A short Heroic +1 episode (Brian Johnson) summarizing Albert E. N. Gray’s 1940 booklet "The Common Denominator of Success." Johnson quotes Gray’s core claim that successful people form habits of doing tasks failures avoid, and emphasizes purpose-driven discipline: success requires forming habits to do unpleasant but necessary work. The clip ends with a practical prompt to recommit to one life-changing habit.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic plus one. Not too long ago we did a heroic app search for the word success. We found a ton of plus ones and PNs on the subject. And one of the titles we haven't talked about yet is an old school classic called the Common Denominator of Success. That little booklet was written by Albert E.N. gray way back in 1940. You know what he says is the common denominator of success? It's pretty simple. He tells us, I quote the common denominator of success. The secret of success of every person who has ever become successful lies in the fact that he or she formed the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do. End quote. He also tells us the successful are influenced by the desire for pleasing results. Failures are influenced by the desire for pleasing methods and are inclined to be satisfied with such results as can be obtained by doing things they like to do. Plus, he says it is easier to adjust ourselves to the hardships of a poor living than it is to adjust ourselves to the hardships of making a better one. If you doubt me, just think of all the things you are willing to go without in order to avoid the things you don't want like to do. And he says, why are the successful able to do things they don't like to do while failures are not? Because the successful have a purpose strong enough to make them form the habit of doing things they don't like to do in order to accomplish the purpose they want to accomplish. And that's today's plus one. Remember the common denominator of success. This secret of success of every person who has ever become successful lies in the fact that he or she formed the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do. Which begs the question, what's one thing you know you could be doing that if you did it more consistently, would most change your life? Is today a good day to recommit to dominating that day? One all in. Here's to your success. Let's go hero.
