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The moment you set an objective, obstacles will stand in your way. This is how life works. For instance, one thing about progressing towards your goals is that you are not necessarily going to be met with a parade by the people around you–even by those who love and support you the most. Success breeds envy and envy breeds all sorts of problems.

Anyone can get started on the road to success and a life of fulfilment. The real task is staying on the path of success. Because once you get on the path there are always multitudes of people out there who want to knock you off of that path.

Unfortunately this is just how it works. The more successful you get, the harder and harder it gets to stay on the path, and the easier it is to go astray.

No one is going to be there to keep you on your mission and this is the most important thing you must realize. You have to stay focused regardless the distractions of people and life.

“People do not like other people who could possibly be perceived as better than themselves.”

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The second you try and show you have strength or stick out from the pack, others are going to be around to knock you off your horse. They will do it by excluding you. They will do it by defaming you. They will do it virtually any way they can. Keep this in mind, those of you who wish to succeed: If you do extremely well in anything, you will need to be prepared for resentment, and for dealing with others who are going to try and knock you off your path.

One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to stay on course. This is something that I have thought about for a long time and this is also something that I think can make a giant difference in the quality of your life. Self-improvement is a fine idea and all, but staying on course is what it all comes down to.

Recently I came across list called “The Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership,” which was so powerful that I want to share it with you:

  1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self centered. Love them anyway.
  2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
  3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
  4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
  5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
  6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
  7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
  8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
  9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
  10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

These commandments are valuable on many levels because they can drive you to do exceptionally well in everything you do. They were originally written by Kent Keith in a book called, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Counsel. At the time he was only 19, a sophomore at Harvard.

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Most people are self-centered. They think about themselves first–always. Do not worry about it, though. Love people; do not hate them. Their reasoning for being competitive with you, undermining you (or whatever) may be illogical, but it does not need to concern you or command your attention.

You are going to see the worst side of people very quickly the more successful you get. Whether it is your parents, other relatives, your coworkers, or others around you–people will very quickly show their self-centered side to you. Do not stress about it. Just love these people anyway. You can analyze it all you want, but just know that they are acting the way they are for reasons which are more about them than you. Love them anyway. Stay Focused Anyway!

In my companies I have helped numerous people by giving them massive promotions, and so forth. Once people get this, the next step for them is often wanting more. Instead of being happy with what they have gotten, they very quickly forget everything you have done and want more. Who cares? It is important to do good anyway.

If you let them, most people will come up with every excuse in the book why it can’t be done. Why? Because they have no vision. They don’t see themselves as successful, they only see themselves failing. In order to fulfill this prophecy, they need a reason. So what do they do? They will prejudge and tell you why you cannot do well. Do not let people shoot you down or destroy your dreams. Small people attack other people’s dreams. You need to be strong; do not ever let others dissuade you. Stay focused!

“But there is nothing glorious, fulfilling, or memorable about spending your life on the sidelines. You need to run the race, and once you start running you need to stay on track.”

Sam Trabulsi Ph.D MBA

Entrepreneur, Customer Creation Expert

Edited – Original article by Harrison Barnes