A quote that sticks with me is “Success comes down to three things: the effort you put in, the knowledge you gain, and the luck you stumble upon.” This quote has guided my actions in everything that I do. Generally, any story of success comes down to those three things. Take someone like the founder of FedEx, Frederick Smith. His company became quite successful but ran into financial issues during the fuel crisis of the 70s. All his hard work relied on gambling the last $5,000 and he was able to keep his company afloat by winning $27,000.

Federick’s story inspires me to follow the three pillars of success given how well it turned out for him. Each day I try to put in as much effort as possible to tasks that I deem will make me successful. The tasks currently involve a lot of learning and help me expand the tools that I will be able to use to innovate my future. The last pillar, luck, I rely upon the least, but I ensure that I put myself in the best position to take advantage of opportunities when they arise.

Success is not guaranteed, but following the pillars will increase my chances of achieving my goals. An example of dedication I have made is being able to read and speak a new language through daily practice will improve given more time. Examples like this avoid the biggest mistake one can make, not taking action for their future. Moving into the future I will become successful through discipline, as little effort over the long term can have a monumental impact. Through continuous learning, skill refinement, and discipline, my success may not be immediate, but it will be inevitable.