By Dr. Scott Zarcinas, Founder 818: Unlocking Your Life

How often have you looked at someone else’s success and thought, “They make it look so easy”?

As a life coach and medical doctor, I’ve guided hundreds of professionals through that exact frustration—watching others succeed whilst feeling stuck on your own path.

The Truth About Success (It’s Not What You Think)

Here’s what nobody tells you:

That “overnight success” you’re admiring has probably been 20 years in the making.

In today’s world of instant gratification—where we expect everything from coffee to career advancement to happen at the touch of a button—real success follows a different timeline.

But here’s a truth that you should know:

“The grass isn’t greener on the other side. It’s greener where you water it.”

This isn’t just a clever saying. It’s a fundamental truth that transformed my clients’ lives, from the marketing director who felt trapped in a cycle of comparison to the landscape gardener who nearly gave up on his dream three months before his breakthrough.

Traditional success advice from coaches focuses almost exclusively on action steps—the “doing”.

Doing, of course, is important; there’s no success without action. But here’s what 15 years of coaching has taught me:

Lasting success comes from balancing who you are being with what you are doing.

You are, of course, a human being, not a human doing, so let me share the framework that’s helped my clients break through their barriers:

S – Start Immediately

• Being: Don’t wait for the “perfect moment”—there’s no such thing.
• Doing: Begin with one small step today.
• Case study: A client started with just 10 minutes of daily planning.

One of my clients, a chronically overwhelmed business manager, started with just 10 minutes of planning each morning before opening his emails. This simple ritual—jotting down his top three priorities and scheduling specific times to tackle them—helped him reclaim control of his days instead of constantly reacting to others’ demands. Almost immediately, he had reclaimed tens of hours during the week and, more importantly, stopped taking work home at weekends.

U – Utilise Failures

• Being: Have the mindset that transforms setbacks into stepping stones.
• Doing: Learn quickly, adjust swiftly.
• Real story: How one client turned a failed project into a big opportunity (which was almost missed).

A workshop participant who had been half-heartedly running his business from home finally confronted the real source of his procrastination—not laziness or lack of skill, but a deep-seated fear of fully committing to his entrepreneurial dreams. Through our work together, he uncovered how this pattern of ‘playing it safe’ had kept his business drifting in the shallows, never quite failing but never truly succeeding either. This breakthrough led him to finally invest his time, money, and effort, and commit to his business—all actions he had previously convinced himself were ‘too risky’ to attempt.

C – Create Systems

• Being: Focus on consistent progress.
• Doing: Build repeatable processes.
• Key insight: Success loves structure.

When I guide clients through creating their own personalised routines and frameworks, they’re often surprised by how quickly progress follows. Think of structure as success’s best friend—it transforms vague aspirations into achievable steps, just as a recipe transforms raw ingredients into a delightful meal. One client, an aspiring author, finally finished her book by committing to write for just 30 minutes each day. She has now written 6 books, proof that structure provides the reliable foundation that turns dreams into daily progress.

C – Commit Fully

• Being: Invest in your growth.
• Doing: Stay dedicated despite obstacles.
• Why 97% never finish what they start (and how to be in the 3%).

• Being: Find joy in the process.
• Doing: Transform work into play.
• The Mary Poppins principle: “You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game”.

Let me share something surprising I’ve noticed in my coaching practice: the most successful people aren’t necessarily the most serious. They try to find the fun in work by reframing challenges as games. But the Mary Poppins principle isn’t about trivialising important work; it’s about finding that playful perspective, just like a child who resists walking but will happily race you to the corner.

S – Small Steps

• Being: Embrace incremental progress.
• Doing: Build momentum gradually.
• Case study: How small daily actions led to massive results (using The Rule of 5)

Let me share a powerful transformation using The Rule of 5—where you commit to five specific small actions every single day. One of my clients, a frustrated financial advisor with a dormant coaching business on the side, applied this principle with remarkable results. Each day, without fail, he committed to: reaching out to one potential client, writing one LinkedIn post, spending 15 minutes updating his coaching materials, practicing one coaching technique, and reading an article on professional development. These seemingly modest actions completely refined his coaching program. It wasn’t the size of the actions that mattered—it was their consistency. These small daily steps, which never took more than an hour in total, gave him the confidence to run his coaching practice part-time.

S – Stop Negative Thoughts

• Being: Challenge self-limiting beliefs.
• Doing: Maintain forward momentum.
• Practical technique: Insert ‘The BUT!’

In coaching sessions, I teach what I call ‘Insert the BUT!’ technique—a simple yet powerful way to transform negative self-talk into fuel for action. When a client catches themselves in a negative thought spiral, they learn to intentionally interrupt it with a forceful ‘BUT!’ followed by a constructive reframe. For example, “I’m terrible at public speaking, BUT! every presentation I give makes me better.” One client used this technique to transform his paralysing fear of failure: “I am not as good as everyone else in the team, BUT! my experience is as good as any education and I am confident I know what to do.” This small linguistic shift helps break the pattern of negative self-talk and creates an immediate pathway to constructive action—turning emotional hurdles into stepping stones.

Ready to Transform Your Success Journey?

Success isn’t about looking over the fence at what others are doing—it’s about nurturing your own garden.

Every person I’ve coached started exactly where you are now: ready for change but unsure of the next step.

Want to explore how professional life coaching could help you achieve your version of success? Book a complimentary Discovery Session to discuss your unique path to success. Together, we’ll create a roadmap that turns your aspirations into reality.

About the Author: Dr. Scott Zarcinas (aka DoctorZed) is an author, doctor, and transformational life coach with over 15 years of experience helping professionals achieve authentic success. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, he specialises in transforming potential into performance through personalised coaching programs.

Nurture Your Success. Take the First Step to Unlock the Life You Want Today!