Stairway to Success: The Complete Blueprint for Personal and Professional Achievement

Introduction

They can because they think they can.

—VIRGIL

Wherever my career takes me—from my home town of High Point, North Carolina, to the ministate of Luxembourg; from the island city-state of Singapore to the island continent of Australia—I encounter people pursuing a common quest: success.

Many come to me in search of a secret formula. They’ve labored for years, butted their heads against walls, suffered failure and rejection, and they wonder: “Is it possible for me to achieve success, given my level of talent and education?” And I have a ready response: You can if you want to.

Success is not a matter of luck, an accident of birth, or a reward for virtue. It is a matter of decision, commitment, planning, preparation, execution, and recommitment. Success doesn’t come to you; you must go to it. The trail is well-traveled and well-marked. If you want to walk it, you can. This book will help you find the right steps.

“But you’ve got to have talent to be successful,” people tell me—and they’re right. But everyone has talent. Michael Jordan’s talent is bouncing a basketball down the court and shooting it through a hoop. That’s how he made it to superstardom. When he tried swinging a baseball bat and catching a baseball with a leather glove, he had to begin in the minor leagues.

Henry Ford’s talent was building automobiles. He wouldn’t have made it as the CEO of an insurance company, and he was far from brilliant as the CEO of an automobile company. But when it came to the manufacturing ...