How She Did It: Oprah’s Success Factors
Oprah Winfrey says:
“What I know for sure is
that if you want to have success, you can’t make success your goal”
“The key is not to worry about being successful, but to instead work
toward being significant – and the success will naturally follow.”
Oprah’s success has not come easily, but rather as the result of a number of crucial factors:
A Goal-Oriented Focus:
“You become what you
believe,” says Oprah.
“You are where you are today
in your life based on everything you have believed.”
Oprah’s unwavering belief in
her abilities is what drove her to focus all of her life’s energy on reaching
her objectives. Focused on a career in broadcasting, Oprah ignored all other
diversions until she had achieved her goals. Once a successful talk show host,
she continued to diversify in areas within broadcasting. Oprah’s single-minded
focus allowed her to concentrate all of her time and energy into achieving the
life of her dreams.
The Ability to Overcome Diversity:
The Ability to Overcome Diversity:
Having
experienced much abuse and adversity as a young child, Oprah developed the
survival instinct at an early age. She learned the lesson that if you wanted to
not only stay alive but also make something of yourself you had to fight. This
would well prepare her for the obstacles she would later face in the
worlds of broadcasting and business.
The Ability to Recognize and Seize the Opportunity:
“I don’t believe in
coincidences,” says Oprah.
From hosting a talk show, to
acting, to utilizing the Internet to bring her company online, Oprah has
listened to her inner voice and grabbed every opportunity she believed was
necessary to achieve her goals. She was not afraid to venture into the unknown or
reinvent herself through various media. Her success also lies in the
opportunities she has turned down, such as thousands of dollars worth of brand
endorsements, which might have put her company in jeopardy. Listening to
her gut instinct has allowed Oprah to take advantage of numerous
opportunities, which otherwise might have gone unnoticed.
A Sense of Responsibility to Others:
A Sense of Responsibility to Others:
Early on in her career, Oprah
asked, “How can I be of service? How can I use television as a service?”
Oprah has since demonstrated that social
consciousness can make good business sense. Her dedication to
the causes in which she believes and the passion with which she
appeals to her audience for support has set her apart from other television
personalities. Her desire to give back not only to her own community, but also
to communities around the world, has endeared Oprah in the eyes of the public.
The Courage to Follow her Passion:
“I was called to talk, to use
my voice in some way,” says Oprah.
From the very moment that Oprah
discovered her natural flair and passion for broadcasting, she directed all her
energy toward feeding that passion. It was her passion for what she was doing
that drew people in and made her so appealing to audiences worldwide. Oprah’s
passion conveys authenticity, which allows people to get an inside glimpse into
her true self and garners a sense of trust between her and her audience.
Equipped with this love of communicating with people and a staunch
belief in her true calling, Oprah was propelled to new heights.
but Oprah’s success proves otherwise. While these factors for success
may not be unique to Oprah, their combination and the manner in which they were
embraced enabled her to reach to new heights.