What J.K. Rowling Taught Us About Success
The best-selling author of the “Harry Potter” series, J.K. Rowling, has earned her place in the literary world with the sale of over 450 million books and an impressive net worth of more than $1 billion.
However, she wasn’t merely an overnight success. Prior to getting published, J.K. Rowling was a struggling author and single mother with a young child making ends meet on state benefits.
Two years ago, the author responded to a Tweet on social media which is perhaps the most important advice to aspiring writers and more importantly, the one thing that separates a successful person from the rest of the pack.
“Don’t write (like) me. Write like you. Nobody else can do that. Finish that book.”
Successful people are determined not only to start something but also to find ingenious ways of doing it, and most importantly, finish what they started.
Widely known to have struggled with depression, J.K. Rowling made a conscious effort to turn things around by channeling all her energy to do one thing – in her own words – “finishing the only work that mattered to me.”
Completing a creative project is in itself a major accomplishment as it is a motivating factor which helps keep the momentum going to continue working on other projects. Even if a piece of work did not garner attention, that doesn’t mean it is “bad work”. In fact, she points out, “it will teach you things you could have learned no other way”.
Anyone can benefit from J.K Rowling’s advice to succeed in life, not just those working on creative pursuits.
Her powerful quote, “Do not ever quit out of fear of rejection”, teaches us that success is all about putting in the effort and having faith to see yourself through hurdles that come your way.
These ingredients for success are essential – Hard work. Perserverance. Authenticity.
Avoid comparing yourself to others and always remember your goal is never to be the next Mark Zuckerberg or John Grisham. It is to be the best version of yourself, the world has yet to see!
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