The Truth About Success: What No One Tells You On Making It Big

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Let’s talk about something most online “gurus” won’t: The truth about what it really takes to build a business, grow a side hustle, or “make it big.”

While the internet is full of hype, highlight reels, and “easy” formulas, the reality?

Success is messier. And it looks different for everyone.

If you’re building something, or thinking about it, today’s edition is for you.

Success Takes Longer Than You Think

Despite what overnight success stories suggest, most people take years to “succeed.”

That course that blew up?

That newsletter with 100k readers?

That freelancer making 6 figures?

They all started with crickets, self-doubt, and tiny wins that didn’t feel like much.

That’s the normal path to success, so don’t be fooled.

If you don’t see results right away, it doesn’t mean you’re failing, it just means you’re normal, and are on your way to success.

And is there something you can do to speed up the process?

Sure, if you can afford some software here and there and specially some mentors along the way, that will really help you to shorten the path to success so to speak.

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year.” — Bill Gates

→ Choose a 12-month horizon instead of a 12-day one. Revisit your expectations and commit to long games over shortcuts.

You’ll Fail (A Lot) and That’s the Point

Failure isn’t the opposite of success, it’s just part of it.

Every entrepreneur has launched something that flopped, worked with a client that ghosted, or followed a plan that went nowhere.

Just last week, I had a meeting with a client that came to me out of the blue and then he did not even showed up for the meeting he booked… These things happened so don’t get discourage. It is just less 1 obstacle to go.

The key is not avoiding failure, it’s learning how to keep going.

The real problem? Most people give up before the data gets good, and giving up is truly the incurable mistake that blocks your path to success completely.

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” — Winston Churchill

→ Reframe failure as data.

Ask: What did I learn? What would I do differently next time?

Discipline Beats Motivation

The people who win aren’t always the most talented, confident, or even inspired.They’re the ones who keep showing up.

Discipline is doing what matters even when you don’t feel like it.And that, over time, is what builds something real.

I know I talk about this a lot, but I feel I have to because it is so easy to forget that motivation is garbage, after you take action and you evolve you get motivated so waiting on motivation is like waiting on death.

Sorry for the tough love but success is not for the weak. It’s great but also heavy, complex and if you depend on motivation you will never reach it.

“You will never always be motivated. You have to learn to be disciplined.”

→ Don’t wait to feel motivated. Set systems that support consistency (e.g. writing one hour per day, sending one pitch per week).

Freedom Requires Structure

Here’s the paradox: most people start a side hustle or business for more freedom…And then feel frustrated when they’re overwhelmed, scattered, or burned out.

The truth?

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever you want, whenever.It comes from building habits, boundaries, and systems that create space.

It all starts with a vision, divided by goals, divided by steps, and that gives you the actions you need to take to someday get the freedom that you want.

Until there, just keep going, don’t give up, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride

“Discipline is the key to freedom.” — Jocko Willink

→ Protect your energy. Set working hours. Use a simple workflow. Create “off” time, even if you're your own boss.

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Last Thoughts:

If no one told you before, here it is:

Success is slower, harder, and more emotional than most people admit.

But it’s also more rewarding, more freeing, and more within reach than you think.

This isn’t about luck or genius.It’s about showing up, building with intention, and trusting the process, even when it’s quiet.

You’ve got this. Your Turn:

→What truth about success have you learned the hard way? Reply to this email.

→ Share this with a friend building something too, we all need honest encouragement.

See you in a week.

Your Zine.