Valedictorian secret

At the end of every high school year, during the 1980s, parents would often come to me and warmly congratulate me on my academic performance (I always ended up with the highest GPA).

I could see in their eyes the admiration they had for me, although I never quite understood why. I never thought I was special or more intelligent than the other kids. I just did what came naturally, and somehow, mysteriously, I've always had lots of self-discipline and great study habits.

Now that I look back, I regret that those parents never asked me one critical question that, perhaps, could have helped their own kids: "How did you do it? What's your secret?"

Perhaps they thought about that question, but were too polite to ask. After all, my success secret, as a student, could conceivably be considered a "trade secret."

Yet, if they had dared ask me that question, I would have answered: "Little by little, does the trick."

This is the single most powerful success secret in the universe.

Einstein said it differently. On the occasion of his receiving the Nobel Prize, a reporter asked him what was the most powerful force in the universe, and he replied: "Compound interest."

When you think about it, "compound interest = little by little, does the trick."

Because of the "compounding" effects, the only secret, really, is to start as EARLY as possible.