The Secret to Success | 5 Minute Video

Is there a "secret" to success? Yes, but it's not a secret. Michele Tafoya, Sideline Reporter for NBC Sunday Night Football, shares the secret...that you already knew.

Download Pragerpedia on your iPhone or Android! Thousands of sources and facts at your fingertips.

FOLLOW us!
PragerU is on Snapchat!

JOIN PragerFORCE!

Script:

Countless books, seminars, and gurus promise to teach you the “secrets” to success. Well, here’s my secret: There are no secrets to success.

Actually, it’s pretty simple. Want to excel in whatever you do? Get to work. Keep working. And don’t stop until the job is done. That’s called “work ethic.”

I’m the sideline reporter for NBC’s Sunday Night Football. I won’t lie – it’s a dream job. But it isn’t a dream-come-true. There’s no fantasy involved. Just a lifetime of hard work.

I had my first real job at 13. I was a papergirl. I delivered newspapers to people’s homes and sold subscriptions door-to-door. That job taught me persistence. I learned that to succeed, especially in sales, you have to knock on a lot of doors.

In high school, I worked at Baskin Robbins. The manager didn’t appreciate it when I gave out overly-generous portions to customers. That taught me accountability. Until you run the show, you answer to the person who does.

A few years later, I worked as a telemarketer for an insurance company. A lot of people look down on telemarketers. I don’t. If you think a legitimate job is beneath you, you don’t deserve that job – or any other. Like all telemarketers, I was rejected far more often than not. Usually, I didn’t get past the first sentence. But sometimes I did – enough to make some good money. The path to success is paved with failure.

As a waitress in college, I learned that you need to smile and treat customers well, even when you’re having a bad day. Leave your mood at the door, or expect to be shown the door.

After I graduated, I had seven jobs – count ‘em, seven! One of those was a public relations assistant in Los Angeles. It was fun, but it involved ridiculously long hours. That was okay, though. I got used to it. And when long hours were called for later, I was ready.

I went from PR to producing a morning radio show. The host had talent. We put out a good product. But it wasn’t enough – because timing and luck are also important, and you can’t control those. You can only control what you do. You just have to keep working. What choice do you have?

The radio show gave me the idea that I could be a host – the talent. I put together a demo and sent it out to every station I could find an address for. I finally caught the eye of a sports show in Charlotte, North Carolina. I decided that I would never think of myself as a “female sports reporter,” but just as a sports reporter. My ambition is to be the best sports journalist, period. What does being a woman have to do with it?

As the newbie, I was at the station all day, and took every assignment that I could, especially the ones no one else wanted. After five months, TV stations noticed I was scooping their stories and started calling. One of those was CBS Sports. I took that job.

[DavidAdkins]

Don't just make money, be responsible with the money. I have friends making six figures with nothing to show for it.

[tysonchicken]

Success merely means accomplishing goals, in other words, doing what you set out to do. There are no secrets, but to do.

[BRBallin]

*The real secrets to success that nobody will tell you :*
1. Growing up under the right environment where your self-esteem isn't tarnished by people around you
2. Being disciplined and realistic and not fantasizing about a success story early on
3. Having a great support system of people who can help you and provide for you
4. Being at the right place at the right time
5. Having your own sense of direction and knowing how to get there and following through with it

All of these are easier said than done, so like Nike says..."Just Do It"

[michealokpara]

thank you PragerU ...I am a nurse planning to migrate "legitimately" to the US through legal recruitment agencies, but have been lazy at my studies due to fear of the unknown...but...your video(s) have taught and have been teaching me meaningful life values supplemented with my "true" African upbringing that consistency, temporary failures and accountability are all part of life's success. I am forever grateful to the founders of this channel....GOD BLESS YOU PRAGERU, GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!

[rocadezona]

I'm addicted to this channel, gotta have my dose even at 4 am

[mlabbato]

"Mistakes are Life's way of Highlighting what you need to Improve." Indeed, well said!

[TruffleSeeker]

Endlessly working won't lead to success if you are stuck in a dead end job. I think some better advice would be,

"Don't wait for an opportunity to fall from the sky, you have to make your own opportunities"

[fsh]

People don't hate telemarketers because they think the job is beneath them, they hate telemarketers because they invade your phone and home to try and get money from you.

Other than that A+ video

[thrillwithdrchill]

NBC will force her to apologize for this "insensitive" video

[aaronjames]

Instructions unclear. Worked myself to death

[toddsperling]

But Hollywood tells me that all I need to do is to wisecrack my way to the top and all of the boring hard work will blow through a montage with a music score!

[larryboldt]

What? Living in my parents basement after spending $59, 000 of my parents money to get a high powered degree is not successful?

[DipsyMum]

My niece didn't do well at school but she had a good work ethic and when she left school she started out in a Chinese takeaway.
Then she got a job in a call centre (telemarketing) and did long hours and all the unwanted shifts to get promotions. Then she got a job in as a cashier in a bank and did the same to work her way up to bank manager.
Then she got so good that she was head hunted by a rival bank which got her noticed and gave her the opportunity to get work her way into a new regional management role which involved her training managers that had all gone to uni.
I am so proud of her. She is in her mid twenties and has worked her butt off to be where she is. In fact she now finds her role tedious as ironically the hard workers work hard to elevate themselves only to find themselves in senior roles twiddling their thumbs. I have no doubt she will continue to climb that ladder.
Education is important but being quick witted and having a good work ethic is as or more important.

[loqmankordi]

Dont forget the key to success is to be patience

[busorenkin]

Sounds good. Unless you can't get a job.
I've applied to a lot, I won't give an exact figure but it's a lot and I have had only 4 interviews, no call backs and no success.
You're right, you can't control timing and luck, you also can't control the employer.
These videos are, for the most part, correct but lack one fact; there is a chance that no matter what you do or how hard you work at your current position (if you have one), you could fail at your goal and simply be left as a loser.
Life at times is a concession where you have to convince yourself you're happy with your current situation; it's a coping mechanism. Simply put, most people in life tell themselves they're happy because otherwise they'd go insane.

[crownedchronos]

This is what the youth needs to hear, not “the system is rigged” “don’t even try” or “become dependent on big gov.” Give them this, and so much more of it!! Thanks, PragerU!

[JobiWan]

This was exactly the motivation I needed this evening. Thanks, PragerU and Michele Tafoya!

[wwrussell]

Good for her. I missed this when it was ordinarily released. I have newfound respect for Michele Tafoya! Well done!

[TheSinnical]

don't know why, but this video made more sense to me than so many 'motivational video' out there. Very inspirational, Michelle!

[johnnyappleseed]

I Love Michele Tafoya! and Prager U. I still remember the beautifully silly exchanges between Michele on the sidelines and the late great Stuart Scott in the studio back when ESPN was worth watching.