Super Villain Success Principles

“The sanity of the plan is of no consequence if you can do it”

That quote is my paraphrase of the character Dr. Arnim Zola from Captain America: The First Avenger.

It comes at a point in the film where Zola (Hydra’s top ranked scientist) has been captured by American forces. When questioned, Zola gives up the fact that the Red Skull is less than a mere day away from launching an attack to destroy major cities in America.

Col. Chester Philips (played by Tommy Lee Jones) questions the sanity of Hydra’s leader Johann Schmidt and his plan.

The quote is (just about) how Zola responds – and it struck me like a lightning bolt the last time I watched the film.

Now, obviously in context, the quote is a heinous justification for horrible action of questionable morals and ethics (namely, bombing tons of major cities to smithereens).

But when the context of taking action on your dream and goals – you know, the ones that don’t involve mass murder by a super evil character – it takes on an entirely new meaning.

Big Ideas

Have you ever come up with a really cool idea, gotten yourself and perhaps some friends extremely excited for it, and when it came time to execute everyone except you backed out? Which then, of course, made you back out.

Have you ever come up with a super mind blowing dream or goal, only to have a friend or loved one question whether it was a good idea – obviously with more regard to your safety than your success?

Have you ever taken action towards a dream – in spite of protests – only to encounter people questioning whether your efforts have been worth the time, or simply directly mocking you?

“The sanity of the plan is of no consequence if you can do it”

In my time on this planet, I’ve found there’s really only one thing that separates those who have successfully chased down and caught their dreams from those who come home to Netflix, games, YouTube, and internet rabbit holes night after night.

Taking action. That’s it – actually doing something.

Not talking about doing something.

Not dreaming about doing something.

Not planning the thing you’re going to do.

Doing something.

As soon as you begin to take action – your sanity and the sanity of your plan will be called into question. Your safety will be worried about. The fact that you are changing the status quo will be noticed and commented on.

You will be tempted to question yourself in response.

You should – only momentarily – stop to consider the inevitable results of your actions and ensure that no one will harmed if you succeed.

(For example, don’t go put your family’s safety, established incomes, or perhaps a house at risk for the dream of a game audio career – bad call)

Otherwise, you have only one further question to ask yourself – can you succeed?

Most of you will be tempted to say

“I don’t know – it depends on X and Y and Z actually happening Adam! I don’t control any of those things!”

So the question then becomes – are you willing to put forth the effort to succeed even if those things don’t pan out for you and you face worse obstacles?

If your answer is yes – you can rest, relax, and turn the worrying part of your brain off in regard to your plans.

“The sanity of the plan is of no consequence if you can do it”

If you’re willing to put in the effort to succeed, regardless of struggle, then you live in three truths.

Yes, you’re absolutely crazy
Yes, the plan is absolutely crazy
Neither of those things matter at all – because you’re going to do it anyway

Everyone can question you – and everyone will be wrong. Then, when you succeed, everyone will want to be your friend and claim that they knew you before you had any sort of success. They – in fact – knew you would succeed all along. They were even the inspiration for your success!

Pay that no mind. At that point, you’ll know the truth.

And you’ll be in good company.

Because ideas like Walt Disney World, Apple Computers, Microsoft, novel empires like that of Stephen King or Michael Crichton, even software you use every day like Pro Tools, Wwise, and FMOD – these all germinated from one individual or a small handful of them.

When you begin to find success in pursuits that interest you – then you’ll come to realize there’s no tremendous difference between you and those wildly successful individuals except scale and specialized knowledge.

But the gulf between you and those who questioned your sanity?

That will have grown tremendously.

So take your “I wonder if I can do this”

Or your “If I only knew this…”

Or your “I can’t do that because…”

Or “Man, wouldn’t it be cool if…”

And have confidence enough to know your ideas are crazy, that you’ll have to be crazy in order to actually succeed, and that if you are – your sanity and these “ifs” bear no consequence to the eventual outcome. Excuses and action will be all that’s left – and at that point you will choose action.

Then you will succeed, simply because you can.