Success can be a fickle thing, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible to achieve. Often we come across stories where smart entrepreneurs leveraged resources available to them and built an empire that became too grand to comprehend, but the story isn’t the same always.

Some aren’t born that smart and had to let bad experiences guide their way. Being static in this dynamic world is a sure shot recipe for disaster. Those who can’t adapt or stick together as a team, can’t succeed.

People on top of their game typically don’t have more innate potential, skills or luck than the next person, but they sure do make a difference by finding ways to extract the best of what they have at their disposal. To that end, I have compiled eight TED Talk videos that will help you to not only achieve success, but potentially keep the spirit up around it.

#1 J.K. Rowling: “The Fringe Benefits of Failure” – Why failure can define you in a good way

If there is anyone who deserves to speak on success, it would certainly be the internationally bestselling author J.K. Rowling. She has certainly had some failures in her life, but she has managed to turn them into rousing successes.

#2 Renny Gleeson: “404: The Story of a Page not Found” – Sometimes you have to make something from nothing

Sometimes success means making something from nothing and Renny Gleeson does a great job of explaining how you can turn the 404: Page not found page into an inspiration, and bring your site to a new level.

#3 Sheena Iyengar: “How to Make Choosing Easier” – Sometimes less is more

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by options? There are consequences to offering your customers too many options, as you can confuse them or completely turn them away in some cases. Sometimes, less is more than you realize.

#4 Brené Brown: “The Power of Vulnerability”

Vulnerability is a part of life, but as you might know, everything in our lives leads up to something, and it is all there to teach us a lesson. Brown discusses the research behind why the vulnerability exists and how it can help us.

#5 Arianna Huffington: “How to Succeed? Get More Sleep” – Staying up all night is no way to live

There is something to be said for the dedication required to stay up all night and get a job done, but there is also something to be said for getting enough sleep. You can be infinitely more successful if you are well rested.

#6 Alexis Ohanian: “How to Make a Splash in Social Media”–Memes are more than just simple fun

Reddit’s co-founder talks about how the use of memes can help to bring in users and make a ‘splash’ in social media. As it turns out, while these two things are used for entertainment, they can be a great asset.

#7 Navi Radjou: “Creative problem-solving in the face of extreme limits” -Success isn’t always obvious

Problem-solving is a huge part of success; sometimes the answer isn’t always obvious, and sometimes you may be facing extreme limitations that you will need to overcome. Limited capital, time, and resources are just a few examples.

#8 Bill Gross: “The single biggest reason startups succeed” – Not all startups are equal

Bill Gross has spent his fair share of time in the world of business. He has seen many failures and successes, but most importantly, he has learned why some businesses succeed while others seem to fail. It’s all about timing.

Summing it all up

To end it in a typical clichéd style, how about “When life gives you lemons, make a lemonade” – because it’s fun right? Imagine a plane taking off. In the beginning, it is all about speed and getting a solid start for the takeoff. But when plane is up in the air, it gathers momentum and speed as it flies across and claims the sky as its territory. The point I’m trying to make is that success isn’t just about takeoff – sure you are more excited and full of life at the start, but it is because of consistent efforts with a humble, positive attitude that success works in the long run.

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