How you define success has a lot to do with how you interpreted the title of this post when you read it. Did you take one look and conclude that it was just click bait? Or maybe you read it and muttered that there is no such thing as an overnight success. If you thought about how there's no such thing as an overnight success, you'd be right. But you'd also be wrong, at least in my book. Here's why.
The dictionary defines success very differently from the way I do. The dictionary defines success as the attainment of wealth, position, honors, etc. If that is how you define success, you are right. There is no such thing as an overnight success.
But if you define success as making a decision to pursue something important to you, and then beginning to pursue it at the very next opportunity you have, then that is overnight success.
Success is Deciding
I know hundreds of people who never succeed at anything, because they never decide anything. Instead, they think about deciding. They think about starting a business doing something they love, or they think about starting to blog, or they think about going part-time at a traditional job so they can have more time to pursue their entrepreneurial passion. They think about something they need to do, but they never have success because they never actually decide to do it.
Success Happens First in Your Head
Kristin Fraser decided to leave her full-time job to pursue her business. She did it in stages, as described here, but before she did anything, she first became a success by deciding.
Lela Barker was divorced with two toddlers, living in her mother's basement. She decided to open a cosmetics business where she made and marketing everything all by herself for years, and then she took a single step in that direction. But before she did that, she first became a success by making a decision.
Torrian Howell's mother died. And then her husband died. And then she was a single mom. And then she remarried. And then she divorced. And then she opened her retail store. But before she did anything, even after so much tragedy and heartache, and after not a few people told her she'd be taking on too much, she opened her store. But she decided first, before she signed on the dotted line.
There are stories like this everywhere, and I bet you know some of them. You may be even be some of them.
You are Already Successful
If you are reading this post, you probably already are successful. Chances are you have decided something. Rather than sitting on the fence and thinking about it, you have decided. That is one success you can build on overnight.
Go and do it. Now.
Question
What about you? Share your decision. What did you decide? And then what did you do next? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below, or share on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
