Welcome to TheHigherWe! Today we will examine some of the hidden success principles of one of the biggest music artists living today – Drake. With multiple Grammy awards, countless chart-topping hits, and a global fanbase, Drake has proven himself to be a master of rhymes and melodies that have become the soundtrack of the current generation. We have chosen to look at seven key principles that have helped Drake achieve international success, supported by direct quotes from Drake himself.

Principle 1: Base your craft and everything you do on your passion

Drake once said, “I was born to do this. I was born to make music. I was born to touch people’s lives and bring people together.” This quote showcases Drake’s passion for his craft, and it’s one of the main reasons he’s been able to achieve the level of success in the music industry. If you truly love what you do, you’ll be able to put in the work and the hours necessary to succeed. You do not have to be motivated by outside forces when you are passionate about something. Motivation comes from deep inside yourself because it’s a natural process. Therefore, think about the question: “What really motivates me and why?” or “What am I truly passionate about?” and let that be a starting point for your investment in time and personal energy. We all have a limited time and energy span in our lifetime, so make sure your efforts are deeply rooted in your passion.

Principle 2: Stay humble and embrace your Vulnerability

In an interview, Drake said, “I’m not perfect. I’m not a machine. I’m a human being.” This quote illustrates Drake’s strength to be vulnerable and share his imperfections with his audience. By being transparent and honest, he can connect with people on a deeper level and create music that resonates with the masses. Most people are afraid to show their true selves and work hard to uphold a persona or a facade of perfection. The biggest reason for doing this is usually the fear of rejection and criticism. But who is interested in so-called “Perfect people”? Who can relate to someone that never makes a mistake? As Drake pointed out, humans are not robots, and when we dare to admit our mistakes, we grow on a personal level and gain respect and empathy from our surroundings. Making mistakes and being able to admit them to correct them is necessary for lifelong learning and self-development in every aspect of life.

Principle 3: Respect people around you and surround yourself with a Strong Team

Drake once said, “I always try to surround myself with people who are smarter than me.” This quote emphasizes the importance of having a strong and competent team around you when you wish to achieve greatness. Everyone needs to have people who can offer different and honest perspectives to help them make the best decisions possible. By being venerable, you understand that you do not know everything and can be humble enough and smart enough to see greatness in others. By acknowledging other people’s strengths and competence, you create loyalty and respect from people around you. Every person that feels recognized, seen, and valued wishes to help and sacrifice for a greater cause. When you show respect and value for someone else’s knowledge or skill, they are always ready to help you to their utmost. In fact, respect is often more important than money for many highly professional people because their primary motivation usually stems from their passion for the craft and not from the money that the work can bring. Therefore look around you and see who can support you and your projects. You do not have to know everything because no one can be exceptionally good at everything. Know your limitations and allow others to be part of your growth and success.

Principle 4: Always embrace Change and Adapt accordingly

Drake once said, “Change is the constant that we all face, but change allows for new opportunities and growth.” This quote highlights the importance of adapting to new situations constantly and always embracing change. Life is constantly changing, and those who can adapt and evolve are the ones who will continue to find success. In the same way as nature has its seasonal and weather cycles so does life. Change is often feared because we fall into comfort zones that make us feel secure and familiar with what’s ahead. But comfort and security also have the potential to hinder us innovation and development. This can result in a stagnant, boring, and predictable life without the passion of positive life energy. When we avoid change, we tend to miss new opportunities and instead start focusing on our past. In a way, we start to regress instead of progress. This gives us a sense of false security but also blocks us from developing in the long run. If you want to be highly successful in any field, you must embrace change to spot new trends and opportunities to thrive. All successful people and organizations have mindsets and routines that help them acquire new knowledge and inspiration. How do you view change? How can you use change for your benefit? What routines do you have that support lifelong learning and change?

Principle 5: Be bold and take calculated and well-informed Risks

Drake once said, “Sometimes the journey teaches you a lot about your destination.” This quote emphasizes the importance of taking calculated risks as a natural part of your journey. When you take risks, you open yourself up to new opportunities and experiences that can lead you to success. In the same way, people feel discomfort towards the change. They also feel discouraged from taking risks. The key point with taking risks is that risks should not be taken just for the sake of it. This means that each risk should be evaluated with the potential benefit it can bring. In business, science and engineering professionals sometimes use the term risk-to-benefit ratio. The risk-to-benefit ratio is a conceptual comparison of the potential risks of a particular action or decision against the potential benefits of that same action or decision. In other words, it’s a way of weighing the potential negative consequences of a decision or action against the potential positive outcomes. When the risk-benefit ratio is applied to a situation, one can say that one is taking a calculated or informed risk. Also, the more information we have about and around any given risk, the more we can apply that information in our risk-to-benefit analysis. By using this simple but powerful evaluation tool, we can ensure that our risk-taking is rational and well-balanced. How do you approach risks and risk-taking yourself? How do you evaluate the risks you take in your life? What type of information are you using as your research when you wish to take a specific risk? Do you use a particular method or rely on mere chance? All these questions can be highly relevant when you plan to take risks in the future!

Principle 6: Work Hard and Stay Focused

Drake once said, “The key to being successful is staying true to what you want to do and staying focused on it.” This quote highlights the importance of hard work and staying focused on your main goal. The concept of working hard can sometimes be misunderstood as working a lot of hours but many times, it’s more about working efficiently and being focused. Some people can achieve something in 2 hours that takes someone else 8 hours to complete. The difference is the level of experience and deliberate focus the two people possess. When you are absorbed with passion for something, working comes naturally; therefore, you can work hard without feeling it’s burdensome. When you lack passion and motivation for something, you need to struggle to achieve the same results as someone working hard and with passion. The optimal version of working hard is therefore working smart with passion. When you work smart, you optimize, rationalize, and streamline your work to maximize your hours. If you have specific repetitive tasks, you try to automate or outsource them. Working hard is not about staying late at work but optimizing your time to achieve the best output. The issue of focus is also very important for your productivity. If you try to manage several tasks, roles, or projects at the exact times, you will feel distracted, and your energy will be unfocused, often resulting in mediocre results. What is your understanding of the concept of working hard? How do you stay focused, and what support systems do you have when you lose focus?

Principle 7: Belief in Yourself

Drake once said, “I’m trying to do better than good enough.” This quote emphasizes the importance of believing in yourself and pushing yourself to be the best you can be. You can achieve anything you want when you have confidence in yourself and your abilities. Our image of ourselves is often formed very early on in our life. As children, we absorb and adapt to our parents’ image of us. Some parents are good at seeing their kids’ potential and gifts and at encouraging and supporting them. Children that receive this early support from their parents and school usually have a greater sense of self-belief, self-love, and self-respect even when they grow up. For those that didn’t have this fortunate experience growing up, confidence and belief in one’s ability might be harder to attain. But it’s important to note that we always have a chance to re-evaluate our self-image and rebuild or enhance our confidence. We all can reimagine and re-program our image of ourselves. By exploring our inner personality in intellectual, spiritual, and physical ways, we can understand ourselves better. When we know who we are, it is easier for us to have tremendous respect and confidence in ourselves. Another important aspect is our social and professional interactions with other people. When we feel appreciated by our family, friends, and co-workers, we naturally grow our confidence. Therefore it is wise to observe how these interactions affect your confidence. By investing in relationships that boost our confidence, we create a natural support system in our journey toward success. Give some time and evaluate your images of yourself. Where do these images stem from, and do you feel they are just representations of you and your potential? What can you do today to gain confidence to pursue your goals more confidently?  

There you have it – the seven success principles of Drake. By being passionate about your craft, embracing your vulnerability, surrounding yourself with a strong team, embracing change, taking risks, working hard, staying focused, and believing in yourself, you can succeed in any field.

As Drake once said, “It’s never about the end destination. It’s about the journey.” So, take these principles to heart, and go out there and make your journey towards success.

Thanks for reading.

Stay blessed!