The Success Formula They Don’t Teach: Belief, Action, Patience

Let me tell you a secret they don’t write in textbooks or scribble on whiteboards during those long, motivational seminars with free biscuits—success doesn’t come from just working hard. Nope. If sweat was the only requirement, every bricklayer would be a billionaire. The real formula is simple but rarely taught: Belief + Action + Patience.

Sounds easy, right? Yeah, until life hits you with 17 unanswered emails, a failed business attempt, and your mom starts suggesting you become a backup dancer at church.

Let’s break it down.

BELIEF: THE INNER ENGINE

Have you ever seen a baby try to walk? That little human will fall, cry, hit their head on a chair, and still try again like they’re training for the Baby Olympics. Why? Because the baby believes they can walk instinctively.

Now imagine a 25-year-old who wants to start a business but won’t because “the market is saturated” or “what if people laugh?” That baby’s got more belief than most adults. Sad, right?

Belief is your internal power source. If you don’t believe you can succeed, your actions will be half-baked. You’ll try, but not try. Like when you go on a diet but still keep cake in the fridge “just in case visitors come.” (We see you.)

Real belief is delusional in a good way. It makes you take risks. It makes you start a YouTube channel with 0 subscribers or launch a side hustle, even if your cousin laughs at you during Christmas lunch.

ACTION: DREAMS DON'T HAVE LEGS

Now, belief is useless without action. You can stare at your vision board all day, but unless you do something, you’ll end up with a really cute collage and no progress.

Remember Joshua from our neighborhood? He believed he could be a fashion designer. He had the talent. But every day, he’d say, “I'm still thinking about the perfect logo.” Three years later, the only thing he’s designed is excuses. On the other hand, Sade started with small thrift pieces, posted them on Instagram, messed up a few outfits (one looked like a curtain), but she kept going. Now she’s dressing influencers and booking clients.

Action is messy, awkward, and rarely perfect—but it’s necessary. You’ll stumble, but stumble forward. At least you’ll be ahead of the person still planning in their head.

PATIENCE: THE ANNOYING PART

Let’s be real—this is the part that makes most of us quit.

You plant the seed. You water it. You stare at the soil. Nothing happens. You check again. Still nothing. “Maybe the seed is fake,” you whisper as you consider microwaving it (please don’t).

Success takes time. But in a world of same-day delivery and viral fame, we expect results by next weekend. That’s not how it works.

Patience is trusting the process when nothing seems to be working. It’s like baking: you don’t keep opening the oven every 30 seconds or your cake will flop. (Ask anyone who’s ever tried to bake in a hurry—we've all been there.)

WRAPPING IT UP: THE UNSEEN FORMULA

So here's what they don't teach in school:

Believe in yourself even when your situation screams otherwise.

Act on your dreams—even if it’s just a baby step.

Wait with patience, not passivity. Stay ready, keep improving, and trust the timeline.

Life rewards those who stay in the game long enough to win.

You don’t need a guru. You don’t need to buy a $997 course from someone on YouTube with rented Lamborghinis. You just need to believe deeply, act daily, and wait faithfully.

The formula is simple. Living it? That’s the challenge. But it’s the kind of challenge that turns dreamers into doers and doers into legends.

Quote of the day: "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." — Martin Luther King Jr.

Call to action: Start today. Do one small thing that your future successful self will thank you for. Then show up again tomorrow. Let belief fuel you, action move you, and patience grow you.