging task, it’s common to have unrealistic standards for what we can do next. When you put great effort into something, your energy level is likely to drop and you may need to spend time recuperating. Work that used to seem easy may now feel more difficult. That’s why having realistic expectations and resting before your next project is important. It reduces the likelihood of burnout.
4. Set Your Next Goal and Get Back to Work.
After you celebrate and replenish energy, it’s time to move toward the next goal. If you celebrate for too long, you’ll act like a “partypreneur” (a person who parties more than they achieve) and that track leads nowhere. To maintain your success streak, you must strive to do better than what’s already accomplished instead of being content with mediocrity.
5. Keep a Growth Mindset.
To score big wins, you must grow as a person. The best way to achieve personal growth is to have a “learn it to earn it” mindset. Be proactive, anticipate changes, and seize opportunities when they arise. No successful person stopped working after their first win. Rather they kept learning and growing both personally and professionally. Take Steve Jobs, for example. He didn’t think, “I have introduced the iPhone. I have completed my work and can now relax.” He continued to hustle and develop more advanced gadgets.
Achieving success is difficult, but it is even more challenging to maintain it over a long time. You must be passionate, patient, and hardworking to achieve and maintain success. In addition, you must take decisive action, have a clear vision, and maintain a positive attitude. All these things combined will keep your momentum going and lead you to greater heights.
Nicole Levinson is the CMO of Audo, a “learn it to earn it” platform built for the purpose of personalized career-building. Audo uses A.I. to suggest in-demand skills required for your success in the career you want – all without the substantial debt that comes with a college education.
