19 Principles That Will Help You Succeed in the “Real World”

 by JJ

Okay, so here is a list of 19 principles that I have accumulated over the years. These are things that I wish someone would have shared with me when I was ready to graduate high school and enter the “real world.”

My hope is that you will skim through this list and find a few things that are useful or inspiring! I can’t say that I was ready to accept some of this “guidance” when I was 18 years old and that’s totally okay. In fact, as I read back over this post I can’t believe that I wrote it. It has a self help, motivational vibe that I was definitely not giving off in high school. But, a little over 10 years later (well closer to 15…) and I’m starting to buy into it.

So, if you find some of these points kind of hokey…just give it a few years

19 Principles That Will Help You Succeed in the “Real World”

1. Does it add value?

I think this is the single most important question you can ask yourself when you’re about to make a purchase, start a business or struggling to make any kind of decision.

The way each of us defines value is different. A university education might be valued by some and not by others. Saving up to travel might be more important to you than having a new car or the nicest clothes. When it comes to business, if your idea, content or product does not add value to other peoples lives then it is doomed to fail.

2. Practice, persistence and patience.

Good things come to those who wait….right?  Kind of. Success doesn’t happen over night. Instead it comes to those who practice their craft, those who stick to their goals and those who are in it for the long haul.

Researchers have studied the differences between those who are able, and those who are not able, to delay gratification early on in life (preschool age). Delayed gratification meaning you forgo a prize now so you can receive a bigger one later on.

The best example of this is the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment. In the 1960’s a couple of psychologists had young children participate in a study where they were brought into a room and sat directly in front of a treat (a marshmallow).

They were then told that they could eat the marshmallow OR they could wait 15 minutes (literally an eternity for a child) and they would receive TWO marshmallows.

Multiple follow up studies were done over a forty year time period. Results demonstrated that the preschool children who were able to wait for the bigger prize were more competent academically and better equipped to deal with things like frustration and stress at all stages in life (1) (2).

3. Reframe your problems.

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