The Iceberg Theory of Success is important in everyone’s success journey. It gives us a picture of what to expect on our long journey to success.

The Iceberg Theory of Success also helps us relate to successful people. Through the theory, we understand that they have paid the cost for their success. Therefore, we have no reason to envy them or even hate them.

After this realization, we can then model their lifestyle and follow it. This way, we are going to get the same results as they did. Remember, if you can copy my lifestyle, you can get my results.

What is the Iceberg Theory of Success?

The Iceberg Theory of Success shows the relationship between success and its price. It shows what we have to give to get what we need.

Like a physical iceberg in the ocean, a small part is visible but most of it is submerged.

The small visible part represents the visible success/ results people see. This cannot be hidden. The submerged part shows the cost of success. This is what people cannot see.

Therefore, the Iceberg Theory of Success dictates that in every successful person, the lifestyle we see it just the tip of the iceberg; the real lifestyle is hidden from us. We cannot tell what they have gone through to get what they have.

Interpretation of the Iceberg Theory of Success

Success costs more than many people are ready to pay. The cost of success is so high for the average person. It requires a person who has committed to pay it.

The sacrifice we see successful people make is just the tip of the iceberg. They give 10 times more privately when no one is watching. Therefore, when you see a successful person, do not be envious. Such a person has paid the cost for his success.

Since many people cannot see the submerged effort that successful people put daily, they think that all of them are crooks. Some think that people succeed by mere lack. Others feel that these people have connections in mighty offices. They do not believe in sheer hard work and dedication.

For these reasons, average people end up envying successful people and even hating them. They do not know the cost they have paid to get what they have.

Personally, when I see a person who is more successful than I am, I salute them, admire them, and even try to become their friends. I am always very curious to know what they have gone through to get where they are.

Application of the Iceberg Theory of Success

The Iceberg Theory of Success is very applicable in life. By understanding it, you can gain leverage in your journey to success.

Since the effort we see is just a tip of the iceberg, it means that the effort needed to succeed is quite high. In this regard, you should be ready to give 10 times what you think it takes to succeed.

As we start any endeavor, we always underestimate the effort it will take to succeed. We think that the new business will break even in 6 months and it ends up taking 3 years. In this case, will you still persevere?

Many people start a project thinking that it will require only 2 hours every day. They soon realize that even the whole day is not enough. Most of these people end up quitting just because they underestimated the cost. If they had understood the concept behind the Iceberg Theory of Success, they would have continued making the effort knowing that success will eventually come.

My journey

I have had a tough journey to success. Having started with no money, no experience, and no networks, I went through so much to get to a comfortable level in life. Here are some of the things I went through:

·     I had to work for 16-18 hours every day. This is more than the average person can offer.

·     I lost all my friends.

·     I lost all my investment and almost went bankrupt.

·     I have invested money and lost all of it.

·     I have had to look like a fool to my friends and family because they could not understand what I was doing.

·     I have had to borrow to put food on the table. This was demeaning and shameful.

·     I have gone for days without food.

·     I have spent years creating income-generating projects.

·     I have had to do menial jobs to survive.

This is just a fraction of what I went through. Today, I have 2 companies, 8 best-selling books, successful blogs, and many other income-generating assets.

When people see the success, they cannot understand the effort it has taken to get here. Only me and my family know what it has been like on this tough journey.

If you want success, you have to be ready to lose the life you have now. Be ready to lose friends, have sleepless nights, be rejected, get ridiculed, become discouraged, lose money, feel like quitting, lack of basic needs, long hours of working, etc.

If you can persevere all that pain and pressure, you are ready for success.

Are you ready to pay the cost? If not, you have no business admiring or envying successful people.

If you are ready to pay the price of success, fasten your belt because the ride is a bumpy one. If it were easy, I would not hesitate to tell you. But it is not. There will be everything you never imagined to face in life.

What to do:

·     Prepare yourself and your family psychologically as you start the journey to success. Let everyone close to you know what to expect.

·     Multiply what you think it will cost by 10 to get the real cost of success.

·     Make a decision not to quit no matter what happens.

·     If you cannot stick to the end, just quit before you start. Quitting in the middle of the journey is very expensive.

·     Learn from people who have made it because they have already paid the cost that you are about to pay. Read their books and listen to them speak. You can even get one of them to be your mentor.

·     Respect successful people, love them, and desire to be close to them. They have already paid the cost of what they have.

·     Work hard and put in the 10x effort and you will succeed.

Final thoughts on the Iceberg Theory of Success

It is just how it is; success is never cheap. Brace yourself for the tough times ahead.

You cannot fail to pursue success just because it is expensive. You owe it to yourself, your family, and generations to come. Therefore, just purpose to do everything possible to get success. No matter what goes may, decide not to quit.

As I always say; no one gets success by just wanting it but by deserving it. Those who deserve it are those who have worked for it. This is what the Iceberg Law of Success is about. It is about putting in the effort to deserve your success. When you deserve it, it will be given to you without fail.

All the best as you go after everything you ought to have.