You never grew up saying “I’ll be average when I grow up”.
Am I right? You had a dream to become something or someone.
Sometimes as we grow, we tend to let the everyday routine or our entourage suppress those dreams.
I never let go of my dreams. In every stage of my life, I was successful. I
want to share some lessons that I have learned on my path to success. Hopefully
they will be of value to you as you move forward in life, and inspire you on your path to success.
What is success? Every person has a different definition. My definition of
success is how happy a person is with their life! It doesn’t matter what car you drive,
what house you buy, what watch you wear, what clothes you wear,
or how much money you have in your bank account. What does matter is how happy
you are with your life and having accomplished the goals and dreams that you set for yourself.
From a very young age, I always had success in school. I was top of my class and eventually
graduated from university with a degree from the medicine faculty in molecular biology
and biochemistry. I was always passionate about cars and during my teenage years, I started
getting into detailing and I was washing cars from my local car clubs. That allowed me to generate
some income all while getting better and better at it. As an adult, I was able to get a high paying
job which allowed me to use part of that income to become successful in the financial markets.
But I wanted to do something closer to my passions.
I started studying how to film and edit videos, what equipment to purchase,
see what were the good practices from my favourite YouTube channels, and do some research. One thing
led to another and eventually, I started my own YouTube channel. Fast forward to 2022, and here
we are, one of the biggest car detailing channels on YouTube, on our way to 1 million subscribers.
As you can see, success is not only about the end game. There can be many successful
moments throughout your life. If you look back at what I told you, as a young boy,
I was successful in school. As a teen, I had a successful side business. As a young adult,
I had a wonderful job with great income. And now, my latest chapter, my successful YouTube channel.
Will there be other steps towards different accomplishments later in my life? Most likely,
yes! Because even though I recognize my successes at different stages in my life,
I never settle. My brain is full of ideas so who knows what will come next.
So if you guys want to know the recipe for my success, here are seven ingredients.
First, you have to find what you love. When you do something you love,
it’s easier to become good at it. For me, it was detailing.
Second, you need a plan. What do you want to be? What can you do with that thing you love?
What goals and dreams would you like to accomplish?
Once you’re able to establish those elements, you can start laying down the foundation and
building blocks that will allow you to pave the way towards your success.
Discipline, commitment, and good habits get things done.
Set a goal and start getting things done to achieve that goal. Start with
something small. Make those small tasks become a habit. And continue building on top of that.
When I started detailing cars at the age of 16, my first clients only generated 25$ per car
as the services I was offering were basic interior/exterior washes.
As time went on and as I learned new techniques and tricks, the services I
was offering expanded to a point where I’m now able to perform high end jobs
like a full paint correction and ceramic coating application in the four figure range.
To get from your starting point to your destination, you will need motivation and
inspiration. Surround yourself with successful people. Along the way, it’s ok to ask for advice.
Listen. Take lessons from those people and see how you can apply them to your life.
Early on in my detailing years, I remember being inspired by legends
like Mike Phillips on car detailing forums and one of the very first detailers on YouTube,
my friend Larry Kosilla from AMMO NYC.
I listened closely to what they had to say and further deepened my knowledge about the craft.
Third, there is no fast track to success. Stop looking for the easy way out or for a shortcut.
Shortcuts to success don’t exist. Hard work is what gets you there. Outwork everyone.
Keep pushing. You rest once you cross the finish line, not during the race.
Fourth, work hard, don’t be lazy. A talent comes naturally, but skill is developed
after months and years developing your craft. When I was in high school in the 90’s, I used to play
basketball and at the time, Michael Jordan was a global superstar and his Chicago Bulls won 6
championships. I remember all my teammates wanted to be like Mike due to his athletic abilities.
They tried emulating his moves. But I thought differently.
I wanted to be like Mike because of his work ethic and his determination to be the best
and constantly push himself beyond his limits through practice and hard work. He was often
the first one on the court, and last one off the court during practice sessions.
They would win a championship, and a few days later he was already in the gym training
for the following season. He was one of the individuals that served as a role model for me.
When you get a set back, get back up and keep moving forward. You can’t sit there
and do nothing. Work hard and sacrifice for what you want to achieve. Don’t be afraid to fail.
Take some risks. There will be obstacles. Keep moving forward.
Fifth is all about having the right mentality. An idea won’t execute itself. You have to stand
up and make it happen. Lazy won’t get you a job interview or a business opportunity.
Activating cruise control won’t take you off the beaten path
and won’t allow you to make life changing decisions.
Stop thinking about things like “I’ll start Monday. I’m too tired right now.
I don’t have the time do do this.” Stop waking up with the wrong attitude. You need to reverse that.
Have a winner mentality. If you want something in life, you have to go after it. Go get it!
Don’t wait for someone to hand you something. You are the sole responsible for your future.
You can do it now. Not tomorrow. On many occasions I could have said “I have been working late. I
work long hours. I’m too tired and I have no time to start a channel.” But I wanted more!
Sixth, ignore the haters and doubters. Throughout your journey, you’re going to get haters and
doubters, people who don’t understand what you’re trying to accomplish. They usually
lead sad or boring lives and are filled with envy and jealousy when they see someone that is trying
to strive for greatness. When it comes to your dreams and ambitions, their opinions don’t matter.
Keep in mind that your time on this planet is limited. So tune out the negativity and don’t
let others drown your inner voice. Have confidence in your abilities and trust yourself to make the
right decisions. Don’t waste time with things that prevent you from achieving your goals.
Some people around me were trying to discourage me from putting so much time,
effort and energy in making YouTube videos. I’m glad I didn’t listen to them!
Seventh, don’t ever settle. When you give up on your dreams,
you settle. Your dream is worth fighting for! You deserve to achieve your dreams.
All throughout my life, dreaming is what pushed me to think outside the box and try new things.
I hope this will inspire you to go pursue your own dreams
and strive for success, what ever success may mean to you!
To keep you motivated, celebrate accomplishments, big or small. Pat yourself on the back for a job
well done. Acknowledge that life is full of small victories which can pave the way to success.