A recent discussion started by a friend – Chima Ejiofor – on Facebook reminded me I wanted to write about two kinds of success: Authentic and Non-Authentic (or to put the latter bluntly…Phony!).

If you desire positive, long term progress, pursue achievement of "Authentic Success".

I offer ideas you (and any child in your life) can use, below.

To Improve Your Chances of Succeeding Authentically, Learn From Those Who Have Done It Before

Thankfully, many of such people readily offer tips that willing persons can follow.

Indeed, that is one key difference that separates them from phony successes: they want to share what they know, to help others achieve similar success!

Anyone who consumes a steady diet of authentic success philosophies, will not be hoodwinked by persons hawking phony success philosophies.

Why?

Because use of authentic success philosophies requires rigorous – and routine – CRITICAL THINKING!

In other words, you develop the mental capability to analyze what you see, or are told.

Rarely will you miss an attempt to lead you astray, if you’re a student of authentic success.

Unless you choose to let yourself be – which would be a shame!

For Success to be AUTHENTIC, It Must be REPRODUCIBLE and REPEATABLE

When an entrepreneur in a particular society, grows his/her business by benefiting from preferential relationships at the EXPENSE of others, s/he will achieve non-authentic or phony success.

Why?

Because whatever rewards (money etc) s/he gets will be via an UNFAIR advantage over other competitors in the same market.

In the USA, we’ve seen numerous “Andrew Carnegie type” billionaires, in DOLLAR terms, emerge many decades after Carnegie commissioned Napoleon Hill to write the best selling "Think and Grow Rich".

Carnegie described his success formula in the book, as most successfully applicable in the American capitalist society and economy.

He – correctly – referred to America as a place where people who want something are willing to reward ANYONE who gives them the solution.

And that’s why virtually anyone who enters that country, and diligently puts his energy and creative abilities to use, succeeds.

The currently celebrated duo of Chimamanda Adichie and Lupita Nyong’o are making waves in the USA, because of this.

Carnegie Amassed His Wealth By Fair Means…And That’s Why His Success Was Authentic

He did not use connections to prevent potential competitors from entering the market.

Neither did he buddy up with friends with influence, or "in power" to get contracts others were more qualified for.

And that’s what gave him the confidence – and conviction – to offer a “success formula” for others to follow. He knew what he had done could be done by others – no matter who they were or what they had to start with!

In other words, he was sure his success could be REPEATED and REPRODUCED by anyone else.

Henry Ford Also Knew His Success Was Authentic…

And that was why when a journalist asked Ford what he would do if he lost his entire financial empire, he replied that he “would have it all back in 5 years”.

He knew he could do it again. And he was sure of how to go about it. So sure that he gave a specific time by which he would do so: 5 years he said!

That is authentic success. It has reproducibility and repeatability.

I Can Also Attest to the Authentic Nature of Carnegie’s Success Formula

You see, I succeed today as an internationally recognized multipreneurial provider of unique products and services, in spite of the efforts of many nay sayers and haters over the past decade.

And that’s happened because I adapted ideas from Napoleon Hill’s book to my situation in Nigeria/Africa.

This proves that those American ideas conceived by Andrew Carnegie, transcend geographical boundaries (though it may take longer elsewhere than in America).

And that’s the way ANY truly authentic success formula should be: UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE!

People Who Succeed By Cutting Corners, Do NOT Achieve Such Authentic Success

That’s why if you they are removed from the environment where they flourish, to a neutral one, they will often be unable to produce the same results!

It is also why they often do the dishonest things they do to succeed.

The desperation from knowing they are unsure of how to succeed, makes them grab, and cheat, and cut corners…

As a result they are often incapable of teaching others about achieving authentic success.

You cannot give what you don’t have – as the saying goes!

As a test, ask him/her to articulate his/her philosophy for achieving success s/he has achieved, for the person on the street to use i.e. a nobody, starting from ground zero (like Carnegie’s formula does).

No matter how bold or daring s/he is, it is unlikely s/he will be able to take up that challenge.

And if s/he does, those who try to use such formula are unlikely, to get success s/he achieved financially or otherwise. Unless they do the naughty things s/he did!

And once they do, what they get will NOT be authentic success.

Final Words: The Most Distinguishing Feature of Carnegie’s Philosophy for Authentic Success

Basically, you cannot do wrong to achieve authentic success.

Instead, INTEGRITY, HONESTY, FAIRNESS, IMPARTIALITY, ABOVE BOARD DEALINGS, and other ethical considerations, are emphasized as a PRIORITY for those seeking to succeed using this philosophy.

Millions across the world have confirmed adhering to it works.

You and your child can become one of those millions, if you apply the above ideas in pursuit of success.