Guard Your Gates

By Rod Patterson, MBA

3 Keys to Success: Available, Committed, Teachable – Lessons I Wish I’d Learned Sooner

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with high school and college scholars at St. John’s University. One of the most thoughtful questions came from a student: “How did you become successful?”

My answer? It wasn’t overnight. It wasn’t luck. It came down to three foundational principles I now call my 3 Keys to Success: Available, Committed, and Teachable—the A.C.T. mindset.

These keys aren’t glamorous buzzwords. They’re practical disciplines that separate potential from real, lasting impact. I share them often because, when young people ask me what I’d do differently if I could go back in time, this is my way of speaking directly to my younger self.

The individuals sitting in those seats represent my second chance to get it right. Here’s what I’d tell that younger version of me: Don’t take 18 years to earn your associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. I know this path well—it took me 11 years to complete my associate’s degree and an additional seven years to finish my bachelor’s, all while working full-time and attending classes in the evening. Take risks early. Pursue your dreams with everything you have.

While I’m not ashamed of my journey—it shaped who I am today and taught me resilience through real-world demands—it’s not the path I’d recommend to others. There’s a shorter, more intentional route, and it starts with these three keys.

1. Be Available: Your Greatest Ability

Availability is one of the most overlooked keys to success. It sounds basic—until your absence creates gaps that no amount of talent can easily fill.

Availability means more than just showing up. It’s being fully present—body, mind, and spirit. It’s positioning yourself to seize opportunities.

I often illustrate this with a sports example many can relate to: the Brooklyn Nets’ superteam era featuring Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving. Despite the overwhelming talent, Kyrie’s unavailability due to personal reasons and pandemic-era mandates created noticeable momentum stalls. Talent without availability leaves voids that are hard to replace.

Practical ways to build availability:

• Tune in — Listen actively. Watch for cues. Stay ready to serve when doors open.

• Tune out — Eliminate distractions, noise, doubts, and notifications that pull you from the present moment.

• Turn up — Bring your energy, engagement, and excellence. Make your presence count so that when you’re in the room, progress happens.

Availability gets you noticed. It opens doors. Absence simply delays your journey.

2. Be Committed: Consistency Over Convenience

Commitment isn’t about feeling motivated every day. It’s about showing up when it’s inconvenient, when it costs you something, and when no one is watching or cheering—much like balancing full-time work with evening classes over nearly two decades.

Commitment fuels consistency. Consistency builds credibility. And credibility earns trust. People don’t follow talent alone—they follow those they can trust.

How to strengthen commitment:

• Tune in to your core values and your deeper “why.” When your goals align with what you truly value, you’ll rise before the alarm clock (as Zig Ziglar called it, an “opportunity clock”).

• Tune out excuses, shortcuts, and distractions. Shortcuts are often the longest route between where you are and where you want to be.

• Turn up your discipline, focus, and work ethic. While others sleep, grow. While others play, learn. As Vince Lombardi famously said, “The harder you work, the harder it is to quit.”

This key kept me moving forward through long nights of studying after full workdays and the grind of balancing responsibilities.

3. Be Teachable: Stay Open to Growth

The third key—teachability—is the humility to keep learning, receiving feedback, and adapting. It’s recognizing that no matter how far you’ve come, there’s always more to discover.

A teachable spirit turns experiences into wisdom. It allows you to ask better questions, implement guidance from mentors, and view setbacks as stepping stones rather than roadblocks. Without it, even strong availability and commitment can hit a ceiling.

Growth starts the moment we become teachable. Ego blocks progress; openness unlocks the next level.

The Shorter Path Forward

These three keys—Available, Committed, and Teachable—form a complete mindset for success. They don’t require innate genius or perfect conditions. They require discipline, presence, and a willingness to grow.

To the scholars at St. John’s and to anyone reading this: You have the power to choose a shorter, more effective path than the one I walked. Guard your gates. Protect your focus. Show up fully, stay locked in through challenges, and remain open to learning.

Apply these keys consistently, and you’ll accelerate your progress, take bolder risks, and build a life of greater impact with fewer regrets.

What’s one area where you can lean into these keys starting today—being more available, deepening your commitment, or embracing teachability? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

If this resonated, check out my 3 Keys to Success video series on YouTube for deeper dives into each principle. And subscribe for more mindset shifts, real-talk motivation, and practical life lessons.

Let’s A.C.T. our way to success—together.

Rod Patterson, MBA

Vice President & Director of Property Claims

Author | Speaker | Growth Coach | Mindset Advocate