I Just Want To Be Successful

“I Just Want To Be Successful” is a series here at Michelle-Huxtable.com. It’s not only on how to be successful but how to be a reliable and decent human being in general. To read the rest of the series just click here.

When you first start playing the Sims you get to make your character. You edit everything about them. Their personality, looks, traits, age, and then finally their Lifetime Wish.

Everybody wants something from life. On the game you can pick Riches, Love, Surrounded by Family, A Successful Career, and other things. In real life it might not be as simple and direct but it essentially goes with those basic goals.

Some people want to be a rapper, blogger, doctor, lawyer, advertising exec, artist, anything. In every profession that I can think of one has to learn to network. Because sometimes it’s not what you know it’s what you can prove [1] who you know.

And even if you don’t know anybody in a position of great power now, the people you know and the people you hang with won’t always be in the position that they are in now.

It would be a great shame to have a friend who you don’t respect because they can’t do anything for you and have them later be in a position of power and not help you because you were wrong.

Anyone who knows the beef between Drake and Motown President Sylvia Rhone  should understand what I’m saying. This leads me to the beginning of a series called “How To Be Successful” or at the very least reliable.

If he can answer a call, I'm sure you can.

1. Answer Every Text, Phone Call, Email, Fax, Smoke Signal, etc.
   • This is huge because in this day and age there is little reason to be missing correspondence of any sort. Before voice mail and caller ID you had a reason for not returning phone calls. Not so much anymore.
   • When someone texts you even if you feel they are unimportant you should respond to every text. Even if they aren’t asking you for something you should keep up communication with people you know. They are important even if they cannot help you in some way. I can’t stand when I text someone and they don’t respond especially if I had a question that I needed answering.
   • I don’t have a Blackberry but I know it tells you if someone read your text. When people see that you read the text and didn’t respond they’re not going to know your reason. They’re going to assume you’re being rude. If you don’t have the appropriate answer then let them know that. If you can’t respond then respond at your earliest convenience. There’s never a reason not to return a text message. It’s the easiest form of communication.
   • The same applies to email, phone calls, and all other forms of communication. If someone calls, find a way to get back. I know I hate calling people so I might respond via email. I don’t know the proper etiquette on that – if you have to respond via the same medium but the point is respond!
     

The “I Just Want To Be Successful” series will continue at some point. It won’t be several posts in a row so keep your eyes posted for it and give some feedback on if you agree with the list and what you’d add to it. This isn’t just about being successful it’s really about being a decent human being. This makes you reliable and people will know they can count on you. To some, that means more than anything – Knowing that if they pick up the phone and call you you will be there in a heartbeat.

[1] – Two points if you know who said that.