What is the Law of Success? — "Humans do not live by a single function alone": The perspective of multiplying multiple types

Why does "just do this and you'll succeed" always only tell half the story?

There are countless success principles in the world. While some argue that you only need to do what excites you, others assert that effort is everything. Some preach that relationships are assets, while others say to eliminate emotions and only look at numbers.

These seem to contradict each other. However, in reality, all of them are correct, and at the same time, all of them are only partially correct. This is because each success principle is merely a record of a function that a particular person used in a particular situation. When the situation changes, the function that works also changes. Nevertheless, people often mistakenly believe that the one pattern they happened to encounter is the "only correct answer."

The law of success is a collection of multiple functions.

Humans don't live by a single function. Rather, they have multiple functions within and switch which function to bring to the forefront depending on the season or situation. Here, we will list eight representative types from the perspective of "what function serves as the starting point."

── Mindset Type ── A function that starts with the state of mind

Being positive, showing gratitude, and prioritizing excitement don't necessarily have a direct causal relationship with success. However, there's a function that assumes your mindset determines the outcome. A way of life that accumulates moderate happiness through moderate effort is not something to be denied; it functions as a valid model.

—Hard work—A function that can only be trusted by accumulating quantity

Decide on one thing, stop thinking, and just do a lot of it. As symbolized by the 10,000-hour rule, this pattern operates in a world where "those who haven't tried hard enough just haven't done enough yet." The immersion is so intense that even resting or playing becomes a source of guilt. To those outside, it may look harsh, but for the person in the midst of it, it feels like the only path that directly leads to results.

Network-type: A function that finds value in overlapping connections with people

A function that values ​​communication itself, and finds joy in introducing people and being introduced. A deeper level of trust that cannot be reached through meetings alone can be fostered through the overlap of time in after-parties and subsequent gatherings. For people with this strong trait, nurturing a community itself becomes a circuit that satisfies both profit and emotions.

── Skills (Evidence) Type ── Function that places criteria outside of oneself

Qualifications, language proficiency, and technical skills. These are functions that build clear outputs, which cannot be measured by simply saying "I like people." Those who have had successful experiences in past studies or training are more likely to naturally connect with this type. The very attitude of not shying away from steady accumulation becomes a weapon that can be transferred across industries.

─Analytical - A function that removes emotion and only looks at market coordinates

We only look at what reacts to the market. Personal likes and dislikes, and the aesthetics of effort, are meaningless before this function. The necessary personnel are deployed not based on whether they are liked or disliked, but as the result of an analysis of what is needed at that particular time. It is one of the most cold and most reproducible functions, prioritizing efficiency above all else.

Functions that reduce the cost of habitual decision-making to automation

Effort involves mental stress. That's why there are functions that automate actions to avoid using willpower. Reading a book after waking up, or going over text before sleeping—the accumulation of these small automations creates space to allocate thought resources elsewhere.

── Work-Life Balance Type ── A Function to Shift the Very Definition of Success

It is a function that asks the question, "Why must we succeed in the first place?" It views capitalist success as a "given narrative" and places greater value on gathering around the dinner table with family or living in nature. This is not an escape from success, but rather a way of reframing the very coordinates of success.

Goal-setting type: A function that designs immersion and motivates oneself through backward planning.

A function where setting a large goal first automatically reverses the subsequent actions. The difficulty here lies in designing the "just right" balance: if the goal is too small, the actions become insignificant; if it's too large, one loses the sense of presence and becomes unable to act. When it works well, this type of function carries people to their destination without them feeling like they are "making an effort."

Forms are things to be combined and things to be switched.

The important thing isn't to pick out which of these eight is correct. People live by combining them. Even if you start with excitement, choosing a challenge that involves tension or melancholy when you're leveling up is also a form of combination.

Furthermore, even within the same individual, the dominant success strategy changes over time. When you have neither assets nor achievements, you first use an analytical approach to identify your strengths, then switch to an effort-based approach to put in the work. Once a certain foundation is established, you expand your network to broaden your relationships, and then further on, you employ a goal-setting approach to create a sense of presence and drive yourself backward from the desired outcome. There's no need to fixate on any particular style as your "true self." Rather, it's far more important to be aware of which function you are currently prioritizing.

It's not just those who step forward who are successful—a perspective on roles

When we think of successful people, we tend to imagine those who are at the forefront, like business leaders or influencers. However, if we compare success to a band, behind the vocalist are the composers, the instrumentalists, and those who support the sound. It's because they function as a team that the one standing at the front can shine.

There's no need to view functions that support others as lesser roles. Accounting, auditing, management – when the ability to work behind the scenes is honed to its utmost, a form of independent success can be established there as well. Identifying where one's abilities are maximized is a question that carries the same weight as searching for talent that takes the lead.

How to redefine the function of "self"

The reason why success principles appear to be in such disarray is that each one is a record of "a function for a different person in a different phase." Instead of dismissing a template that doesn't fit you as "not suitable," re-examine which of the multiple functions lying dormant within you should be activated now. This is the perspective this article aims to convey.

At the Theta Corridor, we offer a perspective that deals with the very design of how to combine and transition through the function of "self."

↓For those who want to know more about functions, check out "θ Corridor I" now↓

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