Hard work to Success is a Myth!!

Many leaders have written and spoken about success.  One of the famous quotes is: 1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration.   I beg to differ on this quote and it is purely my point of view which may not be in sync with those who have achieved or defined success.

In my opinion, Success is 1% Inspiration, 98% Perspiration and 1% other factors!!!  What are the other factors?  It can be Luck, risk, coincidence, Destiny, opportunism, time, Core values, support, acceptance etc…

Let me give few examples just as to assimilate that Success need not be 1% of Inspiration and 98% hard work but other important factors really makes a difference to the Success story.

On the political circles, let us take L K Advani, who has 40 plus years as a parliamentarian and successful political leader and has built a party from scratch which is 98% perspiration.  Definitely he has 1% inspiration to become the PM, but he has been left with no choice today with a tag as “Aspiring Prime Minister”.  In his case I can say confidently, his destiny or time or luck is not clicking.  Another example is our current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who has had two successful terms.  Did he have perspiration, of course yes, as a successful economist and finance minister, a great bureaucrat but did he have 1% of Inspiration to become the PM of India, of course ‘NO”, not even in his wildest dream, but the other factor 1% which I am mentioning on his part is sheer luck and opportunism of others around him which makes him continue as a prime minister.  On Narendra Modi today, he has that 99% but the one 1% factor which I am mentioning in his case is “acceptability”- can that happen!

Let us take another example: The success of Vijay Malaya and King Fisher is well known, but is he able to sustain that success due to his perspiration even though he has 1% inspiration to be a flamboyant business man, no then what is lacking that 1% other factor which I am mentioning- May be core values were missing in his case or say Satyam Raju’s case. How many would like to emulate TATA’s success or Infosys Success.  In Infosys case they made history and NRN is a great visionary, but do we think only 1% and 98% helped the company- In my point of view that other 1% factor is, the team coming together.  Reliance for instance was born out of manipulation of License Raj- that is history which is the other factor as per my point of view.

How many would like to emulate the success story of D-Gang or Hitler, do we call that success even though it may have all filmy ingredient of 1% and 98%- what is that missing?? In my opinion again the core values?

We always have role models from rags to riches story- for example Rajnikanth from entertainment industry.  Do we think only 99% of the factors helped him- a big “NO’- the other 1% factor in my point of view is the right connect with right people- say K. Balanchandar, was his turning point and there after no looking back. It is the same with other success stories!!

Do we think Nethaji’s contribution or Sardar Patel’s contribution to Indian freedom struggle was lesser than those who ruled the nation for eg. Nehru and family- Of course NO, but what is that other factor which missed them to put them in ruling pedestal was – Opportunism by others.

Why a great mathematician Ramanujam, got recognition very late in his life or others like him- were they lacking anything- Definitely yes, the TIME  was not with him!

Those who are born in a successful family are not always successful and those who are born in not so well bred families are not always a failure.

In my opinion, recognition does not lead to success but success leads to recognition. Sustaining success is always a challenge.  I believe in that 1% differentiating factor which is my point of view, which you need to wait- until then the laws of karma and Dharma has to be continued.

If you agree, please share your experience and if you disagree, still you can share your comments!