The three things you need to be successful
/What many people don't know is that Ashton Kutcher is actually a highly successful investor (which would explain his role in Two and a Half Men). He was one of the first to invest in Skype, Foursquare, and Airbnb.
While I'm not always a fan of his many movies (maybe because I am not his target demographic), this speech at the Teen Choice Awards is one that I find most inspiring. The significance and depth of meaning behind the three things to be successful is probably lost on most of the screaming teenagers. But for those of us who have spent some time working and come up against obstacles, hardships, and office jerks, with the benefit of hindsight, the message is both meaningful and inspiring. It touches on so many points that have been raised in myCorproateDiary. The key takeaways for me are:
- His first name is actually Chris. He changed it so he could stand out in the Hollywood crowd. This is similar to the concept of adopting an alter-ego to try to help you break through your self imposed limitations.
- Opportunity looks like hard work. And that's because it is. You simply can't become who you want to be unless you spend the time and effort to work at it. As mentioned in previous blog post, the actions you take don't have to be big. Make one small change each time, and over the course of a few months, you'll look back and see a different person. But the onus is on you to take that small action.
- Being sexy. We can't really change our looks but there are things we can do to improve ourselves that make us sexy. Being smart, being thoughtful, and being generous. These are all traits on introverts. One can say that we are inherently sexy. We just need to find a way to show these traits externally.
- Living life. Finally, this is what myCorporateDiary is all about. Don't think that the world you live in is set in stone. Don't think that your introvert limitations can't be overcome. Life is a lot broader than material things, and the rules are made up by people no smarter than us. So stop hindering yourself and take the action to break out of those limitations.
Just as the speech wraps up with a powerful Steve Jobs quote, I leave you with that exact quote in full. Read it, absorb it, then use it.
“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.”