Sacrifices of Success

Sacrifices of Success
Photo by the blowup / Unsplash

True success is the result of one's willingness to sacrifice.

The above is not a quote or anything similar; it is a simple fact that is easy to hear but hard to understand in a sense.

Success:

So, let’s talk about success in a holistic manner. Outside of the textbook definition, I attribute success to a measurable goal that one can reasonably achieve. Now, let’s break this down into two specific items:

  • Measurable goal:
    • This refers to a goal in which success can be measured. For example, if you want to become the fastest typist, you can measure your speed in comparison to the current fastest speed, while also tracking your progress over time.
    • Goals that cannot be measured often lead to less successful outcomes.
  • Reasonable:
    • This emphasizes having success that is within reason.
    • To illustrate, growing wings and flying off into the sunset, as that is most likely not a success that will come in the near future.

How can we achieve this Success:

I’m going to peel off the metaphorical band-aid immediately and simply say that if you want success in your life, you’re going to need to sacrifice in one form or another.

Take professional sports as an example. Those individuals don’t just stumble onto the court and win games week after week. They spend countless hours practicing and honing their skills, and most likely don’t have a surplus of free time on their hands.

Now, let’s relate this to the industry I see so many people entering. Many want to be the "SOC guru" or the "mega 1337 haxxor," but they don’t put in the hours required to achieve these feats of success. Completing an 8-hour SOC shift or doing a simple pentest and calling it a day doesn’t make you any different from any other worker. You need to put in those extra hours on your off time and level up your skill set.

Now, this is not me saying you need to sleep for only one hour and glue yourself to your desk to achieve success. I’m simply saying that some form of sacrifice is needed to attain the feats of success you wish for in your life.

Paving a path to success:

Let’s now talk about building a path to help ensure your success in the future. Below are some great data points to consider when preparing to take the next steps:

  • Gradually alter your habits:
    • Sacrificing a large part of your lifestyle abruptly can hinder early progress.
  • Build a support system (friends, family, co-workers, etc.):
    • During those days when you wish to give up, your support system will help keep you on track.
  • Challenge yourself:
    • Completing mundane tasks over and over will not yield success as swiftly as tackling more challenging tasks.
  • Document the journey:
    • Having the ability to look at your growth over a set period of time will help you measure your progress and stay motivated.

Closing thoughts:

Remember: True success is the result of one's willingness to sacrifice.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best as you move forward toward success this year.