Immutable laws of success

because of the force of gravity. Human laws are made by people, and governments use law enforcement agencies to ensure that these laws are obeyed.
I have discovered a set of laws, which, although they affect people primarily, are so similar to physical laws that they are immutable. The laws of success that I have compiled are always true, and have been so from generation to generation. These laws are cast in stone, and they have two major results:
(i) Obeying them always lead to success for the individuals concerned.
(ii) Disobeying them always leads to failure for the individuals concerned.
Success is as defined by the individual, and is in relation to a specific goal or goals.
The laws:
1. Set the goal and then work towards the goal. You cannot succeed if you do not know what you want to achieve. Success is relative, and it can only be measured in terms of specific goals.
2. If you want something that you have never had before, you must be prepared to do something that you have never done before.
3. There are certain things that cannot be delegated. An extreme example of this is visiting the gents or ladies, or doing 50 push-ups.
4. Associate with successful people ie those you admire for having the success which you wish for yourself. Strive Masiyiwa did not invent the cellphone. But what he has done in the telecommunications field is nothing short of a revolution.
5. Put your education or talent to good use. Success is not necessarily about formal education, but practical education that produces tangible results.
6. Learn how to turn problems into economic opportunities. Replace the word ‘problems’ with ‘challenges.’ A challenge is a call for action on your part.
7. (a) Learn how to scan the environment for economic opportunities.
(b) Be a dominant force in your environment; people should look up to you for inspiration and leadership.
8. Success is like the numbers in a combination lock — you need all the numbers in the correct order. My car cannot be stolen because there is a secret code that you have to use to activate the ignition system. So maybe the only way you can steal the car is to bring a tow truck.
(a) Do not agree to be limited by circumstances. As I speak, instead of moaning about the harsh economic circumstances, some people are building mansions in Harare and elsewhere. Have you ever wondered why some people have more than 10 houses or farms? It does not mean that all these people have stolen money or assets in order to be where they are.
9. The roadmap to success starts with gap analysis. In other words, you need to identify where you are vis-à-vis where you want to be. Any difference between these two positions will call for action on your part.
Financial resources may also be required, but this problem can be minimised by starting whatever you want to do on a smaller scale, and then progressing towards your ultimate goal. In addition, reinvesting any amount of profits in the project will help you to quickly build up capital.
10. Sell your hot or hottest idea to other people. If you need money, ask people to invest in your idea. Do not emphasise the project idea, because the profits (and hopefully no losses) will be your own.
11. Establish a personal brand. Make people want to be associated with you. If you have knowledge, share it with others. If you are an expert in any field, be a consultant to big organisations in that field.
One way of building up a personal brand is to imagine that you are a product or service that is being sold. How would you best market the product or service that is you? Creating, maintaining and growing your brand will help you to command your existing or prospective audience and positively communicate your unique self. Packaging is very important in this branding process.
12. Learn to work smarter, not harder.
13. (a) The only person who can change your circumstances is you.
(b) The only force that can change your circumstances is within you.
(c) Other people and external forces do play a part in our lives, but their impact can be managed.
14. Keep focused on the reality around you. Remember the story of a woman who, in a moment of absent-mindedness, threw the house keys into the bin. She looked for the keys for many hours in the house to no avail. In desperation, she decided to look in the most unlikely place where she had been that morning — the bin — and found the keys there.
15. If you are in a work situation, improve the quality of your experience. It is not about the number of years you have been on the job, but what you have been doing in it, or more specifically, the value you add to it.
16. If you are a manager at your workplace, learn to benefit from the ideas of those working under you. Consult them, even if there is no obligation to do so. In South Africa, a woman who worked as a cleaner at a certain beauty products company noted the comments that were being made by commuters about the company’s products, which were not doing well on the market. The most common complaint was the packaging used for these products. She informed management about this, and she was promoted to work in the sales department.
17. Never say ‘I can’t do this.’ Nothing is too big if you are in the correct frame of mind.
18. Research your idea thoroughly, and be well-informed about what you want to do.
19. If you are a manager at your work-place:
(a) Do not micro-manage your subordinates; give them the opportunity to learn and grow; let them do the job and correct them if necessary.
(b) Do not over-delegate to your subordinates; you have final responsibility for what is done in your department or division; do not throw your subordinates at the deep end.
20. Record powerful ideas as they come to you, and implement them.
21. Learn from the past, but do not live in the past. Tell yourself that, going forward, you will be a successful person, or a more successful person.
22. Remember that most of the unfavourable situations we find ourselves in result from our own acts of omission or commission. Yes, failing to act when you should or as you should can have the same effect as acting improperly.
23. If you have a cup that is half-empty, be grateful for the half that is full. Build on the positive aspects of your life, and act upon those that are holding you back. Negativity is the biggest hindrance to progress.
24. Do you know where No. 1 Chancellor Avenue is? You have a much right as any other Zimbabwean to live there, if you have what it takes.
25. Set realistic goals. If you want a car or a new car, do not expect to find it parked outside your house next morning, ready for you to drive, without your having done anything. The big bang theory may be true, but in most cases an incremental approach is likely to achieve desired goals.
For this particular example, in the absence of a windfall or a loan, there is only one way of buying a car, and that is to set aside a certain amount of money each month which will accumulate to the required amount at the end of the target period. This is an indisputable fact; especially if the saving is done in a stable currency like the US dollar. The major advantage of this method is that saving will attract interest, and if this interest is not withdrawn, the required amount will be achieved in a shorter period. In companies this method of financing assets is known as the ‘sinking fund’ method. The beauty of this method is that individuals can use it with equal force for any type of asset.