We're constantly bombarded with the image of the hyper-productive superman. He wakes at 4:30 a.m., downs lemon water, does yoga, visualizes success, and runs a 5k—all before his 6:30 a.m. breakfast of precisely calculated nutrients. His day is a relentless series of high-stakes meetings, personal development sessions, and punishing workouts, punctuated only by a nap on a pillow made from the eyeballs of flying bats (because they sleep during the day, obviously). At 8:30 p.m., after planning the next day and carefully conserving his Qi energy, he finally sleeps.

This exhausting fantasy is sold to us by "success gurus" who claim this is the only path to self-realization. But deep down, most of us know it's a caricature. It raises the question: if this neurotic obsession with productivity isn't the answer, how do genuinely successful people actually achieve their goals?

The Reality of "Work" at the Top

Let's look at the people who are truly at the pinnacle of power. They don't seem to be overworking themselves into a frenzy. In his first 19 months in office, one American president spent 150 days—a full 25% of his time—on vacation in Delaware. His predecessor was famously criticized for spending nearly 30% of his time playing golf. Another former president was known for being inseparable from his Texas ranch. These don't paint a picture of men grinding out 20-hour workdays.

Maybe politics is different. What about the titans of industry? A 12-year study from Harvard Business School tracked the CEOs of some of America's largest corporations—people running multi-billion dollar companies. What did they find?

On average, these leaders worked 62.5 hours a week. That breaks down to about 9.7 hours on a typical weekday. But here's the catch: that "work time" started the moment they opened their email in their limousine on the way to the office. If you subtract an hour for lunch and two hours for the commute, they're in the office for about six hours. And what do they do there? The study found that 61% of their time was spent in meetings, listening to reports from their subordinates.

Of course, there's always an outlier like Elon Musk, who might work 90 hours a week. But for the average to be 62.5, that means for every Musk, there’s likely another CEO working just 30 or 40 hours. The point is clear: hyper-productivity, in the sense of a grueling, non-stop process, isn't the norm even at the highest levels. Their results are hyper-productive, but their methods are not. It brings to mind an old saying: "The horse in the collective farm worked harder than anyone, but it never became the chairman."

So, if success isn't about working yourself to death, what does it depend on?

The Seven Real Methods for Achieving Success

It turns out there are clearer, more tangible paths to success. They have less to do with Chia seeds and more to do with circumstances, connections, and raw talent.

1. Origin: The Head Start

   The most obvious path is being born into the right family. If your parents are wealthy, educated, and well-connected, you start the race halfway to the finish line. Think of the children of Hollywood legends who get their first big break with ease, like Jane Fonda, daughter of Henry Fonda. Or consider Donald Trump, who inherited a real estate empire from his father. When your parent is already successful, it provides a powerful launchpad.

2. Social Intelligence: The Art of Connection

   Promotion often goes not to the one who works the hardest, but to the one who gets along the best. This goes back to our evolutionary roots. 50,000 years ago, Homo sapiens shared the Earth with Neanderthals. Neanderthals actually had larger brains, suggesting they may have had higher general intelligence. So why did we survive and they didn't?

   The leading theory is social intelligence. Homo sapiens were better collaborators. We knew how to form strong alliances and work together. It wasn’t about being the smartest individual; it was about being the most effective team player. This instinct remains today. A manager would rather hire a competent person they have a social connection with—a friend of a friend—than a brilliant but difficult stranger. We are wired to trust and promote those who are skilled in the art of cooperation. Developing your social intelligence dramatically increases your chances of building a successful career.

3. Studentship: The Right Crowd

   Look at the political elite of any country, and you’ll find a web of connections forged in college. The prime minister studied with this minister at a certain university; that CEO was in an exclusive club with another. This is why wealthy parents fight to get their children into Ivy League or Oxbridge universities. It’s not just about the quality of the education. It’s about the network. Studying at Harvard, Cambridge, or Princeton means you'll be building relationships with the next generation of leaders. Those student connections pay dividends for a lifetime.

4. Unsystematic Self-Realization: The Lone Wolf

   If you weren't born into privilege and aren't a natural networker, you can always go your own way. This is the path of the freelancer, the artist, the blogger, the entrepreneur who builds something from scratch. They operate outside of traditional hierarchies. Their success is not dependent on a boss or a corporate ladder. This path requires immense self-discipline, but it offers total freedom and is open to nearly anyone with a unique skill or vision.

5. Successful Marriage: The Power Couple

   Marrying a successful, powerful, or wealthy person can dramatically alter your life's trajectory. Consider Monica Bellucci. Her career was moving along slowly until she married fellow actor Vincent Cassel, after which she was suddenly starring in multiple films a year. This isn’t to say success is transmitted by magic, but a strategic partnership can open doors, provide resources, and create opportunities that were previously unimaginable.

6. Coincidence: A Lucky Break

   Sometimes, success is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The story of the supermodel discovered by a scout while working at a market stall is a classic example. She could have been sick that day; the scout could have taken a different route. It's an uncontrollable, random event.

   Think of the cast of the TV series Friends. While the show is beloved and iconic, the actors themselves are not necessarily the most profoundly talented of their generation. Yet, they continue to earn tens of millions of dollars a year in royalties, decades later. The show became a global phenomenon—a lightning-in-a-bottle moment that made them all fabulously successful. This kind of success is a lottery, but it happens.

7. Incredible Talent: The Gift

   Finally, there are those who are simply kissed by God. A genius like Beethoven, a composer like Tchaikovsky, a visionary like Elon Musk, or a force of nature like Michael Jackson. When you possess an incredible, world-changing talent, the other rules often don't apply. Beethoven was famously rude and difficult, and Tchaikovsky was perpetually in personal and financial trouble. But their genius was so immense that society forgave them their flaws and supported them. Emperor Alexander II personally sent Tchaikovsky money to get him out of debt. If you have this kind of gift, you can succeed even without social skills, because your talent alone is enough to carry you.

What This Means for You

So, what are the practical takeaways? You can't choose to be born into a wealthy family, and for most, attending an Ivy League school is out of reach. But that doesn’t mean success is unattainable.

Even if you don't feel like a "bright light in the garland," that's okay. Bright lights often burn out quickly. There is nothing wrong with being a steady, average light. The key is to be aware of your strengths and accept them. You still have three powerful methods at your disposal throughout your life:

• Develop your social intelligence. This is a skill, and it can be learned. Observe the people at your workplace who are well-liked and moving up. Model their behavior. Learn how to listen, cooperate, and build genuine connections.
• Consider unsystematic self-realization. You can always build something of your own. Start a small business, become a freelancer, or create art. In this domain, you are your only boss.
• Make smart partnership choices. A successful marriage or partnership is a valid and powerful strategy for building a better life.

As you can see, achieving success has very little to do with exhausting morning routines and everything to do with leveraging the real assets you have.

References

• Porter, M. E., & Nohria, N. (2018). How CEOs Manage Time. Harvard Business Review, 96(4), 42-51.

  This article details the findings of a massive 12-year study tracking the daily activities of 27 CEOs of large companies. It provides the data mentioned in the article, confirming that CEOs work an average of 62.5 hours per week and spend a significant portion of their time (61%) in meetings, challenging the myth of the lone, hyper-productive genius making unilateral decisions.

• Goleman, D. (2006). Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships. Bantam Books.

  This book by the author who popularized "emotional intelligence" explores the neuroscience of interpersonal relationships. It supports the article's claim that social skills are a critical, often overlooked, factor in success. Goleman argues that our brains are wired for connection and that the ability to navigate social situations effectively is a distinct form of intelligence that is paramount for leadership and collaboration.

• Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The Story of Success. Little, Brown and Company.

  Gladwell's book examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success. He argues against the idea that success is solely a matter of individual merit, emphasizing instead the importance of opportunity, cultural background, and sheer luck (like being born at the right time). This aligns with the article's points on Origin and Coincidence, providing numerous case studies that show how "successful" people are often the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and fortunate circumstances.