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Her name is synonymous with success. There isn’t a soul out there who hasn’t heard of Oprah Winfrey, and millions of people have been inspired by her story of hardship and perseverance. She came from nothing, and she has everything. And pretty much everything she has accomplished, Oprah owes to no one but herself.
Her unbreakable spirit, wisdom, and wish to help others who are lost in life are a true testament to the golden heart and nerves of steel that make Winfrey who she is. It’s impossible to admire, and impossible not to wonder - how did she do it? How did she managed to completely turn around her life and become the icon that she is today? Well, in case you’ve been wondering, here are ten little things Oprah does to achieve big success.
She Doesn’t Let Herself Become Overwhelmed
Perhaps the best thing about the things Oprah does to achieve success is the fact that they seem so simple, and so prone to be applied to our lives. Granted, not all of us are destined, or want to, become like Oprah, but her advice on how to become our own version of successful simply works.
One of these things comes down to not ever let herself be overwhelmed. We all know how easily this state of mind can all of a sudden completely envelop us, and we are so focused on all of the things that we have to do, that we become unable to do anything at all. Oprah is very adamant about focusing on your next move, and forgetting everything else. Worry about one thing at a time, and you'll accomplish everything you need to.
She Seizes Opportunity
Oprah doesn't believe in luck. Yes, the world isn't fair. Many people are born to privilege, and many won't understand the true meaning of hardship in their lives. Still, it's very important to keep in mind that everyone has their own crosses to bear, and while it's true we all aren't blessed with the same opportunities, this doesn't mean we should just give up.
Winfrey has spoken on the importance of knowing when to seize your opportunities through life. And for this it's paramount that you keep an open spirit and a belief that things can turn at any moment. Remember that many times, we are also the ones who create our own opportunities. Oprah didn't achieve anything because of luck - she did it because she knows to seize opportunity.
She’s Not Afraid Of Failing
"Who has lived and hasn't made mistakes?". These are some of Oprah's most famous and inspiring words, and they ring true among every single one of us. We're told, in several instances throughout our lives, that the road to success isn't linear. Even the smartest, most intelligent human out there has done something wrong, because that's how life works.
Oprah knows this. And she also knows that the fear of making a mistake can often lead to giving up altogether, and she simply doesn't accept that. Winfrey takes chances, and while not all of them turn out the way she'd hope, there's always a lesson to be learned. And there are more mistakes to make, until eventually you can reach success.
She Works On Herself
There's a fine line between being confident and being outright narcissistic. The journey to self-love is often a very tricky and complicated one and, unfortunately, many people fail to ever achieve it. This is where Oprah stresses the importance of working on herself, and aligning all she has to give to the world with what her purpose is.
To her, there's nothing more important than filling yourself up. To know who you are, to feed into your strengths, to get to know your weaknesses. Every day she strives to deeply work on herself, so that she can bring out into the world the best parts of her.
She Doesn’t Compare Herself To Others
What's one of the worst enemies of success? And not just success in work, but in all walks of life? It's comparison to others. The grass always looks greener on the other side, and sometimes, we can't help but feel a permanent dissatisfaction with what we have and who we are because we are so convinced that what others have, and what others are, is better.
Oprah doesn't believe in that. She believes in running the marathon as fast as she can, without worrying about how well the other runners are doing. Because at the end of the day, her success is defined by how much she improved compared to her past self, and how she performed against her own expectations.
She Believes In Herself
You can't fake your way to the top. Not forever, and certainly not successfully. Sooner or later, people will see through the façade, and you will never be one hundred percent happy with what you achieved, because you know that all along, you didn't really love yourself or believed in yourself.
Oprah came from nothing. She was so poor that growing up, her grandmother made her dresses made out of potato sacks. When you are faced with situations like these, it's very easy to accept you'll never amount to anything more than that in life. Which is why Oprah makes a point to believe in herself, ever since she was a child.
She Does What She Loves
Becoming successful at a job you hate is possible, but only to a certain extent. What we mean by this is that, can you truly consider yourself successful if you're making money doing a job that doesn't fulfil you in the slightest? That has absolutely nothing to do with you? Let's not forget that success isn't strictly tied to money, but rather to your happiness.
This is, of course, one of the reasons why Oprah managed to become so successful. Because she makes a point to do the things she loves! Ever since she was little, she knew she was made for television. And she worked on being able to do exactly that, which is a big part of why Oprah is the successful woman we all know today.
She Knows Her Purpose
This one isn't easy, and perhaps this is the exact point that differentiates Oprah from the rest of us, mere mortals. Many of us walk though life trying to figure exactly this - what is our purpose? What are we meant to do with our time on this Earth? For some it might be owning a book shop, for others, to become a teacher.
Whatever it is, it doesn't come easy to identify. But Oprah did, and thank god she did, because otherwise we wouldn't have been given her talkshow, which inspired and helped so many people throughout the years, and is a true pinnacle of Oprah's success.
She Stays Grounded
When you are literally one of the most famous people on Earth, with a net worth of over $3 billion, and people come up to you as if you are some sort of deity who is walking among humans, it's pretty easy to let things get to your head. We've seen many times, in celebrities that took their status so seriously, there were instances where they even believed themselves to be above the law.
That's not Oprah. And that's one of the things that make her so successful, by her own admission. She knows that what you have right now can be taken away at any moment, and she doesn't take anything for granted. She knows exactly who she is, and she never loses sight of it, or of her place in the world.
She Relaxes
Very few things are easy about this life. Oprah knows this, especially considering the awful ordeals she had to go through during her childhood and formative years. From an abusive family, to instances of sexual assault, Winfrey has withstood more hardships in a few years than many people will in a lifetime.
And know she is where she is. Which is why one of the things Oprah takes seriously is to, alongside everything else we've mentioned, relax. Because everything is going to be okay, and everything is possible with a little faith.