The one big danger I associate with success is the all pervading sense of complacency which normally accompanies a spate of victories. It's so easy to sit back and bask in glory when things are going well. The basic rule however, is not to take anything for granted, least of all success. If a chess player tells himself, "Ah! I am the World number three," it usually means he/she is on the way down.

In chess, it is important to remember just how narrow the gap is among the top players. I am always conscious of the fact that on a given day, the others can beat me. I keep reminding myself that I have to keep up the fight and continue learning. Sometimes chess players realize it on their own and sometimes it takes a bad tournament to make them painfully aware of the fact. In my case, I usually get the point after one defeat. After this I begin working again and build my motivation levels. The key for me is motivation. If I can remain excited about every game and focus on doing well, that is what is important for me. I wouldn't say achieving this state of mind is a piece of cake. In fact, it's a bit tricky and difficult.

My advise to all of you performers out there is, don't take your success for granted. Over confidence is a bane and there's many a slip between the cup and the lip. If you're accustomed to staying on the top, remember, there's no where else to go but down, so continue working hard to keep your place. The famous expression, "only the paranoid survive," meant for business organizations, is just as applicable to individuals who have achieved some measure of success. By constantly looking over your shoulder and benchmarking yourself against competitors, you can remain on your toes and maintain your lead.

Therefore if you're a school topper, look behind you and check to see the students who are catching up. If you're a record breaking long-jumper at college, make sure your performance is consistent and you keep striving for better results. If you're doing well at your job, ensure you're always "skilling/reskilling" and remaining on a learning curve, ahead of peers.

Clearly, there's no room for getting lax and resting on your laurels. Slackening the pace of work, cutting down on the effort or taking the pressure off might just trigger off a downslide that may be hard to reverse.

So drive away complacency from your mind and stay committed to moving on and moving up. By remaining satisfied with your work, you might lose the chance to improve yourself, perform better or drive yourself further.

Remember, complacency kills new ideas and innovation. It dampens enthusiasm and destroys creativity. It is the wrong way to gain contentment. Therefore, keep it at bay and try and maintain momentum.

This is the way for you to go!