The Secrets of Success

MARIO MENDOZA was a shortstop who played for nine seasons in the big leagues—from 1974 to 1982—with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, he made it to the majors on the strength of his slick defensive play—the graceful, bespectacled Mendoza displayed excellent range, sure hands and a strong, accurate throwing arm. In 1980, no less an expert than Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski, himself a legendary fielder, declared, “Mario Mendoza is the best shortstop in the American League.” For all his virtues, Mendoza was not, however, a hitter. Over the course of his career, he compiled a .215 lifetime batting average, meager by any standard—though far from the worst in major-league history. Indeed, he might well have faded into the long line…

THE “MARSHMALLOW test” may be the most famous behavioral-science experiment in history. In it, a child is presented with a marshmallow or a similar treat. The child is told that if she can wait 15 minutes before eating the marshmallow, she’ll receive a second one. Stanford University researchers conducted the original marshmallow tests in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Initially, the aim of these tests was to determine the age at which kids develop the ability to show patience and delay gratification. (The test was normally administered to children between ages 4 and 6.) But follow-up studies found that the youngsters who were able to resist gobbling up the marshmallow were better able to cope with stress during adolescence, were better at taking standardized tests and were more likely…

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST Anders Ericsson is fond of recounting a story about the great Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini. The maestro was once partway through a solo performance when one of his strings suddenly broke. Unfazed, he simply kept playing, but then another string snapped, and then a third, leaving him with only a single violin string. Paganini not only continued playing but carried off a virtuoso-level performance, even limited to a single string. As it turned out, the violinist’s startling recovery wasn’t miraculous or superhuman. Paganini had long prepared for just such a moment. Not only had he put long hours into practicing the instrument without all of its strings, but he had actually composed music specifically meant to be played on a violin with just one string. “Achievement takes preparation,”…

EVER FEEL LIKE a fraud at work? You’re not alone, says Valerie Young, the author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women. You’re probably experiencing a very common psychological phenomenon known as impostor syndrome. You may have heard this phrase tossed around among your friends or colleagues, but what exactly is impostor syndrome? People with impostor syndrome typically live with a sense of anxiety, self-doubt and insecurity and are constantly paranoid someone will suddenly expose them as a fraud who should never have been hired—or trusted with X or Y responsibility—in the first place. Impostor syndrome occurs when someone is unable to internalize their skills, expertise or achievements. While impostor syndrome is extremely common in professional settings, it can manifest itself in lots of other places as well, for example,…

AT AN EARLY age, Daniella Leifer learned that in order to see positive results in her life, she would have to show up every day and put in the work. The 28-year-old master instructor runs the United Martial Arts Centers (UMAC) in Newburgh, N.Y.—she began teaching tae kwon do as a staff member when she was just 14—and she expects her first book will be released this year. She also trains in the gym five or six days a week, runs casually and practices yoga. Leifer considers her martial-arts training and fitness regimen the backbone of her success in her business ventures and personal life. “When I look back, if there was ever a time where I felt disconnected or ‘off,’ or even a little lost, most of the time…

WHETHER IT’S snagging a new job title, coming home to a tight-knit family or completing a passion project, success can look a little different depending on who you are and what you want. But there’s one secret to success that applies no matter what the goal: resilience. The concept and importance of resilience, as well as its accompanying schools of thought, such as positive psychology, now boast years of scientific research to confirm their credibility. “Resilience is the process of returning to a previous level of well-being after a period of adversity,” says Katherine King, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in Boston. “This is what naturally happens for most people who endure hardship—we don’t have to work super hard or force it to happen.” Some are better at coping with adversity…