Winning words for success

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Inspired by the late Jim Rohn in one of his speeches, I took his words to heart, expanded their application and lived them out for years. Looking back now, I see how those words shaped my life and left a lasting impact.

There’s no shortcut to true success – only the long, worthwhile path of values, responsibility and character. And sometimes, even a funny classroom story reminds us of that.

Two students. One is bright and the other one, not so bright.

They both took a test. There were 10 questions on the test.

While checking the test papers, the teacher suspected something was amiss.

The bright student answered nine out of 10 questions correctly. The not-so-bright student also answered nine out of 10 questions correctly, which is why the teacher was suspicious.

Running out of time, the bright student was unable to answer the 10th question on the test. And so he wrote down the words, “Do not know the answer.”

And on the test paper of the not-so-bright student, he writes the words: “Do not know the answer either!”

You don’t cheat your way to being successful. In the eyes of the world, you may think some do. But deep inside and in the long run, all of them don’t. There is always a cost to their dishonesty.

A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of speaking to over 10,000 teachers gathered at a coliseum. Over the years, I have talked to teachers, parents and students (and I still do today, when the dates do not conflict with client training engagements), sharing a powerful insight I had drawn from the late Jim Rohn’s words, which have deeply influenced my journey. I call these winning words for success. Let me share them with you.

Whenever we use these words, we need to connect them to the different dimensions of their meaning.

1. I AM – The dimension of personal values

Every time you say, “I am,” you declare your values. Who are you, really?

Are you trustworthy? Faithful? Honest?

When God introduced Himself, He said, “I AM.” It wasn’t just a name – it was a statement of His person, character and authority. Likewise, your “I am” tells the world what you stand for.

2. I SHOULD – The dimension of personal responsibility

Responsibility is the domain of maturity. Mature people do what needs to be done – whether supervised or not. They finish what they start, handle money wisely and serve without demanding.

When you say, “I should,” you’re taking ownership of your duties.

How do you know whether a person is mature or not? You will know that a person has achieved maturity when he or she stops demanding for his or her rights and starts demanding to do his or her duties.

3. I COULD – The dimension of personal potential

Your potential is not dictated by circumstances – only by your mindset.

Failures are common; quitting is a choice.

When you say, “I could,” you enter the realm of possibility.

The enemy of this is, of course, the famous phrase, “But I can’t.” With a little dash of rationalization to explain the inefficacies: “This job is not for me.”

4. I WOULD – The dimension of personal choice

Life is full of negotiations with others, and especially with yourself.

When you say, “I would,” you are deciding between options.

You choose integrity over greed. Mission over money.

You negotiate with your conscience and values.
The choice you make makes you.

5. I WANT TO – The dimension of personal vision

Vision sees what could be, not just what is.

If you had unlimited time, money and confidence what would you pursue?

My next question, perhaps, is: Then why not go for it?

Without vision, we stagnate.

Wilbur and Orville Wright ignored the voices of doubt (including their own father, Bishop Wright!) and gave us flight.

You must see it before you can be it.

6. I WILL – The dimension of personal commitment

Commitment is not a feeling – it’s a decision.

Feelings change with the weather. Commitment stays even when it rains.

When you say, “I will,” you cross a line. You’re no longer entertaining options – you’re executing a purpose.

You’re committing to persevere, even when it’s inconvenient, unpopular or uncomfortable.

7. I DO – The dimension of personal accomplishment

Finally, we say: “I do.”

It’s not just for weddings – it’s the declaration of follow-through. It’s where commitment becomes action, and action becomes fulfillment.

I still have many things I want to accomplish. I feel like I’m just getting started. I live these words, speak them and stay committed to them.

Because when the dust settles and the hair turns gray, you’ll say one of two things:

“I wish I could,” or “I’m glad I did.”

Words matter – so choose wisely.

Catch Kongversations with Francis on YouTube and all major podcast platforms – Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more. Plus, listen to Inspiring Excellence wherever you stream.