"It's taken me years to realize" — When Shark Tank investor Daymond John revealed his 3 pillars to success

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Daymond John attends 'Shaq's Fun House' at XS nightclub (Image via Getty)

Shark Tank investor Daymond John said he has spent years reflecting on what drives success. In one of his speaking engagements posted on YouTube on September 13, 2024, he stated,

"It's taken me years to realize that you know I think that the three pillars to success"

According to John, these three pillars are a foundation for achieving goals and maintaining focus. He outlined them: identifying one’s "why," setting structured goals, and conducting the necessary research to support those goals."


Shark Tank Daymond John explains the key principles behind achieving success

The first pillar: Knowing your "why"

John emphasized that understanding one's "why" is a critical yet challenging component of success. The Shark Tank investor stated,

"Too many of us are trying to do our why because our parents said that that was success when they were growing up, or we're trying to impress a bunch of people on social media that we actually don't know."
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He suggested that individuals often pursue goals influenced by external expectations rather than their true purpose. John also noted that failing to identify a genuine "why" can lead to dissatisfaction in various areas of life. He explained,

"We're in horrible relationships, and we're afraid because we just don't want to leave the relationship because we think that we don't have any value and we don't want to go someplace else."

By defining a personal reason for pursuing success, individuals can create a clearer path toward their goals.


The second pillar: Setting goals

John explained that structured goal-setting becomes important once a person identifies their "why." To maintain focus, he follows a specific routine of writing down his goals and consistently reviewing them. He emphasized that setting the right goals allows him to conduct the necessary research to support them.

"Every single night when I go to bed, I read the same exact 10 goals. Six of them expire in six months, the other four expire in two years, five years, ten years, and twenty years." John noted.

The Shark Tank investor also explained why he reads his goals at two key points in the day, saying,

"The reason why I read them before I go to bed is because I want it to be the last thing I think about when I go to sleep. The reason I read it in the morning [is] because if I don't, we're too connected, and we let everybody take the most precious things we have in our life from us in the morning."

According to John, without a structured routine, distractions from external sources can interfere with personal success.


The third pillar: Conducting research and removing distractions

John emphasized that achieving success requires research and eliminating unnecessary distractions. He described how social media and emails can negatively impact productivity, explaining,

"If I don't read [my goals] once every two weeks, I do this in the morning: I look at social media first, and everybody I know on social media, they're richer than me, they're skinnier than me, and they're all in Greece for Christ’s sakes—when do these people work?"

The Shark Tank investor pointed out that comparing oneself to others on social media can create a false perception of reality. John also stressed the importance of removing negative influences from one's life. He shared his approach, noting,

"Maybe nine years ago, I started cutting off at New Year's Eve who I felt was toxic in my life, and if they weren't a good friend to themselves, they would never be a good friend to me."

The Shark Tank investor explained that this process helped him make more time for people who positively contributed to his life.


Shark Tank airs on ABC every Friday at 8 PM ET, featuring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to industry-leading investors. Full episodes are available to stream anytime on Hulu.

Edited by Debanjana
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