Why do some people achieve their goals, what are some patterns behind goal achievement?
Each year, I mentor people for free to help more people reach their goals. Some are aiming for public speaking, others for a job. Through my conversations, I witness incredible growth and it made me wonder: why do they succeed?
In 2024, something feels different. I’ve supported a higher-than-usual number of people in tech. While I’m humbled by their trust, it highlights our community’s need for more mentors. Society feels less inclusive, with more discrimination from employers and leaders. I’m sharing my experiences to help others counter this trend—whether by mentoring or reaching your own goals.
Reflecting on my conversations from the past year, I noticed some similarities:
They clearly know the message they want the world to hear. The message didn’t appear overnight but developed consistently over time through a structured approach to learning new topics. I’ve learned that these people really care about their message, work, and impact. They don’t pursue a conference stage (or a job) just for selfish reasons.
When they speak to you, their passion shines through (even without their own awareness) as they explain difficult problems using easy-to-understand ideas. Listening to people who share deep knowledge in a captivating way made me realize that passion is just a side-effect when deeply learning new knowledge.
They ask for feedback - not just once, but several times. Some even made plans for improvement and reshared their work with me for more feedback. I’ve learned a lot just by watching how they did this.
They seek inspiration from others while working towards higher goals, and they approach others with respect and humility. Being curious, ambitious, and humble all at once is a rare and unique trait. They take special care not hurting anyone while following their ambitions.
They never take anyone for granted, always being grateful for help and support. It made me realize that when you show gratitude and care for those who help you, everyone you asked for support will be more inclined to give you even better help.
They take chances and are willing to accept rejections. This is because they understand that one rejection isn’t the final ‘truth’. Sending in a proposal to one conference and receiving a rejection does not mean all other conferences will think alike. The same logic applies to job searching. When someone can’t see your value, others will. They exist, but you must look for them.
These reflections emphasize how we should invest our time: Love what you do, and be kind to others. Only then will a message, passion, knowledge, ideas, structure, and consistency naturally develop in you. I know it might sound like a cliché, but it really works.